Hey everyone,
So I have this weird noise coming from my car while I'm turning and the dealer is having trouble figuring it out.

I have a 2008 TL Type S 6 speed.

So a few weeks ago I went to the dealer to get the power steering hose recall work done. when I picked up the car I heard the power steering whine whenever I turned the car at low speeds, hot or cold (could be present at higher speeds but too much road noise to tell). the dealer told me that I probably have air trapped in the system, told me to remove the cap on the power steering reservoir and turn the wheel lock to lock 2-3 times and should fix the problem. I did this about a dozen times, noise was still there. brought the car back in they told me they could hear the noise but they flushed the system just in case. I then went for a road test with the mechanic and he then heard the noise right away when I pointed it out, told me it sounds like the power steering pump.
Fast forward to today, they change the power steering pump under warranty, told me the noise was gone. Drove the car off the lot and immediately heard the noise so I went back in.
They took the car for a road test, they heard the noise and took it back in. over the next 2 hours of waiting I heard all kinds of theories as to where its coming from. They told me maybe its the boots on the axle rubbing so they lubed them up but it was still there. said the tire was rubbing on the rim somehow, lubed them up but it was still there. they tried removing the acc. belt to see if it was a defective pump and it was still there. they said maybe the alignment was maybe out and the wheels were dragging when turning. Then finally on their last road test they noticed that while turning and constantly making the noise, if they disengage the clutch while still turning the noise suddenly stops. They told me they don't really know why but could be the axles or the diff maybe. They gave me back the car and said they'd call Honda Tech Line in the morning and would call me back when they've figured it out.

Has anyone come across an issue like this? Any ideas?

Sorry for the long post.

 

Anyone?

 

Has nobody come across an issue like this? I'm still waiting for the dealer to get back to me also.

 

i'm having a similar issue, only difference is i hear the noise when pressing the gas at low speeds and mine is an automatic. changed the o-ring,, flushed system, and tried 4 pumps..

 

power steering rack possibly?

 

Ok. I have the same issue '06 TL 6 Speed Navi. 4 PS Pumps, 1 Rack, 1 Ball Joint, 1 Axel, 4 Bushings, 1 mount later and the noise is still there. Two different dealer service departments can't figure it out.

I'm considering a new car but if the new model has the same issue, I'm really not interested in getting another TL at that point. this needs a solution. Any other ideas?

 

The issue is not yet solved in my car but its currently back at the dealer again, god knows how many times its been so far. They have changed 1 ps pump, 1 axle, the flywheel (no idea why they thought flywheel but they made me change the clutch and are expecting me to pay for the clutch even after this hasn't solved the problem) they've changed a bunch of other things which i don't even know of, they refuse to tell me or show me the work orders of work orders because "the file is still open with Honda Tech Line" anyways I've had such a horrible experience at this dealer which mechanics eating in my car ( found bread crumbs all over my passenger seat), they racked up 180km on the car over 1 visit (2 mechanics took the car home without my permission), they left my trunk open while the car was outside the day they asked me to pick the car up.

I'm 100% confidant that the noise is coming from the LSD (and I have told the dealer every time and why I believe it is that but they have always refused to believe that, they claim to have tested it and it the torque specs fall within specs) and thanks to Mother Nature and our winters up here I was able to confirm that is the differential. I was in the situation of having one wheel on ice and one wheel on pavement and the wheel that slipped recreated that noise immediately. So now the general manager of the dealer got involved and because they have no idea what's going on and Honda tech line has no idea what's going on and because of my horrible experience so far, the GM decided to listen to my suggestion and change the LSD. It's been at the dealer since Tuesday to change it, no idea when i'm getting it back. Here's hopping I was right and the problem is finally solved.

 

I would be really interested to learn if the LSD is the issue. Sad that they can't figure this out. I'm not at the LSD stage but if that corrects the issue I'm heading right to the dealer and have it changed. This is annoying that this day and age they can't figure it out.

 

So funny enough 20 minutes after i wrote my last post i got a call from the dealer telling me my car is ready and ready to be picked up.
They told me to try it over the weekend and let them know on Monday if its fixed.
I did a couple tests and i still have to try a few things but so far it seams that the problem is finally solved!!

I think the actual problem was that the clutch packs within the differential were so worn that it was no longer acting as a limited slip differential but as a standard differential and the noise was just the small spider gears rotating. But if that is the case i don't understand how it could have been within spec when the tested it.

