melody

I wanted to start this thread earlier, but thought the mods might shut it down because there's already a thread about the pinging. But I was hoping that this could simply be a thread where people indicate (in the poll) if they have a pinging problem, and if so post a description of their problem.

I've never done a poll so I'm not sure if I will do this right, but here goes...

Below is a description of my car and my pinging issue...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Description of my car & problem:

Transmission: 5AT
Trim: Tech

Fuel used: 91 since day one

Mileage when pinging first noticed: ~9,000 km

Noise noticed:
- In Park / Neutral: No
- In SS manual mode (AT only): Yes
- In following gears: 1 to 5
- In following rpm range(s): 2,000-2,500. I have also noticed it intermittently at higher rpms (3,500+)

Frequency of occurrence (every time car driven, most times, sometimes, rarely): Most times

Driving conditions when most often heard (driving uphill, slow acceleration, deceleration, cold temps, startup, afterwarmup, etc etc): Slow acceleration (especially between 2nd and 3rd), driving uphill, driving on flat road

Factors that do not seem to influence noise: Outside temperature, engine temperature, using D or SS mode

Taken to dealer to complain about noise? Yes - Downtown Acura (Toronto, Ontario)

Work done by dealer / result: Replaced exhaust pipe A. Did not help issue. I'll be taking it back in shortly.

rbh110

Intermittent. However, I almost always drive by myself. Both times I had my wife and daugher in the car (an additional 250lbs) it was pinging like crazy, even when lightly accelerating on flat terrain. Noticed that two times. On those days it was also a bit warmer than usual. Purchased car in Nov, never noticed any pinging for a few months, then very little. More pronounced now, is getting worse. Always run 93 octane!

ctwickman

Problem with this poll is that I believe most people own a 5AT no matter what, so I'm not sure how helpful the results will be.

Again, I have the exact same problem as melody the original poster above. Happens ONLY between 2000 and 2500 rpm and during load (acceleration). For me the noise happens 100% of the time. I can even tell what my rpm's are just by listening. If the noise is there I am between 2000-2500 rpm. If it is not there I am not.

240sxer

Can someone describe to me exactly what this pinging/knocking sound like? Is it an actual hard knock? Howmany times per second? Etc. I'm just not sure what to look for to see if I have this issue.. I just got my car and it has 1000km on it now but I dont hear anything odd yet.

levistar

14000km on my 09 TSX 5AT. Never have had the pinging so far. 91 octane all the time. Being a tech,I have seen this on many cars. All different makes. Some are never fixed. Some are fixed with software updates. Some have to have new updated hard parts. N.A. has terrible fuel. I wonder if Australia has poor fuel like us. Is this a problem in Japan and the E.U. which does have better fuel then us.

2009TSX123

I noticed the pinging recently. I called Acura customer service, and they said they are aware of this and it is nothing I should be concern about. They said the sound is coming form the PCV valve and the sound it is caused by normal operation. I still took my vehicle to an Acura dealership and they said the same. The Acura dealer explained that the sound is created when the flap on the valve closes and open, and that it is not engine pinging/knocking. Mine is kind of faint but, it is kind of hard to believe that a car considered luxury will make this noise. Do not get me wrong i think the car is great, but this noise is unnaceptable.

spurfan15

Very interesting. From looking around a little it seems a working pcv should rattle if checked when taken out but it shouldnt be that audible from the engine. Maybe some seal is bad and so you can hear rattles at certain RPM. Doesn't seem like a software fixable problem. Seems minor in terms of danger to the car, but truly shocking that the car made it through a YEAR of production with such a nuisance of a problem without a fix or real acknowledgment. Shame on you Honda for passing off such a problem as characteristic of a luxury vehicle. :shakehead

katmai

So what if you take the PCV out and drive it? Will it still ping? Those things are like $2.50. Acura would just replace them if that was the problem.

240sxer

Anyone pls?

Luca_09

Clearly this seems to be a problem with automatic transmissions. Manual seems to be unaffected. The only MT's that seem to have this problem are those with nav. In my opinion the source of the pinging issue is a result of too much weight. It seems as though it only occurs when the TSX's curb weight exceeds a certain point. Regardless of the cause, honda/acura should resolve the problem.

melody

Huh?

