SI Guy

I hear a high frequency coming from the engine compartment whenever I am going about 40 mph and above but ONLY when I Decelerate or just ease-off the gas the slightest bit everytime. It doesn't occur when I rev up at idle and release. Has anyone else experienced this? Hoping it is not a tranny problem!

livnforyou

this is the first time i heard of this problem.

maybe you have a hidden turbo?

SI Guy

It's very faint but noticable enough when radio is off and windows closed - maybe its normal and I have acute hearing but think not. Any idea's? Maybe fuel injection, torque converter? Leaky air line? Any input would be appreciated - not keen bout taking back to dealer but will if I have to. Only 5k miles on it bought in June

livnforyou

actually...i think i have this problem with i have my bluetooth phone connected. do you have your bluetooth on?

SI Guy

No phone attaced

bklynpanman

It's normal.. My car does the same thingi along with the loaner cars i've driven... it's the sound of nice japanese engineering.

sftroy

I complained about a similar whine to Acura last spring. Just so happens I had a 03 Accord V6 Coupe that had the same whine and after many, many service visits and test drives, (they had my car for 11 days on the last visit) the tranny failed the day after Honda said the sound was "normal". This tranny was later covered under the recall. I traded the 03 in on an 04 TL, and surprise, surprise, the SAME noise started about 5 months after I purchased the car. I notified Acura and told them that I know the noise very well and that it is a problem. This was just before the recall was announced on the TL tranny. Once again, after several service visits, test drives with the DSPM, etc, Acura stated that this sound is normal. They slapped on an oil jet kit as part of the warranty recall work and sent me on my way. Note this was at 19K miles. Also, the loaner 04TL that I racked up 700 miles on didn't have this "normal" characteristic and my dealer couldn't explain why. The noise has been getting worse and worse - I can hear it at lower speeds and upon acceleration. I'm in the middle of a BBB case covering this issue and the vibrations. I paid for a Technical Inspection in addition to the one that BBB requested and guess what . . . . BOTH inspectors stated I have tranny problems. Funny, Acura didn't find anything wrong . . . Acura stated on their website (I can't find the page any longer, but I kept a copy that I gave to the BBB) regarding the tranny recall that a tranny whine may be an indicator of future transmission failure . . .

Take your car back to the dealer and make them investigate the problem. Make sure that they fully document what tests were performed and their diagnosis. Take a test drive in a loaner vehicle and try to reproduce the sound. If they state the sound is normal, I'd suggest you take it to a independent service station and have them perform an evaluation.

Good luck . . . sftroy

SI Guy

Thanks much for the detailed information. Was hoping it wasn't related to tranny cause I too had an 03 with other tranny problem and traded it before it became a major headache. Will take your advise on this thx again!

SI Guy

Thanks much for the detailed information. Was hoping it wasn't related to tranny cause I too had an 03 with other tranny problem and traded it before it became a major headache. Will take your advise on this thx again!

rets

Here, on the forums, it's hard, very hard to define or assay this noise from your car. We have no way to standardize these descriptions of "high-frequency", "whine", or "very faint but noticeable". Please have your dealer checked further. (or find some 3GTL'rs to check together)

And, please keep us update. Thanks.


SI Guy and sftroy, may I know your VIN range? The last 5 digit of VINs, please... for example, "03xxx", I assume you guys are having 04TL early build???

rets

Engine Whining


Whistling Noise During Acceleration?


Anyone else get a whining engine sound at 2,500 rpm's??


Weird Transmission Noise


Electronic whine from the dash?

J RIDE 81

You should probably have it checked out at the dealer, G'Luck!

sftroy

rets: Vin is ...005XX Very early build - purchased in 11/03. More specifics about my whine (given to the inspector I hired to check out my car):

Transmission Whine
Characteristics: Sounds vary in pitch. Typically a light, high-pitched whine upon deceleration at high speeds. Other whines can be heard when during acceleration or deceleration at lower speeds. High-speed whine typically heard loudest after vehicle has been operating for 30 - 40 minutes.

