Had first Gen TSX. Wife Recently purchase 09 2nd Gen TSX.
When I drove it the other day I was appalled at how bad the hood bounces and vibrates when going over expansion cracks or moderately rough road. Also at freeway speed into gusty wind I noticed significant hood movement.

Problem is most notable at seam between hood and fender close to base of Windshield.

Dealer concurred there is significant vibration but two other new ones have same characteristics so it is deemed normal.

They gave me a 09 TL for the day. I drove it on the same roads that give my TSX problems and the hood was rock steady.

Be aware there is a problem. I am in contact with client services but hold little hope of any resolution.

If I would have only test drove the car I would have picke up on the problem...Wife doesnt care....

 

mine doesnt vibrate.. i've looked for stuff like that, nothing, solid as a rock.

 

When I got my 04 I had similar problem. It took me a while to figure out where the clunking was coming from. The fix was extremely simple. The rubber bumpers along the bottom of the front edge of the hood are threaded. You turn them to make them taller or shorter. A couple turns and the problem was fixed.

 

I noticed the same problem on my 2G TSX. Will consult the dealer next Monday since I need to get a chip on my windshield fixed.

 

I too have noticed that the hood isn't steady - it vibrates a little when I'm on the freeway. My fear is that it's gonna fly away at high speeds one of these days. I'll take a stab at the rubber bumpers, but again I shouldn't have to deal with this.

 

It's a minor adjustment. Boo hoo.

 

The hood shouldn't fly up on the freeway or anywhere. It has double latches on the front and a rubber to help keep air from going under it. I haven't noticed my hood moving, but then again I think every car I've had the hood has moved a little bit at freeway speeds. Try the rubber bumpers...every other car I know has the hood attached in a similar way, and I haven't really seen any cars on the side of the road missing a hood! I'm sure its fine.

 

LukeaTron, If it is such a simple adjustment why did the dealer not make it and make a customer happy?

 

Do you want the dealer test driving your car on the interstate before you buy it just to see if the hood is moving?

It takes 2 minutes to adjust the rubber stoppers. I don't see what the big deal is.

You might as well complain that your car didn't come preprogrammed with the radio stations you like and that you had to do it yourself. It's no more difficult.

 

They tried adjusting the stops but that did not alleviate the problem. They then test drove other new TSX's and they all had the same symtoms.

The Dealer said it is not something they can fix. I think it has to do with the engineering design of the deformable hood and hinges they started using.

Read up on things and you find they are not so simple.

 

Don't give me that after you were the one who said "If it is such a simple adjustment why did the dealer not make it and make a customer happy?". I was commenting on how truely simple the adjustment is, not whether it actually worked or not.

BTW, my hood is fine. So either your dealer didn't actually make the effort to adjust the rubber stops, or your car is faulty. If Acura becomes aware of the problem, they'll probably just release a recall to replace the rubber stops with ones that either have longer threaded rods or larger stoppers.

 

Don't give me that after you were the one who said "If it is such a simple adjustment why did the dealer not make it and make a customer happy?". I was commenting on how truely simple the adjustment is, not whether it actually worked or not.

Huh? That was a rhetorical question to validate my point that the dealer could not fix the problem by adjusting the hood stops.
Precisely the whole point of my post is that there seems to be a problem not with just my car but other new instock units that the dealer said they cannot fix and for me to just live with it.

I want other prospective buyers to be aware of the problem and that there may not be a simple fix per the dealer.

 

I agree with DerwoodEE, and I have also not had any problems so far with my hood.

 

Can you push down on the hood and make it move anywhere? I'm wondering if the play is in the hinges. If that's the case it'd be more than a simple adjustment anymore.

 

I have adjusted my rubber stops and still have the same problem. Now that some of you say you have no movement I will have the dealer look at it next time. I have a Feeling I will be told the same as Twotimer. I think that the play is in the hinges.

 

hopes this helps.....

2009 TSX - Hood Adjustment

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Nice instructions. Sounds like and adjustment may be needed at the front latch as there doesn't look to be any up or down adjustability at the hinges.

 

I don't think it's an adjustment issue.
I can press the hood at either hinge location and can easily flex the hood up and down about a 1/16 to 3/32 of an inch. The front part of the hood is rock solid, due to the rubber stoppers being adjusted properly.

Not a big deal, and it doesn't bother now. It's just something to get used to.

