iceneedle

I just picked up my 2004 TL yesterday. I notice that there's a click when I step on the brake pedal. It almost sounds like the stop lamp relay or something like that since it always happens at the same spot. Does anyone else notice that?

GaleForce

Are stopping short? It could be ABS.

iceneedle

No, certainly not. If you press the pedal gently, even if the car is stopped, you hear a click when it passes a certain point.

By the way, for those of you keeping score, my VIN # is 0456##. I had factory ordered the car and I picked it up yesterday.

TLGator

There were some other threads about this, but I did a quick search and could not locate them. Here's what I remember:

The click is common.

It is NOT a relay. If you experiment, you will find that you can depress the brake pedal far enough to turn the brake light on WITHOUT getting the click. If you push just a little further, you get the click. Those who have taken it to COMPETENT dealers and have had it fixed were told it was a mechanical noise because some doohicky was accidentally rubbing against some gizmo.

Many dealers won't do anything about it because it is one of the infamous "NORMAL" annoyances in the '04 TL, according to Acura.

A lot of people report similar clicking with other Acura and Honda cars.

It is the only imperfection I have found so far in my TL. (No rattles, vibrations, headliner problems, etc.) I don't think it's worth messing with. I hardly notice it, and even when I do, who cares? But if you really want it fixed, push your dealer to do so, because other people have gotten it fixed. Good luck.

SARGE

I noticed a brake clicking on my 04 tl with any amount pressure on the pedal.It is becoming very annoying. I haven't spoken to the dealer yet,because with only 400 miles I will wait for about a month to see if I have any more problems.Also the stock Turanza EL42's seem to cause noise and vibration at 40 to 50 m.p.h. Normal?

04tlnbppar

This topic has been post several times. My dealer technician told me that it's normal and is a cruise control switch. He will try to replace the switch but no guarantee that the clicking noise will go away. My car is in service for A/C repair.

iceneedle

Actually, I'm probably not going to have them mess with it. If it's some switch, I'd rather not have them take the whole mechanism apart and possibly induce some other problem. You really don't notice it when the radio is on and/or your on the highway. I noticed it when I was fooling around with the car when it wasn't moving in my driveway.

Radcliffe1

I've got the clicking sound also. It started at around 600 miles or so.
The first service visit I plan to insist on replacement of the offending part.
A real bummer to hear the click every stinking time I use the brakes.

GaleForce

If you don't use cruise control maybe they can just take it out? Or even if you do use it. You'll just have to hit cancel or something.

mcmanut

Hey, the answer to your Brake Pedal Clicking Sound is the Brake switch at the pedal. I had the same problem when I picked up my TL on 04-27-04. The dealer replaced the switch in 30 mins. Thought I would pass it on.

TLGator

What "brake switch" are you referring to? As pointed out above, the click is most definitely NOT coming from the relay that turns on the brake light.

iceneedle

Actually, I just verified that it's not coming from the switch which disengages the cruise control. I had the cruise control on and lightly touched the pedal the cruise control disengaged before I heard the click. It's not the cruise control. If it's not the brake lights, then it's something else.

Norse396

Mine makes a clicking sound when I press the brake pedal too, I asked the dealer and they say it's normal.

Dirac

Yeah, but that's what they said about your tires, too. Mine started clicking its brakes for no apparent reason today. VIN 46xxx. Got the glovebox rattle, minor rattle on some of the seatbelts, about 1/8" gap on the headliner (fine if it stays that way) and front left speaker distortion.

For those still considering purchasing the Acura TL: DO IT. I love the car! My problems have been minor. My Contour sounded like a tin sh|thouse when it got rattling. This thing is like being in one of those hearing test booths.

But the brakes shouldn't click, should they? If it's normal, it must have a function, or be an indication of normal operation of a related system. I can't think of anything that clicks normally other than the turn signals.

mcmanut

Here are the part # on the service order. Hope this help!!!!!

136750-s5a-j02( Switch ASSY.)

Dirac

What does that switch control? I thought we ruled out both the brake light and the cruise control. It doesn't make sense to me to have more than one switch operated by the brake pedal. Not saying that the info you provided doesn't help, I'm just not sure that switch is the problem.

Ron A

Actually the part number is 36750-S5A-J02. It is the Switch Assy, Stop and cruise. Hope it fixes your click problem.

mcmanut

It sure did!!!!! Hope this helps everyone with the same issue.....

qwestfor70

Funny - I just noticed my TL doing this today - I have just less than 2400 miles now. I guess with all of the other interior noise issues, I have been missing this "imperfection." It happen as soon as I put pressure on the break pedal and it happens every time. I guess this will be added to my list of repairs to take place when my part comes in to fix my check engine light issue.

Until, and IF, Acura takes care of these issues with long term fixes I do not belive I could recommend this car to a person looking to buy. I am still holding out hope that Acura will step up and come through on the issues that I have with this car.

