Lately I noticed there a loud rattle noise on the timing side when I'm in either D or R at a stop, but the rattle go away when in N or P. When driving, I couldn't hear the noise anymore and there isnt any clunking sound when accelerate (so I don't think would be the tranny mount?). I tried to leave it in gear and set the e-brake on so I can get out the car and check further, but every time I tried that, the noise went away. I searched around, some mentioned could be the heatshield. I have yet to check for that, but will be when doing an oil change sometime this week. Are there anything else I need to look for? The car has 101xxx miles on it. Would the timing chain tensioner be bad and causing that rattle sound?

 

I believe there a another fuel pump by intake and the fuel lines that comes out of there make that noise I am taking my TLX to the dealer because first the dealer changed that fuel pump as there is a small damper that helps not to vibrate the fuel lines. I will keep you posted when I am done. Thanks

 

What happened with this? Was it the fuel pump damper?

OP did you ever find out if it was actually your timing chain tensioner?

 

I didn't even see SHayat reply lol. I brought this up many times to my dealership but they never mentioned anything about the damper. I thought the noise by the intake is the cricket noise that the high pressure fuel pump makes? Someone here told me it not doing any damage with the noise. The noise I have is more like grinding or bad bearing like sound, but it go away in neutral and def not hearing in while in motion.

I couldn't find anything loose under the engine. I tried to put my car in D and set the parking brake on so I can get near the timing side to hear better, but whenever I did that, the noise go away lol. I asked my service advisor about the chain tensioner and he said he never heard of anyone replacing that before the timing chain, and the cost to replace that is $1900 total. I laughed and said thank you. Til this day, I still don't know what it is yet lol

 

How long would you say - mileage-wise - you've been driving with that noise? My car is almost due for service - this one is an oil change, filter, and transmission service. The last time it was in no one could hear the noise

 

oh man, this has been going on for several years now, I dont remember when or the mileage when this happened, but if I have to guess, it would be below 40k miles when this happened.

I did however narrow it down where the rattle noises came from over this past weekend. I somehow manage to have another person in the car, holding down the brake while in D and I can hear the noise around the throttle body/high pressure fuel pump area. This is a first for me to be able to do this as I tried and failed many times lol. Still no clue on what cause the noise in this area but glad it was not the timing chain or the tensioner area.

 

So I was way overdue for an oil change because I only take my TLX and my wife's RDX to a local shop owned and run by a Honda/Acura Master Tech. They did an oil change but this time I had them do synthetic instead of regular - and the noise is gone. It's only been a few days but when he brought the car around he said that I had a chain rattle at cold start because of my oil. I did not mention the issue to him when I took it in - he apparently heard it. I don't know if he did anything else to get rid of the noise - if he did he didn't mention anything. It can't be that simple right?

 

I noticed mine rattle every now and then when I started my car in the morning, but only when using remote start for some reasons. I didn't pay much attention to it until I got back from a 2 weeks vacation, that's when I noticed a loud rattle every morning. Sounded like a bad vtc actuator. I decided to check for oil level and it was well below the first dot. Not sure why it dropped so much when I still got 70% life left. Usually I would put in a qt after 60-50% life lol. But after I put in a qt of oil, no more noises. So maybe you got similar issue like mine, low oil?

 

The legacy continues! When I bought the car from Carmax I got the Maxcare with it. I took it in about three weeks ago and guess what - it would not make the noise. They had three techs and a supervisor looking for the noise and they even brought it back and I drove it around with one of the senior techs in the passenger seat with the windows down and the sunroof open - couldn't reproduce the issue. I tried everything I could to get the RPMs to go below 600-650 so that it would make the noise - cranked the AC and Fan all the way, put it in Sport+ Mode, and even took it in with less than half a tank of gas and it wouldn't do it. Today it's been colder and I'm noticing that I'm hearing it a little more consistently.
I'm debating if I want to take it back to Carmax (and have them send it to Acura then only pay the $50 deductible) or have a mechanic friend of mine see if he can figure out what it is. I mean if it were the Timing Chain Tensioner I would think it would do it while it's in Park as well. It also seems to only do it in Reverse or Drive no matter if the engine is cold or not. The noise also sounds like it's coming from the driver's side - isn't the timing chain and the tensioner on the passenger side? I drove to the grocery store and was in there for less than 10 minutes so the engine definitely wasn't cold, but it made the noise again when I put it in Reverse and also when I put it in Drive. I did check the oil and it's about a quart low so I'm going to put more in - but not until after I have it looked at again.

