Raheel

It seems Acura is really focusing on a quiet interior..

I Have bolded the word ' Quiet ' for you from certain sections of hondanews..

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Rear Suspension

The TL rear suspension is a 5-link double-wishbone independent system with struts, coil springs with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry. It mounts to a steel subframe to improve road isolation and a quiet interior. The rear suspension geometry adds "toe-in" when the suspension is compressed, improving handling stability over bumps and during hard cornering and braking.

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Despite a comprehensive array of new technologies and added use of insulating materials to promote an even quieter and more luxurious cabin,

A stabilizer bar further improves handling by limiting body roll, while a special "pillow joint" for the lateral links improves camber rigidity. Rubber shims added to the leading and trailing arm bushings improve ride comfort.


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The moonroof itself is virtually flush, reducing the chance of wind noise. There is also a special flush-type seal that promotes quietness.

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The new TL benefits from a new 5-position shift gate that simplifies the operation of the transmission. It features a quieter linkage and a speed-controlled reverse lockout solenoid to prevent transmission damage. When operated in automatic mode, the transmission lets the driver choose between D (Drive) and L (Low).

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They also say that the car is quieter than its competitors

"Internal testing shows that the 2004 TL has less higher-frequency wind noise at the driver passenger "ear point" than the Audi A4, BMW 330i, BMW 530i, Infiniti G35, Lexus ES 300 and Mercedes-Benz C320. It is also measurably improved over the previous TL."

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So What bugs my mind is, do you think Acura really focused on improving all those RATTLES!

fdl

I don't know...but all the same propaganda was written about the TSX as well.

Actually..in the TSX they really did a great job of isolating engine noise...i'll give them that.

larchmont

Maybe. At first, I thought if we looked at what they said about the TSX it would show basically the same stuff -- but it doesn't, not that I can find anyway.

But it's also very possible that they're just putting more emphasis on "quiet" for the TL because the traditional TL market is more concerned about quiet than our market.

(Or so they thought.)

larchmont

That's what I thought, but what I found didn't make any mention of it.

Y2K4 TSX

Cmon now - they *did* do a good job on the TSX interior being quiet... Our interiors are so quiet that we can actually HEAR the rattles!

Raheel

NICE NICE

larchmont

Great point.

Actually I don't even hear the rattles! (Not yet, anyway.)


BY THE WAY: I'm going to "hide" this over here rather than on one of the "real" rattle threads:

If I'm going at freeway speeds with the rear passenger window open, I sometimes hear kind of a rhythmic "beating" noise, seems as though it's coming from out there. Had the same thing in my TL-S. Disappears completely if I close that one window.

That's not one of the alleged "rattles," is it? But, wtf is it -- Anyone have an idea?

Doesn't seem to be road bumps, because then it would be through ANY window, plus I'd FEEL it.

fdl

Larch, that doesnt sound like a rattle ... but its strange that its only the one window that does it. Put someone in the back and see if they can find out what it is.


By the way here is something I found in TSX literature ..


Engineers focused on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) from all quarters when designing the new TSX. In front, the engine/suspension subframe uses a vibration-canceling structure and highly rigid aluminum engine mounts to help keep engine and road vibration from entering the passenger cabin. The rear suspension subframe uses stiff construction and beefy box-section dimensions to reduce the transmission of road shock and vibration.

Interior quietness is also enhanced through the use of a special sound-absorbing roof lining and urethane molded floor liner, instrument panel and rear wheelhouse insulators. Additional measures include an under-hood insulator, special noise insulation in the front fender bulkheads, a rear tray insulator, and several “melt sheet” sandwich panels in various floor and dashboard locations. An array of polypropylene underbody panels reduce road noise as well as direct airflow

phile

That's definitely not a rattle, but it's annoying as hell. It only happens when one window is opened, open up any other window and it goes away. Weird.