How to reproduce:
- Slowly accelerate to 30-32MPH in 3rd gear then release the gas pedal for ~5 seconds.
Alternate between acceleration/deceleration (no braking) around the 30MHP in 3rd gear. A whine can be heard.

- Drive ~52 - 53 MPH in 5th gear. Shift into manual mode and stay in 5th gear. Allow
Vehicle to decelerate by releasing the gas pedal. At 50 MPH a whine typically develops

- Maintain a high-rate of speed, >65MPH then slowly accelerate for ~2 seconds and
release the accelerator. A whine is typically heard and can be repeated by lightly
accelerating and decelerating at this high rate of speed. Another whine when
decelerating (no braking) typically can be heard at this time.

- Whines can be heard at other speeds intermittently

sftroy

SI Guy - Not sure if I made this clear: My TL (and Accord for that matter) whine started out as a high pitched whine upon deceleration only and usually after driving for a while. As I racked on miles, the whine got louder and now can be heard at varing speeds and upon acceleration.

SI Guy

49xxx - 04 TL purchased in June

SI Guy

Rets - Weird Transmission Noise thread is the same thing i am experiencing- will check out the websites and let u know results. thanks also - mine was bought in June of 04

SI Guy

Mine is identical, usually around 40mph and up and only when I decelerate. If i accel it goes away and retuns as i take foot of gas. Havent tried to Rev to 2500 in neutral yet like someelse here suggests to rule out tranny but will try later on.

rets

Thanks for your note. Will test-drive my car under these conditions later.

tallrussian

SI Guy,

Yes, my car has exactly the same issue. It started about 4-5 months after I bought the car. The little whining sound seems to be louder in summer and quieter in winter, but some whining on deceleration is always there. So far I haven't bothered bringing this to the dealer (I usually service my car at a Honda dealer instead, and Honda dealers are not authorized to do warranty work on Acuras).

Based on what I was told, the sound is likely coming from the loose/misaligned heat shield, and I think there is either a known service bulletin about that, or a TSB coming up soon. I may ask the dealer to look at it some day, but to me it's not worth a separate visit.

Just my 2 cents.

stevesTL

Interesting that I test drove a 05 TL today and noticed this same whine right away. The car only had 94 miles on it. I was driving with the radio off or I might have missed it, but it was there. I thought I would just make sure I test drove my car before I took delivery, but if it can occur later I guess I better keep reading to see what is causing it in case mine has it.

rets

Just did it and heard nothing. Mine is the early build, too, picked up on Oct/03. While decelerating from 35MPH (by 3rd gear), 55MPH (by 5th gear), and 70MPH (auto), I mean "releasing the gas pedal", all I heard was the noise from wind/roads/tires. I know I could hear more "whine" from tires while the car is going to stop.


Also, if I rev my 2nd gear high, when decelerating to the full stop, I would hear another "different" high-frequency pitch from the exhausts... (I guess)


Overall, I couldn't replicate issues of this thread onto my car.


Btw, if this is really related to TRANNY, did you guys ever try to test-drive your cars under the conditions of

1. the extended towing in top gear on a very flat road with a throttle opening of 1/4 or less
   
   
2. frequent driving up a road with a very consistent slope of approximately 3.5~6%, again maintaining a throttle opening around 1/4 or less

I guess the "whine" noise could be louder.. Thanks.

rets

Ok, these are answers A-TL members ever posted about this "whining noise". Since we got no way to define this noise, I have gathered all the possible answers/solutions for your cause. Please read them all, then try to tell us again what you think. Thanks.

1. ...Ok it took them two trys but they did it. They replaced the alternator and PS pump. No dice. They replaced the idler pulley bingo fixed...
   
   
   
   
2. ...Often times a whining noise that increases with engine speed is an exposed wire (usually a stereo wire) that is close to a rotating part such as the driveline...
   