 

@noclue02 Are you still hearing the rattling? I just noticed something with mine last night while I was out grocery shopping. Does your rattling seem to only do it in Reverse and Drive? If so see if you can recreate it by putting the car in Reverse then turn the wheel all the way to the left then check for the noise (even if it's minor) - if you still don't hear the noise remain in Reverse and then turn the wheel all the way to the right then check again. Let me know whether or not you're able to recreate the noise on your car by doing this - and also if it goes away when you start to straighten and/or fully straighten your wheel. If you can try this experiment when it's cooler outside.

 

Mine been doing it, but only when the rpm dropped below 700. Moving the steering wheel help a bit but the rattle came back. Other than oil burning and bad gas mileage, I don't see any other problem, yet. I just let it be for now lol.

 

Gotcha - I found something else today - it seems to do it more if I'm just above a quarter tank of gas or less. Today it did it and and I put on the parking brake while it was in Reverse while it was doing it. Phone in hand I went to pop the hood to get a recording of it and as soon as I hit the hood release it stopped

 

Lol yup was very hard for me to get pop the hood and listen from there. Was able to did it once and the noise where someone around the fuel pump area, didn't hear anything on the timing side. Didn't notice any different between the fuel level when that happened on mine.

 

Knocking or Clicking From Engine During Cold Startup

19-012 Acura Technical Service Bulletin (tsbsearch.com)

 

thanks NDVN. Mine rattle regardless cold or hot lol. Although I do have that rattle during cold startup, but it doesn't happened often. When it does happened often, that's when my oil is dropped between the 2 dots and adding a quart of oil fixed that sound.

 

I was able to capture the rattle on video and started a new thread here: https://acurazine.com/forums/5g-tlx-.../#post16876361

 

Wow, that's a bit loud. Mine is like that but that knocking noise isn't as loud as your and I had to open the hood in order to hear it. Maybe mine is the same symptom as your but not as bad yet
have you bring it in and see what is the problem yet?

 

I haven’t taken it to an Acura Dealership - at least not yet. I’ve been quoted $200-$250 just for a diagnostic at the ones around me. I bought it from Carmax with their Maxcare warranty going on four years ago so it’s still covered. They had multiple people look at it last August and it wouldn’t do it - even after being off for a few hours. I also drove around with it once with a senior tech and again with the service supervisor in the car and it wouldn’t do it. The RPMs would never drop low enough for it to make the sound. It didn’t do it again until a week or so later.

The noise isn’t coming from the passenger side - only the drivers side - and only In Reverse or Drive. The timing chain and components (and the tensioner) are on the passenger side of the engine right? If it were the tensioner wouldn’t I at least also hear it (even if only for a few seconds) in Park?

So you had to open your hood to hear it on yours. After I took the video that captured the noise I popped the hood and the noise stopped - which is why I don’t have a video with the noise with the hood up. I also checked the oil level and it’s full. Could this be something like a CV Joint, Ball Joint, or something else outside of the engine itself?

 

Yup, mine is heard mainly when my rpm is lower than 700ish while I'm in the car or had to pop the hood open (even then it rare to be able to get the hood open and hear it). Took mine to the dealer numerous times, and like you said, every time I'm with a tech, my rpm is hovering 700 or more and there is no knocking sound. I read somewhere, it could be rod bearing gone bad? Also check all your mounts, maybe it bad so when you're idling in R or D, the engine or transmission is hitting something?

 

I'm going to give it another week or so - and I hope I'm not jinxing anything but I have an update. I was due for an oil change and something told me to find out if that local shop that I visited over 20 years ago when I had my 89 CRX was still in business and run by the same family - and the answer to both questions was yes. They work on all kinds of cars and not just Honda/Acura - so I called and made an appointment. When I checked in I played the video with the sound for them and they said they would take a look for anything that could be causing the noise while they were doing the oil change. When they brought it back the mechanic came in and explained what he'd found:
The hood on my TLX is made of two pieces of fiberglass - an upper piece and a lower piece - that are bonded by glue and secured together by clamps. He found that the area where the glue was supposed to be bonded on the section of the driver's side was coming apart - and that could have been causing some of the rattle. He also found that both clamps nearest to the windshield were loose as well as two of the clamps on the driver's side of the hood. He placed two shop rags between the upper and lower section where the glue was separated and re-secured all of the clamps. So far the rattle has either not come back or has been GREATLY reduced - even at 600rpm in Reverse or Drive

Obviously I'm not going to keep rags near my engine for an extended amount of time, but if I go another few days or so and continue not to hear the sound - or if I hear it but it's greatly reduced - then that could be it and I'll see what my options are for getting the actual hood repaired or replaced.