All this talk about rattles in the newer Accords and TSX is alarming. We have a few Hondas in our house, though none of them new, and they're rattle free.

swami

I accidentally put my rear passenger window down while cruisin down the highway. I swore I had a blowout, pulled over I was so sure. Yeah, that's a sound that will get your attention.

fdl

Whats up with the new NA accord...are there rattles?

larchmont

Yeah, swami, that's it! THAT'S IT!!!!

(I'm so thrilled, someone else feels my pain.)

I feel your pain too. Now go work on your football team.


But, swami, any idea what that is????

swami

Yeah it's the "If ya have anyone riding back there turn the air on" noise. Don't worry about my football team. The Dolphins lose to the Texans and there in trouble, then beat the previously unbeaten Bills and there Superbowl material...Same as the Swaminatorz.

stlgasman

I think this is common in many cars. My Sequoia and TL do it now. The air comes in and can't get out. On the Sequoia it stops when I crack the hatch window a little.

SmokeTL

I am problably the least qualified to speak on this but it is caused by the air turbulence inside the car. In my car, the sun roof has a built in air deflector, if i hold it down while driving it makes the "booming" noise you refer to. I could only deduse that if you open another window it would go away....try it.

need4spd_RENAMED

Agreed it is air turbulance most likely.

May also be tire irregularities, such as when the tire is made, there is a high (and low) spot on it (all tires have this, that is the painted dots you see on them), if not matched with the low spot on the rim, it may cause this effect (normal tire ballancing does not eliminate this, instead the tires and wheels must be matched, ie high spot to low spot). Many tire installers do not know the proper way to line them up, and even the factory sometimes does not do it right.

I think it is a combination of tire and air turbulance based on opening of a front window causes it to go away.

Anyway, of any consulation, my 96 maxima does it, as do friends cars including new bmw's and nissan's

Just open a front window and it goes away.

larchmont

Thanks for all the input on this. Sounds like the answer is one of the things y'all mentioned, or a combination.

I'm inclined to believe it's mainly the tire thing that Need4speed mentions, because the noise REALLY seems like it's coming from outside -- although I know things like that can be deceptive.

But, I wonder, why does it seem to be only with that one particular window, the passenger side rear window?(I assume you all meant that too.) Of course any one of the tires could have such a problem. I wonder why this noise would occur only with the right side rear tire.

larchmont

Correction to what I said: It's not just that one window that causes this if it's open -- it's either rear window. Or both. When going at freeway speeds, if either or both rear windows are open, this rhythmic beating noise occurs. It's exactly the thing that Swami also described, sounds like you have a flat tire. It's a bit more pronounced with the passenger-side rear window, but it happens with either (and both). The more those windows are open, the louder (and thumpier) it is. But if you also open just one front window (or both), it goes away.

I had said it really sounded like the sound was coming from "out there." But as I paid more close attention, I realized I can't be sure.

I'm leaning toward Stigasman's theory -- air turbulence.

2k4tl

It's turbulence. I have the same in my 01 Passat.

Specifically, it's a chunk of air coming in your left rear window meeting a similarly sized chunk of air coming in the right rear. They partly bounce of each other but mostly run through each other causing the rhythmic thwacking sound that's so like a flat tire.

The frequency of the thwacking directly corresponds to the size of the the passenger compartment, specifically the back seats. Slightly narrower and you'd get quicker thwacking. Wider back seats it'd be slower. Deeper back window area and who knows what you'd get, probably a secondary THUD-thud sound.

The secret is...close your back windows when doing 70...

XPLORx4

That "beating" sound you hear is air flow around the outside of the car entering the cabin and "pressurizing" and "depressurizing" it rapidly. Many cars do this, usually when a rear window is open.

When you open another window, you affect the airflow around the car and the pressure difference created by this "wind buffeting" is allowed to equalize more easily.

You can typically reduce this "thrumming" by cracking a front window a little too.

You will also note that this problem only occurs at high speeds (when more air is displaced by the car).