Bob In Miami

As my 2006 RL got to 9000 miles, noises started emanating from the drivers side B-Pillar. By 10,000 miles the noise was constant and quite annoying. Finally took it to the dealership where the tech found metal on metal contact and movement around a spot weld in the area. His solution was to separate the two metal pieces so body flexing in the area would no longer cause noise. Problem solved.

This probably sounds familiar to some of you. I believe it was NavyDoc who had the same issue and resolved it in a similar way (if memory serves me correctly).

Anyway, if you have a rattle/creaking sound coming from the B-pillar area, this may be your solution.

Bob

NavyDoc333

Hey Bob.... yup, had the same problem. It's kept mine 'pretty quiet'... I occationally have to adjust the 'shim' I put in there...and it will stay quiet for a while longer. I think if it does it again.. I may take it down to a local body shop here ...and have them do a 'spot weld' on it... see if they can shut it up.

Bob In Miami

Hi NavyDoc,

What the tech did on my car was to separate the area where you have the shim, that way the two pieces of metal can not touch during times of chasis flex. Perhaps some sort of wedge can be used to separate the metal on your car also. Once separated the tech also put sound deadening matterial between the metal. Have only driven the car 5 miles, but the difference was immediately noticeable.

Bob

NavyDoc333

That's great that they found it... my tech's haven't been as helpful in figuring my phantom noises out.

Rob144

What does (did) this creaking sound like? I just started hearing a little "tick" sound from the B-pillar area and am wondering if this might be an early symptom.

Rob144

sotiri

yeah, thats how it starts.
it only gets worse, and the dealers are clueless.

NavyDoc333

I had been fighting mine for over a year... the shim seems to only fix the problem temporarily. On my way down to Atlanta yesterday to trade it in on an 06 GS... it was as loud as I've ever heard it (I think the car was pissed I was getting rid of it)... anyway. If I had kept it, my next step was going to be to take it to a local body shop, and have them completely fuse that peice, instead of the spot welding. I know my dealer couldn't do that, so I figured I would just eat the cost to give me peace of mind. Then it just pissed me off that on a 50K car I have to have pieces of the frame fused.... anyway, no such creak in my GS now... ahhhhhhhhh.

Rob144

Sorry to hear you're leaving the fold. I understand not wanting to deal with the frustration.

Now then, where did you use your shim (or Bob: where did the dealer the bit of prying)? A, B, C, or D?

I tried the test drive with a screwdriver jammed in A, B, and D, but it didn't make a difference.



Rob144

NavyDoc333

That picture's awesome! I jammed mine in "A" to stop the creak. But like I said... it's only temporary. It took two thin pieces of metal.. (each about the width and thickness of a stick of chewing gum)...with some felt in between. When the creak would come back... I would just tap them in a little deeper.

NavyDoc333

I also drilled a hole in B...and put a screw in there... just to see if it would 'cinch it down' and help. It didn't.

TampaRLX-SH

You guys took off the trim panels yourselves?

I am not so brave to cure those types of creaks. Of course I just cursed myself a I have not developed that creak...yet!

I would use my universal fixer....duct tape.

sotiri

the panels come out easy. they are just clips that hold them in and the molding is even easier.
I was going to try this next. Silicone spray, and if that didnt help, then wd40.
I too am just about at my wits end with this creaking.
the dealer put the car on a rack and tried to pull the frame to see if that would solve it. made it worse actually.
If I dont get rid of the creaking this year, I am going to get rid of this car (reluctantly) and probably pick up an lex, or an MB .
Pity, such a good car, with flaws that the dealers cant remedy, let alone coming out from what is the flagship car of Acura.

Rob144

There are a lot of contact points where some of the metal meets in layers. The "B" zone already has a weld. I did a little prying in the "A" zone under the weather stripping, and tucked some fabric into the "D" zone as well. I also spritzed some silicon spray into the area and put everything back together.

I seemed a little better on my quick run to the market.

I really comes apart rather easily, and goes back together easily, too. A red plastic clip stayed in the hole above "B", which I popped out and placed back into the trim piece. The thing to be careful of is not to let anything fall down!