HeavyDuty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking

I'd rather not use Wikipedia, but this was a decent article.

cube1

I am also having this issue, but I am not convinced it is really pinging (detonation - premature fuel ignition)

- It seems to be at its worst right before an up-shift. A real knock/ping is usually worst when the engine is lugging

- I have read various forums where folks have tried fuel additives to raise the octane, to no effect

- I have seen reports from Australia that indicate the sound is originating in the torque converter. If in fact manual transmission cars are not experiencing this issue, that may reenforce that conclusion.

Acura has a recording that your dealership can play for you on the PCV valve issue. I listened to it. While there was some similarity to some aspects of the sound (it also sounded like a metal-on-metal sound) it was different in two ways: it was *much* softer, and was *regular*, where as this sound is irregular when it occurs.

I think that the best thing to do at this point is a) make sure you take your car in to your dealer, as I did, and get it on the record, for warranty purposes, to to make sure that Acura (aka, Honda) is aware of the extent of this issue.

The response I got from my dealer (who was also aware of the PCV issue) was that Acura is aware of the problem, and is "investigating". From that I would conclude that Acura at this point does not believe that this issue, and the regular PCV valve noise (which goes away if the hose is pinched) are one in the same.

Personally, I find it quite disconcerting that Acura is either 1) unable to figure out what this is or 2) not admitting to it. Either one is bad -- but #2 is clearly the worst scenario. If they have a problem, best to own up to it. Otherwise, they will lose customers for life.

oldguytsxer

I would think Acura is working dilligently on this issue......

I was raised in a car family.....my Dad never purchased a car with a manufacturing date of Jan 2nd (cars used to have exact date of build) and NEVER, NEVER buy a first year model....there is almost ALWAYS issues.

I bought a 2006 TSX, 3rd year of run, and had it Hondated a year after
Hondata was available to see the possible fall-out.....

Hope it pans out for you guys, me, I will run the 06 till the end of gas cars, just can not get past the Hillbilly Grin.....

SPQRSPQR

This is a good article but amazingly, people read it and still cannot understand the difference between pinging/knock and pre-ignition: Two different events.

SPQRSPQR

A fix for the Acura TSX/ Honda Accord Euro pinging issue is apparently being implemented by Honda Australia.

See posts #482, #486 and #491 in this Ozhonda thread on the issue: http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthr...=99566&page=41

tmento

I had the same thing happen to me, but it was only after the gas station i was at was out of 93 fuel, so I had to put in 89. I noticed when I was really maxing out the gears, that there was a pinging taking place b/w 5-7k rpm. However, when I ran the fuel out and filled it back up with 93, the problem went away. Have you tried a fuel treatment solution?

TSXGIRLY

I have a 2010 Acura TSX 6 speed Manual. Since
day one, I've put in Premium Gas. I noticed
the "pinging noise" within the first couple weeks,
so, I took it to the dealer. They supposedly replaced the
knock-sensor. I continued to hear the pinging noise,
so, I took it back to the dealer.. Their reply was they tested the car and the engine is performing fine and that
it's normal. I am frustrated b/c for a $30,000 luxury car, it should NOT have any "pinging" noises!!! I will be
contacting ACURA'S Corporate Headquarters to file a complaint. It is unacceptable!!

ttk5

I read this article on Yahoo! and it reminded me of this thread.

"16 Costly Car Noises." They too say its an issue regarding fuel grade.
http://ca.autos.yahoo.com/p/1646/16-costly-car-noises

6) Knocking in engine compartment: It's a myth that there are benefits from using a higher-octane gasoline in your vehicle than the owner's manual specifies; however, using a lower-grade fuel can very well produce engine knock. Follow the owner's manual requirements in all things oil, gasoline and tire air pressure.

PhilB81

Welcome to the pinging world guys. Many 3g TL have that problem, including mine. It would have been nice if the poll included the engine for the tsx. I doubt the transmission is very relevant.