Norse396

I should have mentioned I was being sarcastic, sorry.

rets

Have heard lots of ppl complaining this click sound from their braking pedals. Most of dealers would tell you it's NORMAL, however, this should be replaced if it's continuingly making "click" whenever you step on your pedal.

Some ppl said they had replaced it already due to this sound happens frequently.

8QuickVR6

I picked up my car 9 days ago and this was the first thing I noticed. It doesn't really bother me, but if it isn't normal then I'll have them look into it. Everything else seems okay though. I'm bringing my car in this Sat to have the mud guards installed so I guess since I'm there I'll have them look into this as well.

Thanks for the part #. I'll reference it in case they have no clue what I'm talking about.

TLGator

Norse - Sarcasm is wasted on this forum. But I understood you loud and clear.

I'm surprised so many people are eager to have this fixed. I guess if you have lots of other interior issues, at some point you might get fed up and want everything fixed. But if this is your only issue (as is the case for me) why bother? It's such a quiet little click, and if you have the radio on or a window down you can't even hear it. I can't imagine bothering with it unless it gets worse or my TL develops enough other interior issues that I have a whole list for the dealer.

Ron A

This forum spawns many of these threads about "problems".

I know there are a few people who really have a lot of problems, and my sympathies go out to them. I hope they can get them cleared up to their satisfaction.

Many problems are legitimate, and the forum serves a useful purpose by aiding people in the solution or pointing them in the right direction. Notably, the EL-42 and headliner problems are two major areas which have been discussed and yielded much information. These are the type of problems which would have been noticed by the owner even if he did not read this forum.

Then, there are the problems which we would never have noticed if we had not read about it in this forum, and are magnified by a very few writers.

Last, there are the people who read the forum and don't see any of the problems being discussed, but feel left out and therefore they move heaven and earth to try and find a "problem", so they will fit in with the others.

The "a $35,000 car shouldn't have any problems" theory is a good one but impossible to live up to, especially for a first year model.

I have a few of the problems mentioned in the forum, like the “rattle” (it is more of a little clicking sound to me) in the B pillar, which I understand is caused by the seat belt tensioner. I hear it about once every 2-3 weeks, and I would never consider having the dealer tear my car apart to find it (or not).

This is a truly great car, but it has a few pimples, which will go away as it ages, and most of which can be cured either by the owner or the dealer. Think about it. So far, there are no major issues, such as widespread transmission problems, brake problems, etc.

If people spent more time driving their car and less time looking in the forum for a new problem they can associate themselves with, they would be smiling and grinning and telling everyone about their great new car.

qwestfor70

Maybe this is the point that I have gotten to, dunno, probably is. Simply put, I have never owned or had a ride in a car that did this and I am sure that I would have noticed at least one or two. So to suggest that this should just be ignored is a bit funny to me. I listen to talk radio, and believe it or not, have conversations with my wife and I can hear these things without any effort to do so. I think ACURA would love for people to just ignore this, but it is not and should never be a "Normal" trait of a car, much less an ACURA.

Thomwarn

Interesting, my dealer told me this is normal and "supposed to do that", and there is nothing he can do.

Dirac

Well, I was being sarcastic about the tires, too!

Anyway, if brake clicking were normal then a) every car would have clicky brakes or b) the clicking would be the result of a useful function or serve some other useful purpose. I don't care that it clicks, as long as it is not portending brake failure. Maybe it's a hydraulic check valve slamming home? (ever so very gently slamming) My click comes and goes, but when it does click I can feel it on the pedal. Like I said I don't really care as long as it is not indicative of a real brake problem.

soljc

I had this issue addressed at my first oil change....dealer said it was the plunger on the brake switch and ordered me a new part. I have an appointment tomorrow to have it fixed.

rets

As soljc said above, I found out his thread at the same time.

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78345

Besides his replacement, I remember there was another guy having replaced his part, too. As I said before, if this CLICK sound does happen frequently whenever you step on, it should be replaced. Otherwise, it could be NORMAL, my 94Legend has the same click sound since Day 1 in 1994. Acura told me this is characteristic.

IMO, there are two click sound from our braking system. One is inside while you brake the pedal.

Another one is outside and caused by a space between the caliper and the brake pad, as w1n78 indicated. When in the quiet garage or close space, you can hear this clearly if you just make the reverse directions, for example, driving into the garage and doing the 3-points parking, you will hear click sound from your brake outside.



Meanwhile, I agree what Ron A said above...

soljc

FYI, I had the brake switch assembly replaced today and it solved the problem; no more clicking sound.

rets

Wow, it took 3 weeks for the backordered, may I know who's your dealer?

Thanks.

soljc

The part actually took 2 weeks, but my schedule prevented me from having it serviced earlier (Northeast Acura).

hwchien

if you guys have driven a bmw or mb, they have the same problem
i think it's call the break assist, which means the car itself has electronic
switch on to help u to break