Just picked up a brand new 13 AWD Tech in Black/Umber.

Soon as I drove it off the lot the rattles started...literally gone less than 100m. Should have driven right back but, you know, excitement of the moment and all.

I will bring it back to them but for the moment I'm curious if anyone has gotten these before:


Seems to be two rattles
1. a intermittent "tapping" sound that happens when you go over road undulations and elevation changes, doesn't have to be a bump really. Also when you get to freeway speed it happens almost constantly even on a smooth road. Sounds like a sort of "hollow" plasticy sound.

2. a buzzy/light rattle that happens when you hit an expansion joint or slightly rough patch of pavement. I can't tell if its the same one as #1 but I don't think so. This one requires an actual bump in the road and won't just happen all on its own at speed.

Both seem to be coming from somewhere behind the dashboard...really hard to pin down.

Any guidance appreciated. My 2006 TSX also had horrible rattles coming off the lot that took me years to get rid of (never fully got them all). Seems to be an Acura "feature" -- my 7 year old Merc that I traded had no rattles or buzzes unless you hit a truly terrible patch of road.

 

Are you sure it's not the sunroof? I have a 2012 with zero dash rattles but my sunroof makes a lot of tapping noises on uneven pavement. Dealer will be fixing it next time I go in.

 

How can I test sunroof? Just press up on the glass hard when going over bumps to see if it fixes it?

 

I had a similar rattle. Sounded like it was coming from the windshield area. It was actually coming from the hood covering the navigation screen. Next time you hear the noise, push down on the dashboard area extending over the navi screen and see if it goes away.

 

you mean rattle #1 or rattle #2?

 

#2 I believe

 

No pushing on the glass won't stop the sunroof issue but if you drive with the roof slider open but leave the sunroof itself closed the tapping sound should be even more amplified.

 

I had the same issue coming from the dash on the navi screen. It would only rattle when it's hot. I pushed down on it and it stopped. As soon as I let go you would hear it again. So I just started to move that top piece around until the rattle went away. Haven't had an issue since.

 

I have a bad rattle coming from the headliner right behind the sunroof. If I press the headliner up it almost sounds like there is "sticky" contact paper or something up there. Going to have dealer check/fix at first oil change.

 

Hm ok. Mine seems to do it in less than "hot" temperatures (ie: last night only maybe 20 deg C outside) but I'll try.

Will check the sunroof thing too.

 

That is a known issue with the sunroofs that Acura had the opportunity to correct with the 12-14' model years but never did...

 

So I think I figured both of them out.

#1: if I open the sunroof cover and pull down on the metal bit that's over top of the overhead console, it goes away. Fiddled with the console itself and it seems to shuffle 2mm fwd and back (probably a mounting slot)...pushed all the way fwd and that rattle seems to have disappeared.


#2: an ill-fitting trim piece, that also happens to be scuffed...probably from the factory or PDI. Its under the right side "curvy plasti-aluminum trim" bit. Dealer should probably just replace.

Pretty quick resolution ! *touch wood* Hooray!

 

Crap. Things have gotten worse again.

#1 came back but I think I fixed it properly. Removed overhead console and put some foam tape in there.


#2 parts are on backorder. Will be going back when they come in.
I thought I had gotten this one by removing the glovebox and foam taping some of it where it contacts the center console pieces, but this didn't seem to work very well. Its better than before but still a high pitched, rapid tapping sound occurs going over bumps sometimes. Its not very loud, but loud enough to be annoying.

New rattles

#3 center brake light cover rattles due to music/bass....fixed this one fairly easily

#4 driver side seat belt height adjuster squeaks going over expansion joints

#5 something in the upper front dash rattles over rough roads...totally different sound from #2, much lower pitch. Sounds like it could be that cover near the windshield vent


So that's a car with 800km and 5 rattles. Acura, if this doesn't get fixed pronto, I'm never buying another one.

 

It's been my experience that practically every car exhibits some rattles/squeaks/noises, even when fairly new. You could turn yourself into Captain Ahab spending your whole life looking for the Moby Dick of rattles and never find it. I actually got rid of my first TL because of rattles and my dislike of the tranny. I came to realize that evry car has its warts and ended up back with a TL because I missed certain features (nav and stereo, mainly). I've just had to mellow out about some of the noises and other flaws. For what it's worth, I've test-driven used BMWs and a used Audi and noticed rattles in those, too.

 

You're right about that, but for some reason they just seem worse in this car. My previous car (07 CLK550) spoiled me. Only one rattle during my ownership that I fixed in 30 minutes of digging (a piece of tissue paper stuffed into a clip mounting fixed it forever).

My first car, a 06 TSX, was also a rattle trap..took years to clean it out.

I guess its just a question of what warts you're more willing to deal with. I have good hearing and a mild case of OCD. Got the TL because, eventually once we have kids, its my wife's car, and she and I could both compromise on it (its a fantastic car, objectively speaking). When it comes time for me to get "my" long term driver its unlikely to be an Acura at this rate....

 

I thought that I had a horrible rattle going... turned out to be my sunglasses in the sunglass holder in the headliner.

Once I took them out it's been solid. They don't all rattle, I guess.

 

OP, mike is right, turn up the tunes and stop obsessing.

Some of the squeeks will go away as the new materials wear smooth spots on each other. I had a similar noise coming from the dash on the RDX. It vanished within the first 3 months.

 

I just identified this as the source of my rattle. Thanks!

 

" I had the same issue coming from the dash on the navi screen. It would only rattle when it's hot. I pushed down on it and it stopped. As soon as I let go you would hear it again. So I just started to move that top piece around until the rattle went away. Haven't had an issue since"

Amazing I have the same problem - Especially when the dash gets warm form the sun- When you say you moved the top piece around - are you talking about the top piece of clear plastic on the navi screen ? and if so, precisely how did you move it around ? slightly pushing it left and right ... boy is this annoying
thanks !