Kiwi2000

I have a 2014 ILX that has had a banging noise when I hit a bump in a certain way since new. The noise is loud. I have also had the rear suspension replaced three times because it has broken. But teh noise remains. Can any one tell me if this noise can be fixed? Is it just my car or all 2014's or all ILXs?

Kiwi2000

It sounds as though the trunk liner is loose or slamming down when I hit a bump, but it is not loose. There is nothing in the trunk either and the spare and jack are tight. The noise comes from the rear of the vehicle as far as I can tell. Looking online I see that no one else has reported this issue that I can see so maybe it is only mine and possibly can be fixed. I am hoping it was not a design issue.

weather

^^ What you are experiencing is very common with the pre-MMC ILX - We had the same issue with our former ILX and our RDX. The problem is that Acura used SACH's for the rear shocks with are as bad as their choice for the ZF unit in the MDX and TLX. Luckily for you, the problem is easily solvable by using the Civic's rear shocks (from the same year).

Kiwi2000

Thank you for the reply. Is SACH a brand name? If so I have been told by Acura that they are using upgraded components for the rear suspension because the previous 2 set(s) failed so quickly. I hope the fix is as easy as you state, but the vehicle will not be on warranty if the original equipment is changed.
Can you answer another question as you seem familiar with the ILX. I notice when I depress the brake pedal down at some point in the travel there is a clunk noise and feel in the pedal. When I lift the brake pedal up the same noise occurs on the upward travel about the same position. If the vehicle is in park and I depress and lift the pedal the clunk occurs both down and up and the clunk is felt within the transmission tunnel if you feel the shifter while using the brake pedal. I am quite sure this action did not occur until recently.

What is pre MMC?

weather

^^ No problem about helping with the answer. So here is more information about your questions:

1. Yes, Sachs is a brand and is affiliated with ZF, the same company at the heart of the TLX transmission debacle - So much for "German engineering"!! I am 99% sure it was the brand KYB that was supplying the rear shocks for the 2014 Civics - I would check into replacing the rear shocks with these instead. Will it affect your warranty? All it will affect is the warranty of the rear shocks and that's it but you could confirm with your dealer. Given the car is already a few years old, it would be wise to invest into something that will solve your noise issue rather than getting them to replace a crappy part by the same crappy part.

2. I never experienced the problem you described about the brake but I did found a quote from someone that did:

"My brakes or some part of the system loudly "clank" when you release the brake pedal in colder weather. Very noticeable. (2013 ILX Auto, Tech with 23000 miles) It took several trips to convince the dealer this was not normal. They have had the car for over a week and left it sit in the cold to get the noise to replicate. So far they have replaced the master cylinder but it still makes the noise. Kudos to the dealer for continuing to talk to the zone repair folks for other possibilities. Also ruled out were disc pad noise since the brakes are up to spec. Fortunately we have a loaner so they can take their time.

As for the rear suspension, it is a choppy ride on a good day. Also noisy when cold "

3. I would suggest you read the following thread to find out all the issues about the noise in the rear suspension (many pages) :
https://acurazine.com/forums/acura-i...-noise-869859/

4. Pre MMC is Pre "mid model change" (MMC) - The ILX was introduced as a 2013 model and went through a MMC for the model year (MY) 2016.....

cm18cam

I agree with the trunk liner theory. I too have a 2014 ilx and when I mess with jumper cables or the ice scraper I have stored with my spare tire, I often hear a thumping noise from the rear, especially when parking and coming to an abrupt stop. When I added an all weather trunk mat the issue got better. My guess is the weight from the mat holds down the flap. Hope this helps

Kiwi2000

I am on page 6 of many. Owners were hoping at this point in 2013 early on in the thread that a upgraded shock/damper might fix the noise. Well I can attest after 3 shock/damper replacements in 15 months the last with apparently upgraded parts the annoying noise remains.Does anyone finally correct the issue? If so maybe I can skip a dozen pages or so. Does this issue still remain in subsequent years ILX's, 2015,16,17?

weather

I am not sure if the ILX after the MMC change but as far as I am concerned, the best solution is to replace SACHS shocks by the KYB.

schen72

I don't notice any "bang" in my '16 ILX.