   
   
   
3. ...They agreed amongst themselves that it was, as they put it, an "octane whistle"...
   
   
   
   
4. I hear what sounds more like a bearing squeal at that RPM (2500). Sounds like something driven by the belt. After a 1/2 hour trip or so, the bay is warmed up pretty good and the sound is gone.
   
   
   
   
5. ...replaced idler pulley - this did not do it
   replaced A pipe - this did not do it
   placed clips to stablize the bumpers - this did not do it
   did every diagnostic/ listener tool item to every part of the engine - and NOPE, coldn't find it.
   
   They service director called and said they were out of options and the Acura Rep would call.
   
   10 days later, the Acura rep said that they would push for a swap of cars - pretty hard to believe, but I was listening.
   
   1 week later, Acura rep called to notify me that Honda wants to send out 1 of 6 Honda Factory engineers to look over my car. But this wouldn't take place for 5-8 weeks due to their schedule.
   
   2 months later, honda engineer looks over the car, and replaced the heat shield for the A pipe - SUCCESS no more noise...
   
   
   
   
6. ...it's the intake...
   
   
   
   
7. ...its the intake...
   
   
   
   
8. ...My sound is not one that appears suddenly at a certain RPM range (which would suggest a resonant frequency noise)... In my case, apparently the power steering pump was the culprit. The dealer heard the problem and replaced the pump. Problem solved...
   
   
   
   
9. ...vibration in a heat shield...
   
   
   
   
10. ...the whining sound i hear is the tranny when the car is coming to a stop... <- IMO, this seems to be the tires' issue.

sftroy

rets:

Well, be happy you don't have the whine. :-) I'm sure my whine is related to the tranny - I have two independent test stating that I have a tranny problem and that the whine is present. Same whine I heard in my 03 V6 Accord just before it failed at <30K miles.

I'm very familar with the two conditions you referred to. They are the conditions stated in the recall/NTHSB filings. My commute is 40 miles one way down highway 101 in the Bay Area - it doesn't have a 3-6% grade, and I'm not towing anything but I'm usually going a constant 70MHP with light throttle for most of the commute. My oil jet kit was installed at 19K miles . . . maybe the 5th gear had damage prior to the kit being installed. It is consistant with the whine that developed and now other tranny issues. And I'm certainly NOT hard on my car - I don't race, I hardly ever use the manual shift and I don't accelerate abruptly. The tranny noise and problems shouldn't be happening . . .

BTW - notice that they state in the recall/NTHSB that there has only been one tranny failure as a result of the 5th gear lube problem . . . hummm, wonder if that was MY Accord?!!

rets

There are always some exceptional cases out there with the varied issues. Unfortunately, your early build TL seems to be the one thus far. Sorry to know that. Wish you could get some good results very soon. Please keep us updated if possible.


Btw, I assume the damage is onto 2nd gear instead of 5th. I have some handy info for you if you're interested in reviewing them now. Please check the bottom of this https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84834

rets

SI Guy, what do you say!?

SI Guy

Pretty sure mine is not generated from 2nd gear as the Recall notice states - Mine is a late number VIN. The sound is faint but noticable only when i take foot off the accelerator(without braking) when going anthing over 40mph and only when the car has been running awhile like 10-15 mins on highway. So its probably 5th gear. I have babied the car since day one and will really be dissapointed if I have a tranny problem. I can live with this symptom for now I suppose. I really appreciate all the input from everyone.

SI Guy

Pretty sure mine is not generated from 2nd gear as the Recall notice states - Mine is a late number VIN. The sound is faint but noticable only when i take foot off the accelerator(without braking) when going anthing over 40mph and only when the car has been running awhile like 10-15 mins on highway. So its probably 5th gear. I have babied the car since day one and will really be dissapointed if I have a tranny problem. I can live with this symptom for now I suppose. I really appreciate all the input from everyone.