TZVECL

Is this just me? (I did a search, and don't see any other similar threads.)

It sounds like the window is slamming up against the door frame inside, both driver and passenger.

Please advise: Just me or is this "normal characteristic"??

THANKS!

BLACURATL

It is probably the map pocket which pulls away from the door... You don't have to slam these doors

mr_superlove

Actually, I'm surprised a search didn't yield any results. This topic comes up twice a month or so. I don't think it sounds so bad, but most do. Anyway, it's, as you say, a "normal characteristic."

rets

Probably coming up more than twice a month... :o

I second this. Normal... all 04TL will have this terrible sound if you roll down the windows and drive... 'cause of its design.

caball88

i hate door slammers, i have a friend who slams the door so hard that the map pocket pops out 2-3 notches. i hate being anal about my car when it comes to my friends but if he keeps doing this i am afraid he is going to break the door.

JetJock

I always tell the door slammer friends of mine(soon not to be friends if this continues) NOT to slam the door when closing. Most drive big tank american car's that you literally have to slam the door to get it to close fully. It's a PITA, but hey, it's my car.

TBone2004

It is the window. Had the same problem on an old GM I owned. Was surprised to hear it on the acura - don't think my '02 is as bad.

Red_Rocket

This is a noticeable flaw with the TL from a DESIGN perspective. I suspect this is consistently unacceptable on all of our cars.

Window Slap is caused by the clearance in the Glass Run which allows the glass to slap around, in our case very loudly, when we close the door with the window partially or fully down. At Nissan, we tested and evaluated this condition. A lot comes from shape of window, clearances, lip or bead stiffnesses/preload against the glass.

I would bet it will be better or fixed soon or for '05. One band-aid solution is to fit some foam rope in behind the lip of the glass run in a strategic place. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the materials and haven't developed a countermeasure.

BTW, I do agree that the map pocket does make some noise too if the door is slammed too hard.

The other frustration I have is with the door check link. The Check Link is supposed to hold the door open on hills, in wind, and such. If I push the door open, I expect it to stay open and not come closing back on me slowly. I can't imagine this was designed into the door operation.

TLGator

The question is - does this "window slap" mean there is a risk of damaging the window?

Also, regarding the door check link - if you open the door to one of its stop positions and steady it there, it WILL stay open, but if you don't steady it, there is a tendency for it to close again. Some have said this is a FEATURE, not a flaw - that in Japan, most cars have this so-called "self-closing" style. I don't know whether to consider it a feature or a flaw, because at times I like it and at other times I hate it, but in any case if you steady the door at one of its stop positions it WILL stay open.

vtechbrain

Its normal. In hondas the glass stiffens the window's frame when its up. When the window is down the track will vibrate thus giving you that unpleasant sound. I don't know if the system is better or worse but Iv'e never had a problem with Honda electronic windows while the electronic windows of other vehicles Ive had (US and european) always failed to work at one time or another. :shit:

TBone2004

I was one of the ones claiming this is normal, but I actually had my Passenger window down the other day and closed the door and it is clearly no where near as noisey when closing as the driver side - if not completely silent. Why would it just be the driver door? Has anyone out here in the forum asked the dealer about this? I would expect all doors (at least the front two) to behave the same. Maybe has something to do with the driver door trim moving as the window is open or closed. The passenger side does not doo that either.

TLGator

Not sure I buy this being a Honda/Acura phenomenon. I've owned a Civic, and much more recently a CL, and neither of them made any noise when the windows were down.

vtechbrain

Ive noticed it both on my previous TL and my odyssey. Still think its normal.

Red_Rocket

My '04 TL is the worst I have experienced and about as bad as I can imagine it could get.

Having worked at Nissan R&D in Michigan, I was trained and had to conduct the evaluations. My Honda experience is a '88 2Dr Accord, '89 4Dr Civic, '94 4Dr Accord, '00 Odyssey and various other rental cars and acquaintances vehicles.

'04 TL has a definite slap/crack to it. I have resolved to try to remember to have the windows up. I hate wind noise and bought this car because it is so quite. The only time I lower the window is to let out the greenhouse heat buildup or to spit. If anyone really cared.

TBone2004

but why doesn't the passenger side do it? The doors should be identical in structure no? -couple more buttons on driver side.

Red_Rocket

My passenger side is better and I agree the door structures should be identical. This is why I call it a design flaw. Probably a difficult one to fix. Something in the tolerances or build quality. Obviously there are different tools and different lines to build right vs. left. Very aggrevating for development guys.

I have not measured, but it would not be unheard of to have thicker glass on the drivers side, which would be more weight.

Another difference is the key cylinder. It is possible, that somehow this caused some compromise in the glass run design that makes this slap on the drivers side worse.

TBone2004

Has anyone heard from the Dealer or Acura that this is normal? I don't want to have it ripped open by some idiot only to be told that it is normal - not fixable and then I have 3 new rattles because the door was put back together wrong...sometimes best to leave well enough alone.

Anyone question it? Or have the official word from Acura?

Stewie

My 98 CL has always done this.
Don't know if its serious ort not but I avoid shutting the door with the window down anyway.