Kiwi2000

I have been dealing with my Acura dealer about the noise issue these past 22 months in which time the rear suspension parts have been replaced three times. The noise remains however. Because of the information found in this forum I contacted Acura Canada for assistance in November 2016. I made another appointment with the dealer in December hoping to get all parties "on board" to assist in fixing this problem once and for all. Acura contacted about one month after first contact and said they were going to gather information and get back to me, I cancelled the December appointment and booked for January. I sent emails to the service manager at the dealer and Acura asking for assitance when the next appointment came up. When I picked up the car nothing had been done, when I contacted both parties neither party had read the email I sent from weeks ago.
The tech working on my vehicle stated he required authorization to continue troubleshooting, which was the entire reason I contacted these parties beforehand. That was on the 18th, still waiting a reply from Acura. Both parties know there is a problem and they are just hoping that I go away, eventually.

holografique

I just came from leasing a 2014 RLX Advance for 3 years and 60,000+ miles of drive time behind it, and the there are plenty of postings from me about the horrendous suspension system. Outside of just overall poor ride handling and other issues, the sound of "loose lumber" was always prevalent, like if you had pieces of wood just jumbling around somewhere underneath the car. If you hit anything substantial (large bump, pothole, or other more substantial road conditions), you'd get very hard slamming and or jarring of the entire chassis. All of which made the car build-quality just feel cheap and "plastic". Something I should have never experienced for what I paid for that vehicle. Unfortunately, I didn't know I had to test a flagship vehicle for possibly poor suspension when I test drove it, and test drove it on the highway before getting into the lease. From there it took time to put two and two together to realize the car had a really bad suspension. It just wasn't something I expected to occur in a luxury flagship vehicle of it's price. It was as if the steering wheel or the AC didn't work, things that at this point in the 30 years of Acura manufacturing cars, it would just work.

The reason I bring this is up is because from what I understand, the RLX also used the SACHS based dampers.

Having stepped into my 2016 ILX A-spec (which will be my last Acura after feeling ripped off by the RLX experience and Acura not having done a thing to compensate me for it), it is a night-n-day difference. Not only is the ride handling perfectly tuned for the classic Acura tight, sporty, yet compliant ride handling, there are no rattles, or sounds of "loose lumber", or jarring or slamming. The car just handles everything thrown at it, as you would expect from a well designed car with solid suspension. I don't know for certain what parts are being used in the ILX, but all I can say is they fixed whatever problems there may have been in the 2013 ILX. My wife had a 2013 ILX before her 2016 A-Spec and while it wasn't as nice as the 2016 suspension, I also don't recall it having the issues that my RLX had or the ones you're having. So tough to say.

Kiwi2000

I finally heard back from Acura Canada customer service senior customer relations specialist. After 3 months of nagging them with countless emails and phone calls from me to Acura Canada customer service about the "loose lumber noise"I was informed by the senior customer relations specialist to basically, have a nice life. They are not interested in assisting because the car still runs right? It moves, turns etc. what is the issue he cannot comprehend, so it makes little noises once in a while, it could be from something loose in the trunk or the weather, surely there is nothing wrong with their vehicle I am to be assured of that! There it is 3 + months of my time wasted and only a file number,(that was hard enough to get, like pulling teeth) to show for it, they didn't even bother to kiss me off with a written letter. I have never been treated by any company the way I have been by Acura Canada customer service, they just keep ignoring the issue(s) with excuse after excuse until they finally said there is nothing wrong go away. Well scratch Honda/Acura off my list for a repeat vehicle.

RDX10

Sorry to hear about your experience with Acura Canada. I am in the same boat as you. No more Honda or Acura products for me. Ever again.