When I am sitting in the drivers seat of my 2007 tl type-s I have noticed that I can see a Styrofoam insert in between the door hinge and the body of the wheel well. Has anyone else noticed this or do you know what it is? I assume it has to do with noise absorption.

 

Ive noticed it on my 06 tl but not sure why it is there, really didnt look into it.

 

i have it on my 05 TL as well. i also assume it is for noise reduction.

 

I've seen it on my '07 too. I don't remember seeing it on my '06 though. I think its for sound deadening and to keep the shape of the fender. It looks like they tried to paint it the body color. I didn't notice it till I was cleaning the car and saw it when I was wiping that area. I still only see it if I really look.

 

I have it on my 06. Acura's way of cutting cost to reduce noise.

 

Yep, that's roadnoise reducing foam in there.

I'm not sure how adding foam to reduce noise is cutting costs?
What else would you use here that would be more expensive and effective? HEAVY ASS dynamat?

My TSX loaner doesn't seem to have any of this, I feel like I'm riding in a beercan. That's cutting costs.

 

My father in law's '03 Camry also has foam between the fender and wheel well and is painted body color. It's got to be sound proofing.

 

It could be to absorb shock in an accident as well

 

lol this made me laugh big time. thanks bro! i needed that just right now

 

does the stryrafoam hold up well? It seems fragile

 

I've never seen Mercedes or a BMW use styroform for noise reduction. The first time i saw it i was like holy sh*t, that is so cheap. Plus styroform isn't the best way to reduce noise, there are other stuff just as light but better noise reduction but more expensive.

 

If you don't pick/stab at it, I wouldn't see why not.

 

For what its worth, our '06 Honda Pilot has it and it is unpainted. The Pilot is silver and the styro-foam is flat black. GM does something similar, but with a even cheaper looking and raw looking black felt material.

 

The stuff was on my Clamry and in my 02 Sequoia as well, it's been around, deadens sound from water hitting the plastic wheel-well liner.

What irritates me worse than styrofoam? How about astroturff in the rear wheels?

Good for sound absorption, but it holds water and then drips off in the garage, larger than normal puddles come from the rear wheels... Not typically a problem, but in the winter it freezes to the floor and freezes the garage door to the concrete.

 

Not to go off topic but I got an 07 TSX loaner today too - beercan indeed !!!!

I hate it.........

I want my TL back...

 

The styrofoam must not be too bad because Forbes list an Acura and a Honda 1 and 2 as the safest cars.

 

MB uses it (my Mom's 97 C280 had it in some area's). Not sure about BMW but I would expect they also use it. Closed cell foam material has been used in a variety of applications on cars, mostly bumpers. But it also has good damping and resonance properties.

There are some better materials but they also have their own problems not cost related. Fiberglass absorbs moisture (closed cell foam does not) which creates corrosion problems. Most folks who's ever restored a complete chassis rebuild will have seen the problems with fiberglass mats and rust.

I'm not a buyer but I suspect that the cost per volume is similar.