JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

For the last few weeks I have noticed a clicking sound from the center console shifter area that happens anytime the car comes to a complete stop and will click once again when I start accelerating. Basically sounds like a marble rolling in the shifter area and does it around 2 mph everytime you start from a stop and will do it again when you stop. I did some research and it seems like its coming from the shift lock solenoid that is attached to the shifter assembly. I dont know if the solenoid went bad but I dont think it ever used to do this and I cant imagine Honda would manufacturer a piece to make a click sound in your interior that much.
Is this a common thing or is there a TSB on it? My car is an 07 automatic Type S.

P.S. it is the exact clicking sound you will hear when start your car and press and depress your brake pedal prior to putting it in gear.

James

morgrar

I have been experiencing this issue on my '08 TL for the past few weeks as well. It came up out of nowhere. I took it to the dealership and they claim they swapped out all the parts in the shifter, including the linkage, solenoid, and whatnot, but it's still there. I am going to call them again tomorrow to complain.

It's ridiculous that Honda would manufacture something like this. Another thing I've notices is that when the car is in park, if you press the brake pedal before shifting into gear, you'll hear a metallic-sounding noise as well, and this too was not there before this problem.

morphguy12

iTrader: (3)

I looked into this as well a couple of weeks ago:

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/auto-tran-interior-shifter-noise-752520/

morgrar

So I decided to do some searching on here (sorry - new to the forum, even though I'm on my 3rd Acura and still have the other two), and this thread seems to hit the nail on the head.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...shift+solenoid

Granted, it's for the TSX, but I believe it's very similar to our situation. Now do I go ahead and try to fix it myself, or print this out and bring it to Acura? I only have 11,400 miles on my TL and it's well under warranty. Thing is - will the techs actually perform the correct part fix?

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

Wow thanks for the quick replies. The above links are EXACTLY the problem. The one guy even posted a video and sure enough thats the exact clicking noise im getting from that solenoid.

I know for a fact that my car just started doing it a couple weeks ago and was perfectly quiet prior to that. I even owned a 07 base TL prior to my 07 Type S which never made the noise.

Now I really hate taking my car to the dealership because more often than not you get the car back in worse shape than when you gave it to them. My last visit was for subwoof rear deck rattle. Got the car back with mjuch worse rattles, dirt and hand print marks on the seats and interior panels around the rear window. I absolutely hate taking my car in unless it is 100% required.

I see there is a fix one guy posted but is a little involved. Im very handy and could tackle the job no problem but really dont feel like tearing apart the interior right now.

morphguy12

iTrader: (3)

JTS,

I see you live in Joliet, I'm pretty close to you. I will see if I can try and fix this problem, the link I posted above was about a month ago and I just gave up since I couldn't get into the shifter. Also, didn't see the post about the DIY, that is awesome!!

I might take another shot at this, since the sound is driving me nuts, and I'd rather take a look at it than the dealer wasting my time.

I'll let ya know and maybe I could help you out then.

morgrar

I'd be interested to see how you make out with it as well. I also don't want to take it back to the dealership since it always seems like they don't know what they're doing and they won't be able to perform any "unorthodox" fixes anyway.

dj5

My '08 TLS just starting making this clicking sound. Anyone else have the problem and what is the solution to fix?

skyfox23

^^
Mine too 08 TL-S auto. Used the search function on this forum and noticed this was originally posted a year ago, but maybe we'll have some luck with that amount of time having gone by. The noise is bothersome enough for me that I will call my dealership Monday but would like some more info to back up my cause?! I mean if its normal than fine I guess, but if it can be fixed I would prefer it fixed obviously.

eg5

iTrader: (4)

needs more grease... the tabs the solenoid sits on that is. over time the constant pivot of the tabs wears the grease down to the point where the tabs rest on each other and become "loose". hence the tapping upon braking or accelerating. sure one can replace the tabs with new ones but i find adding a good amount of dielectric grease or any non-smelly grease does the job. this is quite common.

I hate cars

There was a recent thread on this with the cure and my memory is so bad I can't remember what it was. Maybe it was the grease. I'll try and dig it up.

skyfox23

^^
You ever find the thread with the cure?

Bwatson3

i have the same problem on my 04 TL..AT I noticed that when the car is in park..and you step on the brakes i hear the sound..but if you move the shift lever just a tad to the right..like your getting ready to put in into drive..the noise stops... Does anybody know what the little silver piece is located by the shifter..it looks like a little silver door roughly the size of say a USB port with a small slot in it as to put a screwdriver in it to open it.. make sense..?

skyfox23

^^
You thats the release slot to put the car in neutral if you have a dead battery, thats not making the rattle though, believe its the shift lock solenoid and or bushing and the shift lock stop reverse lock stop!?

