Thanks to all the folks who chetted up my post from several day's ago about the rattle coming from above the passenger side door. Osteoman, Acurich, TimC and Rick955i all had great suggestions-and they work!
Here's what I did: as was suggested I removed the grab handles (very carefully) and pulled the headliner away from the seam that holds it in place.
I had purchased a "Heavy Duty Felt Combo Pack" from a local chain hardware store. This is felt with sticky backing that is used for chairs on hardwood floors, tabletop items on end tables, etc. This stuff comes in 3"X6" strips AND in round pieces that come in two sizes-one size to fit under a chair or table leg and one small, very convenient size that would fit on the eraser head of a #2 pencil.
I solved the problem of the noisy vanity mirror light by placing four of the tiny round felt pieces on the VISOR where it comes in contact with the vanity light. CLICKING is all gone. See ya'.
Under the headliner above the door I simply placed 1" by 4" strips (that I cut myself) on the surface of the HEADLINER that isn't covered already by the gray insulation put there by Honda.
As others have mentioned there seems to be no rhyme or reason where this gray insulation is placed. There are significant areas of exposed white headliner surface that have none of this insulation. So I just put the felt over those uninsulated areas that come in contact with the metal of the roof.
I can happily say like the others who encouraged me to try this that IT WORKS! And after listening to the clicking, rubbing, squeeks for eight weeks I truly notice the difference. Let me tell you....this car is QUIET. The noises were just a nusiance before but the quiet now is deafening.....as it should be. The Falken 512's help as well.
It took me awhile to get to this-those of us in Anatomic Pathology are busier than those bone Doc's....hat's off to you Osteoman! But thanks to all you guy's who chatted on my first thread. It really helped.
Mike

 

Glad it helped. Hey I had done the same thing with the visor mirror and vanity light. Except I didn't like the way the stuff looked when the visor was down. So I found at Home Depot small clear bumpers maybe 5-6mm in diameter (used for putting on shelves to keep them from making noises when they close). These clear pieces I put at each corner of the light and they blend in perfectly like they were made for it. No more clicking and looks good to.

 

Thanks MSF2, I'll bookmark your thread in case it's needed.

If pics could be attached, it will be perfect for those who hate DIY.
:o

 

I know what you mean, I now no longer steer around man-hole covers and rough pavement patches on my daily commute, because THERE IS NO HEADLINER NOISE.

Amazing how it so positively supports a sense of build quality. It still amazes me that Honda didn't uncover this problem in driving their first prototypes.

 

Just to let ya know; Ive had the same problems on both sides with the vanity mirror/lights/headliner issue; The lights feel loose but I don't think its coming from the vanity light but the visor itself; Ive made acura replace the entire visor unit on both sides and the rattles stopped. Unfortunately I developed 3 new rattles since, driver seatbelt area, glovebox, center console. anyways just my 2 cents on your visor issue. late.

 

The visors themself do rattle.

 

 

Osteoman-thanks! I hit Home Depot yesterday and bought those clear bumpers. Much better. Home Depot also had the felt strips I used for the headliner.

Acurich-I know what you mean....the absence of the noise does impact the way the car "feels" on the road. Nothing is really different with the car but your senses react differently. Doesn't matter I guess as long as it's an enjoyable driving experience.

 

This may be. I still have a rattle/squeak around driver's visor. With the visor in the down position it's not there and with it up it is. I thought it was the headliner above the visor but not sure now. The clear bumpers I described above helped one rattle but a different one is there now. More like the squeak I used to get from near the grab handle. I may have to felt the area around the visor to.

 

I have this rubbing noise that comes with the driver's window closed all the way. I can't figure out what might be causing it (I assume it's the weatherstripping around the window) and have tried to fix it to no avail - so if anyone has any suggestions/pics, etc, let me know.

I also undid my "oh-sh**" bars and looked inside, but all I saw was airbag material... not too sure I wanted to put felt around that area so I just put it back to the way it was and left it as is. How far did you guys pull your headliners down to put the felt tape?

 

Lore-it's a tight fit. When I put mine in I didn't get too far into the side air bag space. Osteoman may be able to help you there. I then just tried to pad any area that may come in contact with metal. That seemed to have worked.