 

I noticed this too on mine. The service manager said he didn't understand what could cause that, as there is no play in the hinges. It doesn't bother me, as it make no noise and is barely noticable. So I let it be.

 

Acura Customer Relations rep responded my letter regarding noticeable hood shake at freeway speed and over modest to moderately rough pavement.

The Acura rep himself has an 09 TSX as a company car and has noticed the problem with his. Acura is monitoring the " case load" ie the number of complaints coming in from customers. They have started to look at the problem but have not issued any TSB's or other service instructions.

So I got the answer I figured i would... No fix available at this time.

PROSPECTIVE BUYERS: Throughly road test a TSX to make sure the hood shake wont bother you....

Current owners: If it bugs you...bug Acura about it Maybe they can engineer a remedy.

So case closed unless enough people complain.

 

I have only noticed it once -- on the highway, doing approx 70mph, on an EXTREMELY blustery day (could feel the car being blown around). Haven't noticed it since on or off the highway.

 

Mine does it but I don't notice it unless I'm looking for it. I may mention it when it goes in for its first service...

 

I've never noticed it on mine, but then I haven't tried to notice it. Now that I will keep an eye on it.. lol.

 

Was aware of problem from this forum. Sure enough hood shows movement over rough road . Showed salesman and he said that it would be adjusted out. Told him no sale untill I read there is a fix. Dealers are not aware. May have to spring the jack for a TL. No problem with hood over same test drive route.

 

During my commute to/from work today, I kept an eye out for this issue and didn't see it. Hopefully it stays that way.

 

Mercedes and BMW have springs under the hood that push the hood up and three latches pull the hood down to keep it taut so there are no issues at any speed. Honda uses a cheap scissor latch to do the job which isn't cool for a luxury ride.

I think the TL's hydraulic arms are a work around for it. For the TSX I guess you just need to do an adjustment but it shouldn't be this way.

 

My G500's hood vibrates at highway speed...and my hood is super heavy! I guess that having a brickwall aerodynamics does not help.

 

Damn, that's a good point! Didn't someone post pics of the V6 TSX using hydro lifts as opposed to the rod? If so, that tension from those things might just do the trick if the shaking bothers anyone that much.

 

Yea well the G's a heavy beast and I don't think they are counter-sprung... I can't remember even though I just sold one of those. I think they use weight to keep that puppy down!

 

LOL, the Gefundewagon! (not the correct term, it's just funny) I used a friends G500 to tow a wrecked GSR from Atlanta to Orlando...it only used $400 worth of fuel!

I was so ready to get out of that f'ing thing when I got back. OY!

 

Take it off-road and you will see the beauty of it!

 

It's definitely a purpose built vehicle. Another customer had a G55 that I spent a little time in & it was nuts! I don't doubt it's prowess off-road, it's a tank.

In my case, I just spent too many hours in a very short time in the thing. It was awesome, but at 12mpg I was like "Dammitman! I can't pass one gas station in this thing!"

It was so stable hauling that car on a transport (a full deck, not a dolly) I didn't even know it was back there.

Sorry to come across like I was slamming it, I'm just not an off-road enthusiast.

 

That's cool...i did not feel like you were slamming it....

 

You still saved about $200 not hiring a truck and you got to drive it! I love the truck but would feel a little guilty owning one due to the gas it burns. That car would be perfect for a diesel.

Off road it is supposed to be the master but I doubt many people spend 90k on one and take it on the Rubicon trail.

I sold a nice 03 for 35k. Nice ride!

 

Well, i think that you just screwed that owner! Just kidding. Many 2002-2003 G-wagens have electrical issues...and a few of them have small rust spots. Mercedes corrected them (for the most part) in late 2003 models and up. Paint job improved significantly in 2004 and up...and G's are probably the most rust-resistant production vehicle currently.

 

Car had only 43,000 miles. Most Mercedes of that era had electrical issues thanks to supplier issues with Chrysler-Daimler merger.

Didn't know that about the rust issue.

 

hood vibration happens on most cars. some are more noticeable than others. nothing to worry about IMO.

 

I have owned dozens of cars without the problem. Up until my new TSX the last car I remember having noticeable hood shake was a 1974 Ford Pinto wagon. Not good company for Acura to be keeping.

 

The only time I've noticed the hood shake is taking it through the jet blowers at the touchless car wash

 

My '03 Maxima had the hood vibration problem, but not my '05 Maxima. Chalk it up to cheaper parts used these days?