I have a problem with my 04' TL MT ASPEC that My local Dealership wasn't able to diagnose. I use to work at Acura, therefore i have acquaintances who are techs and service writers there... great friends to have. Anyways, here's the problem.

At lower speeds, Especially when i go over a speed bump ever so slowly, my front passenger wheel makes a thunk thunk or a bumping/bouncing feel/sound. My first thought was that there was something wrong with my suspension so i took it down to my guys at acura. One look at my TL's (18" Factory) rims they said that the rim must be bent.
I came back an hour later and that is what they determined. ... so i have been driving around on this "bent rim" for a few months now thinking that i had to save up to buy a new rim... 400 something dollars-NO THANKS!.
To hold me over, I got two new front tires today until i could afford that new rim..
Well, I made sure to explain the problem to the guy at the wheel/tire place. After his examination and replacement of my tires/Balancing, he said that my rim is fine and definitely not BENT! Thank god! He said that the noise was probably coming from uneven TIRE Wear.
I WISH!!! As I drove home.. at high speeds i still feel VIBRATIONS in the steering wheel and at low speeds (over the speedbumps and dips) I'm still getting the THUMP THUMP bump/bouncing effect out of that front right wheel.... EVEN WHEN GOING DOWN HILL IN NEUTRAL or over a speed bump IN NEUTRAL.

I'm glad to hear that my rim doesn't need to be placed but it's driving me crazy... WHATS WRONG WITH MY CAR?! why does that wheel bump or bounce? is it my wheel at all? Is it suspension or coilover problems? is my wheel hitting the roof of my wheel well? is it a transmission problem? or maybe cracked engine mounts? Maybe there are suspension parts that need to be replaced after so many miles..? I have 97,000 miles on my car.. i like to drive.

ANY HELP, Advice, Or Feedback would be appreciated..

The only thing i can think to do (to diagnose) would be to have them put those front wheels in the back and the back in the front to see if the noise is still there?


04 TL MT A-SPEC Package
E-Mail: SCCunningham86@gmail.com

 

Could be a problem with the strut or possibly the axle. I would try swapping wheels front to back just to eliminate that possible issue, but I suspect the problem is in the axle or strut. When you pull the wheel, check the strut for any signs of oil leakage, if there is, your strut is toast. At 97K, it's a good possibility it is your axle. I replaced my passenger side axle at about 82K in my '05 TL MT A-Spec, now at 86K it sounds like the driver's side is starting to go. By the way, the MT axles are NOT the same as the AT axles. The only place I could find one was at the dealer. NOT CHEAP, around $250 retail, compared to AT axles available everywhere for around $100. Good luck...

 

You posted in the wrong section this is for 4g's you need to post this in the 3g section.

 

You may want to consider looking at the sway bar link bushings (located on the bottom near the cv axle). Usually they get worn out after years of wear and tear on the suspension. This is most noticeable when driving on bumps at low speeds not so much at high speeds. By looking at the part it may seem fine, however the only way to really determine if it is worn is by removing it. Its a simple fix and should not cost more that $100 in parts. Usually mechanics will over look this and always point out other expensive parts to replace when they are not needed. Neways hope this solves your problem.

 

Rakeshx23 - THANKS A MILLION!!! I've been putting up with this annoying thunking noise for two or three years, and I finally replaced the sway bar bushings (after $1,200 on new struts and strut bushings in the hopes of a fix, feh...) and the thunk vanished immediately. It cost me $25 in parts for both front and rear. Next time I'll search Acurazine more carefully!!!

 

You will get more help by posting in the right forum : 3G(2004-2008).