 

I am having the EXACT SAME issue and my car is that the dealership now. Funny mine started after a power steering flush. So today I get a call they they are replacing the Transmission........ lol. So 1 Transmission and 2 front axels later. When I go to pick it up and it's still making the noise I will advise them of the limited slip diff as well.

 

same issue : 08 TL-S 6MT.

O-ring has been done already. it doesnt happen all the time so hard to predict.

solution? not even going to bother pursuing a fix... i'm only under powertrain warranty so I dunno if they will warrantee something like this.

 

It should. Better to try than just living with it. A car in this class shouldn't have these type of and so many issues. Think this is my last outing with Honda until they get their shit together. Plus the fact they have moved away from Manuals on the Acura side they definitely don't make anything for me anymore....

 

ok..my oil life is at 30%..so next oil change i'll make the case.

 

I have the same issue on my 05MT but it only happens when I turn left but not right. Ive replaced the power steering pump when i got the car around october 2012. At that time the rack was leaking from where the the column attaches to the rack. Car is at 130k at this time. maybe 3 months later the reman. rack i bought started leaking from the driver side so i replaced it again with a low mile oem one (45k). A month ago i noticed this one is now leaking from the driver side again. I was thinking the noise is from the leaking rack and am surprised to see the LSD replacement fixed your issue. Now my question is DID THE NOISE HAPPEN WHEN YOU TURNED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS?

 

Sorry for my late reply, we had our first baby right after i got my car back and life has been a little hectic since then.

So i'm not really sure what to think about this whole problem. Maybe someone more familiar with LSD's can chime in.
As i mentioned in previous posts i was hear the sound from 2 different methods:
1) turning in circles left or right
2) making 1 wheel spin on ice
now since they supposedly changed the LSD (not sure as i haven't yet received a receipt for work done) #1 does not make the noise anymore so yay but #2 still does. One difference I have noticed is that is much harder to make 1 wheel spin now then it was before (kind of the purpose of the LSD). So unless there is something else wrong that i just cant figure out this is what i'm thinking:
The noise i was hearing may be is technically a normal noise that an LSD makes (no idea if this is true as this is my first experience with an LSD) but shouldn't be heard under normal circumstances i.e. not trying to make 1 wheel spin. I think the LSD was definitely worn out as its now harder to make the 1 wheel spin and the noise is gone while making turns.
Obviously now winter is over and no more ice on the roads i cant safely make 1 wheel spin to test this further.
Anyone have any ideas?

The LSD is within the transmission so i would think they would have replaced it as well. i'm curious to hear what the end result was for you.

It would make the noise for me while turning sometimes so what i did was go into an empty parking lot and started turning in circles with the wheel almost fully turned as i would speed up the noise would get louder. Let me know if this happens with you as well.

Happened in both directions for me.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong,but our TL doesn't have a clutch-disc type LSD...right? If I'm even wording that correctly. I remember something about a helical type LSD without clutch packs.

I wonder if your problem may be something as simple as changing the trans fluid? GM SYNCHROMESH! Or if it trails back to something wrong with the P/S.

 

If the dealer is having trouble diagnosing it in person, how are a bunch of strangers on the internet going to do?

 

^ we're not repairing the car either Roof. Members are here to offer advice and/or ideas. FYI, some of the guys working at Acura dealers are less intelligent than some of the members on here.Although, by now I'd hope they brought in the Shop Foreman. Trust me!

 

I think you may be correct on the helical type LSD and i'm definitely no expert on differentials but I would think they still work on friction and maybe the one my car was worn out.
I'm not sure about it being as simple as the trans. fluid, granted i havent tried changing it to GM Syncromesh yet, but i think they would have had to have changed the fluid when when they changed my LSD, but even then, i would think the sound would be present all the time.
Same for the P/S, i would think the sound would be present whenever your rotating the steering wheel but the noise is present even when the steering wheel is held in 1 spot.

The idea of asking the question here was to direct it to a much more concentrated and specific audience in the hopes that maybe someone else has come across a similar issue and can lend a hand in solving the issue. i would think that there are more people on this forum with a 6sp TL then my local dealer have ever seen.

 

So they replaced the tranny and now this thing is driving like a bat outta hell with the best shifting quality I have had since I have owned the car. Win situation all the way around.