Bwatson3

right on..i knew that wasnt where the noise was coming from but was curious as to what that was for.. thank you very much for helping me out..i think ill just have to live with the clicking noise..

Merry Christmas everybody

skyfox23

^^
No problem, I'm thinking about just living with the sound too, but don't know if I can as its anoying me to no end because I sit and listen for it, plus called dealership and they told me that they could try and fix it with adding grease but I don't think that will obviously be a permanent fix. Told them that I wondered if they could epoxy felt to the stop reverse lock stop, we"ll thats what I heard a fellow AZ member did to his 1st gen TSX that was doing the same thing and that fixed his I beleive. Don't know if I want center console ripped apart for a "maybe" fix!!

skyfox23

Insult to injury in my opinion when the car doesn't even have 9000 miles on it, WTF???

Bwatson3

my 04 has only 67k on it and it just started making that noise like 2 weeks ago..wondering how far ya gotta tear it down to get to the problem.. i think ill just stick with turning up the stereo to drown out the clicking noise..problem solved..!!

Merry Christmas

skyfox23

^^
I'm assuming the shifter gate area and side trim next to the seats and possibly the arm rest?? Sucks that the dealership won't listen to me about the felt idea, but they don't want to hear about an idea I learned on an internet forum.

BlueAquarian

Has anyone found the problem to this..My car started doing this today.
I know it can't be the solenoid..I had that replaced when they thought that was the reason my car couldn't get out of gear. Come to find out the previous owner (CPO) dropped fluid near the gear and it was causing my gear to stick..

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

It is the solenoid I'm the original poster of this old thread. I no longer have that 07 TLS, but I did a lot of work on that issue and was able to visually see it clicking when I took the console apart. It worked fine but it was just noisy. I ended up just insulating the area using a dense foam and it completely eliminated any noise audible in the cabin.

James

acboy23

OMG i have this problem with my 2008 TL with 60k it is so FREAKINGG annoyinggg i think im going to do what another guy on this forum did with the felt and tightening the part that comes loose the dealer wont fix it because they dont read forums only know from their experience and they would destroy my car because their careless and id rather fix it myself

dj5

I had the same problem and had the dealer replace the solenoid under warranty. They took the console appart and replaced the solenoid and it still makes the same noise. I've just learned to live with it, but it is annoying.

thefork

Was anyone able to fix this?

pearl905

If u open up the shifter console u can visually see a little white plastic that's tapping on something down there when u press there brake. Try sticking a tiny piece of felt or thin foam tape in between to cushion it. Worked for me.

thefork

the tapping isn't that bad, the thing that drives me nuts is the sound of a rolling marble each time I start from a stop and when I come to a stop. What causes that?

bla8291

I have this same noise too...I took it to a shop and they told me it was the solenoid and that it was normal. He told me that it usually happens when it's cold outside, which I've been able to confirm, but I also notice that it happens sometimes after a cold start.

Since I don't hear the noise very often, this is not very urgent, but could someone point me in the right direction? Where is the shifter console, and when I open it, what do I look for?

Jottle

If you're only experiencing it when the temperature drops, it's not likely to be the same issue being discussed on this thread and the one referenced a few posts back. This is a defect that makes the shift lock clicking noise audible all the time when starting from a stop due to a worn down part in the shift lock solenoid.

Look at your gear selector (in the center console), underneath that metallic plastic plate that has the gearing labels (D,N,R etc) is the shifter console. You have to remove the plastic piece that surrounds the gear selector and the cup holder in order to see it. Even after all that, the shift lock is underneath plastic that you can't see as well. So you have to take apart then entire gear selector assembly as well. I didn't even attempt this as you have to really know what you're doing or you're likely to have a non-functioning shifter. How to take apart this assembly isn't even listed in the Helm's repair manual. So you do it at your own risk really. Someone in another thread was able to do this and found a plastic piece that was rubbing. He put a bit a felt on it, and problem solved. It's a defect, unfortunately. The plastic parts wear down over time and rub. I've been able to temporarily (for about 3-4 months) make the sound go away by putting a ton of shinetsu silicone grease into the shift lock area of the shifter assembly after taking the center console out. But it's really just luck of the draw. Some people have it and hear it. Some people don't have it. And some people have it but don't hear because they're alway blasting the radio

Jottle

This is good advice. It's really difficult to take apart the shifter to get at this part, and the actual part is covered by a plastic shroud. I put silicone grease in there as well, but it didn't work for very long. Good idea putting foam tape down there. I think just getting the shift lock more centered around the mechanism prevents it from tapping whatever other plastic piece it's hitting. Unfortunately, this is probably a trial and error process until you get it just right.

D Dhillon

hey I know this forum is from 7 years ago but did any of u guys fix this problem on your cars I just got the same problem today?

alexb92