Rob144

NavyDoc333

I felt the same way.. and did get rid of mine (reluctantly as well)...this particular creak right next to my ear was the #2 reason I did. Some may shake their heads and say, I can't believe you'd 'waste' several thousand dollars in a trade for a 'creak'. I've never looked at it that way... I would have had to pay 'several thousand dollars more' for one of those other cars to begin with...so I'm just spending it a year later... (and that money sat in a mutual fund and made 18% last year) Or... I could look at it as learning an expensive lesson, either way, it's nice to drive a luxury car that doesn't creak and rattle. (At least not yet...knocking wood)

If that's the only reason you'd trade it in... I'd really suggest taking it into a body shop you trust and having them weld the S**T out of it! It would probably cost you $100-200.

Bob In Miami

Rob144,

The dealer tec did not tell me the exact location, he just described the area you photographed. He said he pried the area apart and then filled it with sound deadening matterial. He told me it took him three hours to get it quieted down. The result has been excellent, however I occasionally still hear it, but it is 95% better and have not noticed it in the past week.

NavyDoc....would you mind telling us what you got for your RL when you sold/traded it?

Bob

NavyDoc333

Not at all... $32,500. 06 Non-Tech, 19,043mi

neuronbob

16.5k miles so far and no creaking B-pillar (prays profusely to the car deities that it doesn't happen)....my car is quiet as a tomb except for that sunroof squeak, which can be easily fixed.

TOONCES

I have the creaking B pillar, and a tig welder... Maybe ill try to lay a bead down to cure the problem

2007AcuraRL

Interesting that this thread hasnt gotten more action since last fall. Has no one else but a handful of us had this problem? Presumably all the cars got the same 5 or 6 tack welds along the "B" pillar seams.

My '07 suffered from this same creaking, first on the passenger side, and then after about 20k miles it started on driver's side also. I finally got the car over to Acura to get it fixed. They had the car for two days and now I am really happy that the problem appears to be fixed. They called Acura's home offices in Torrance CA and were told to use a hammer and flat screw driver to form some creases in the metal somewhere in the areas shown on the photos earlier in this thread. I didnt take the panels back off tonight to see what they did, but as far as I'm concerned so long as the noise is gone, I dont even need to see.

miner

My '06 has this problem too. About time to address the issue - will attempt myself. I have some modelers felt I may force between the two pieces of metal. Do the trim panels requite a special tool to take off the panels?

2007AcuraRL

The trim comes off without any tools. Its clipped on. first you have to remove the front and rear door sill trim, then pull off the rubber welting in the door openings front and rear of the center section. You will then be able to get a few fingers behind the trim panels. Pull the bottom half off first. Then go for the upper trim section. Pull it outwards starting near the seatbelt mount and in a downward direction away from the roof headliner.

You'll be able to get felt under section "B" in the photo but you'll find there isn't enough of a gap to stuff it into sections A, C or D. I suspect the creak comes from either section A or D, where at least 3 different metal panels are joined together with a single spot weld. that corner area right in the middle of the marked off section in D is the most likely culprit.

miner

Does anyone think that JB Spot Weld 'stuff' would work to quiet this nuisance down?

supergreen

Did you ever get a chance to try this?

TOONCES

All I did was take hammer & chisel to the joint to open it up just enough to get rid of the rattle. Now I have to do the passenger side side, it just hasnt bugged me enough because its not right in my ear like the drivers side was.

Rob144

Boy, would I love some pics of the fix. Even a verbal description against my earlier pic (A,B,C,D) as to where the hammer 'n' chisel was used. I tried a fix with a vise grip that wasn't a good choice.

Rob

TOONCES

All I did was hammer away lightly till I got the chisel tip up under where it mates. Start in area b & c, basically the front of the mating area. You just want to pry the mating area up slightly. Do it in small increments, then take for a drive and then see if it solves your problem. Wack away more if it doesnt.

trekker1982

Hello.
Is it possible to bring the picture of post # 8 up online again.
I have got an 2006 Honda Legend with the same annoying problem.
It drives me crazy.
Regards Michael from Germany

Rob144

Unfortunately, the picture expired from the hosting service, and I don't have a backup of it. If I remember, it was of the left-hand driver's side B-pillar with the trim removed. The letters A,B,C,D went from left to right evenly as you were looking at the exposed pillar from inside the car. There are a number of areas where you can see metal meeting metal, and that is generally where you either pry or pinch. Mine still does it on occassion but it is rare enough not to be a bother.

I removed the trim and took it for a drive to try to pinpoint the source -- you might have an easier go of it if the problem is more frequent. Good luck.

Yohan Yim

Anyone has solved this issue? I have 09 RL, and I have a similar creaking sound from B-Pillar.
I can't find the exact noise point.