 

It is soooooo annoying. I went on a fairly long drive today through a lot of windy and bumpy San Francisco residential roads today and boy, the creaking, rubbing, and rattling was driving me insane. I swear there were 4 new areas that starting singing after the drive today.

I still don't really know what "metal" areas we should pad in the headliner because I only saw two metal areas, and those were the areas around the grab bars. I tried putting some foam tape there but it didn't make a difference. I think my rubbing and creaking sounds are coming from my driver's side window because it only shows up when my windows are closed.

 

very possible, my window seems to move around a little in it seal, makes a slight, but annoying sound

 

I have the exact same problem, rubbing noise when car flexes from the drivers side window be only when it's up. I've been shoving all kinds of felt in the top area of the door where the window slides in. nothing worked yet, I will post if I can pinpoint the area where it's coming from.

Dlev

 

I had same problem with constant rubbing noise from both front windows. It happened only when my windows are closed completely. I took the car to the dealer and they did the following. They applied silicone based grease called "Shin Etsu" on rubbers everywhere including window rubbers and doors. Also they sprayed silicone based rubricants to where they could not apply the Shin Etsu. This solved 98% of noise. Other 2%, I still get it when the road gets rough. Then I ask myself this question. "Am I over sensitive?"

 

Are you too sensitive? No, Acura is incapable of building a quality product (bring it on!). To wit: the EL-42 problems, vanity mirror issues, 40 - 60 MPH vibrations, speaker rattles, putative paint issues. A $20k Kia seems to be better-built, but I am stuck with it and so are you.

S

 

Check the retaining hook where the visor snaps in and out. My passenger side one is loose or something and makes noise unless I push it back up towards the ceiling.

Rick

 

Lore: I have the rattle/squeak around the driver window area. It's coming from the weatherstripping. I put some felt in the top left corner of the weatherstripping where the window closes. This solved the rattle/squeak. There is still some rattle/squeak. Not as bad as before. I'm going to spray some silicone based lubricant. This should work.

 

Silicone based lubricant... maybe that's what the techs have been spraying all over my car. It's getting kinda nasty in the front vent area because of all that excess residue.

But yeah, I tried putting felt in the top left corner of the weatherstripping and it actually made the squeaking/rattling WORSE! I think it put pressure in the wrong areas which emphasized the rattling.

At this point in time my car has its door panels replaced and the bumper repainted, but the body shop who did the bumper scraped some other areas of paint which I want them to fix.

I haven't sat in it since so hopefully when I get it back it'll be all set.

 

Like many of you in this thread, I did the headliner fix. I used a combination of fuzzy velcro tape under the airbag/bracket area and 3/8" foam tape on the headliner areas that I could reach that didn't have the Honda oem foam.

This solved 95% of the annoying creaking. If I am driving on relatively good roads, I will hear nothing... but when ever ther is a big dip or bump, the headliner will make a rather loud solitary creak or groan. Sometimes it is right over my left ear, other times it is further to the front in the visor/a pillar area.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

Maybe I should remove the felt.

 

WOW. Interesting....I just noticed the rattle around the visor today. The retaining hook seems to be loose. Does anyone know if/how it can be tightened? I have my first oil change Saturday I'll mention it to the dealer then. Is it me or does the passenger side of the car seem loose and noisy? When I go over rough roads on the left side of the road the car it's a rattle trap. Driver side is fine over rough roads-very solid. So, I guess I have half a solid car???

 

Exactly! You are not alone.....

 

 

Thanks Rick. Will check this.

 

I've noticed that my vanity light comes in contact with the light also, but try as I might, I can't make it rattle. It seems that the pressure of the visor when it's up is enough to keep things tight and no rattles. Is this something that happens later on, since I've only got 2000 miles on the car so far. I fixed one creak in the passenger storage compartment. It would make a "leather like" creak on bumpy roads, and I thought it was the leather until I opened the compartment while driving and the noise was gone. Fixed it by spraying some silicone spray around the storage compartment where it contacts the door. It probably won't last long, but so far so good. This car is just so quiet inside, that every little creak and rattle is very noticable. That's one down side about having a quiet car because everything else becomes very anoying. I still think this is one great car and I couldn't be more pleased with it. It's my third TL, and the best one yet!