[Steve]

I decided to start a new post on this subject. This has been bantied about in the "Problems" forum under "drive shaft out of balance" but that post is comingled with other problems, therefore a new post -

Vibration starts around 73 MPH and is not a wheel out of balance. The vibration does not change much as speed increases and is very annoying. It is very slight and is felt both in the steering wheel and the seat which leads me to believe it is something that rotates at a high rate - i.e. the drive shaft. Anyone else have this problem? If so, what was done to fix it?

My X is going back for the second time for this problem tomorow. Discovered at 400 miles (first time over 60 MPH), I now have 2000 miles.

 

[jhette]

Vibration

Try downshifting into D4. I'll bet you it goes away.

If it does, it's just that the truck is slightly overgeared and the engine lagging a bit is causing the vibration.

If not, it is probably the driveshaft.

 

[Robyjo]

Hey Steve,

Please do keep us updated. I've got to know what to tell my dealer!

Thanks amigo,

Rob

 

[Steve]

I do not agree with Jhette's theory - he is refering to the exhaust resonance that was the other subject intermingled in the original post in the Problems forum.

My car was picked up by the dealer yesterday with a copy of the post suggesting the call to Courtesy Acura, see below . . .

Fella's, may I suggest you have your Service departments call Courtesy Acura in Lexington KY (859-272-8900) and ask about a recent fix, mine to be exact. If you check my posting you will see what they tried and what was finally done to correct the problem. Be persistant but patient, you don't want to piss off the guys that fix your car. I told them I didn't want it back until it was fixed PERIOD! They understood.

I will let you know what happens.

Steve

 

[mogur]

As we discussed in the other thread, my 2001 has the exact same problem. However, there was a new occurence about two weeks ago. While leaving a gas station, I heard (and felt) a very pronounced and cyclic thud that was from the rear end and at a multiple of wheel speed - it increased in frequency in direction proportion to how fast the wheels were turning. It lasted for about 200 yards and then faded away in intensity. Since that time it has happened thrice more. I suspect a bad u-joint or CV joint but it could also be related to the VTM-4 differential. I intend to have it looked at soon obviously but I am wondering if this problem is related to the vibration problem...

For the information of others who may have the vibration problem, I have started a report in the Knowledge Database (Problem Reports) on this subjecy. If you have the problem, please add your vehicle to the database.

Tom

I decided to start a new post on this subject. This has been bantied about in the "Problems" forum under "drive shaft out of balance" but that post is comingled with other problems, therefore a new post -

Vibration starts around 73 MPH and is not a wheel out of balance. The vibration does not change much as speed increases and is very annoying. It is very slight and is felt both in the steering wheel and the seat which leads me to believe it is something that rotates at a high rate - i.e. the drive shaft. Anyone else have this problem? If so, what was done to fix it?

My X is going back for the second time for this problem tomorow. Discovered at 400 miles (first time over 60 MPH), I now have 2000 miles.

 

[Steve]

Hi Mogur,

Check out the "Broken Sway Bar" thread in the "Problems" forum. This might be your rear thud?

And regarding my vibration. The dealer picked up the X last Monday and still has it. Supposed to be back Monday.

 

[mogur]

I don't believe that this is a broken sway bar or mount as it occurs in direct proportion to a multiple of the wheel rotational speed. About 2 times or so per wheel rotation, occuring faster as the vehicle speed increases. Sometimes backing up can cause it to reoccur as if it is changing the loading on a component. It sounds and feels like a classic u-joint failure.

Hi Mogur,

Check out the "Broken Sway Bar" thread in the "Problems" forum. This might be your rear thud?

And regarding my vibration. The dealer picked up the X last Monday and still has it. Supposed to be back Monday.

 

[Pauls MDX]

high speed vibration

this noise or vibration must be unique to your vehicle. my 2002 mdx tour/nav doesn't have any noises at all. picked up 11/29/01 with 2500 miles on it. i actually broke in and kept under 55 miles per hour for first 1000 miles and also varied rpm's while driving. after the brake in, have been testing at high speeds. ar first a little scary after being used to a 2000 maxima se, which handled much differently. first i maxed at 80 miles per hour and felt like a little quick, actually like i was over 100 mph. very quiet no vibration at all. overall very smooth drive. more recently i have it up to 100 mph, and still very quiet, no vibration at all. i have got used to being much higher in the air, and actually now like the feeling of having all the size and weight with me. even though still can help to think what happens if i blow a tire at that speed. still feel as if i will probably roll over. the maxima being lower gives a little better feeling of security over 100 mph. but back to the oringinal comment the mdx was very quiet as far as the drivetrain and engine very quiet. a little bit of outside and wind noise could be better, but engineering very well!!!!

Your noise could have been result of a large pothle hit by tire, or even possibly a hit to your driveshaft during off-road use. i don't think it is anything that is a system of all mdx's

 

[mogur]

Re: high speed vibration

No, a number of MDXs seem to have this problem; though interestingly it seems more 2002s than 2001s for some reason. In any event, as has been discussed at length on the other thread, it is not wheel or tire related and has a much different feel that that type of vibration. Also, none of the trucks in question have been off road to my knowledge. My local dealer tells me that they have now had two 2002s with the problem but that they don't have a definitive solution yet...

Tom

Your noise could have been result of a large pothle hit by tire, or even possibly a hit to your driveshaft during off-road use. i don't think it is anything that is a system of all mdx's

 

[Pauls MDX]

vibration or any noise

recently had vehicle to 105 miles per hour and as quiet as possible. i would think if there was any noise related to speed i would hear it at a speed like that. the suv was as quiet as a luxury car, cadillac or towncar. i'm not sure what other type of noise would kick up with speed other than vibration or something off balance. i am a noise finantic and i would even pick up a squeak or rattle. even my suspension is very quiet over the bumpiest roads of new york city. definetly no high speed noises on my 2002, i was going to say it might have been a quirk of the 2001 which was probablt fixed on the assembly line this year. i do notice the quieter interior than the 2001. the 2001 was much noiser at speeds over 95 mph. the added insulation on the 2002 did make a big difference at the 100 mph speed.

 

[Steve]

Here's the latest on my X. The dealer has had it since last Monday and as of Friday it has been determined that the cause of my vibration, much to my surprise, is the tires. Said they took the wheels and tires off the sales manager's Touring and put them on my car and it was vibration free to 100 mph.

 

[mogur]

It will be interesting to see if their assessment is actually verifiable by you. Unfortunately, as have we all, I've had dealers tell me that something is fixed and when I get it back and try it myself, I find out otherwise.

You might ask them to run your wheels and tires on a Hunter DSP 9700. If there is a problem, it will find it.

Tom

Here's the latest on my X. The dealer has had it since last Monday and as of Friday it has been determined that the cause of my vibration, much to my surprise, is the tires. Said they took the wheels and tires off the sales manager's Touring and put them on my car and it was vibration free to 100 mph.

 

[Steve]

If the vibration is gone then they are right. And it sounds like the know what they are talking about.

Only time will tell as I do not have the car back.

They found the problem using a machine in their Porche service dept. The machine puts a load on the tire as it is being balanced. Not quite sure how it works, but . . . I think it measures roundness of the tire, but not sure.

 

[mogur]

Yes, that is the Hunter DSP 9700. It presses a roller against the tire under high pressure and rotates the tiret to check for equal rotational load resistance and pressure. It also does a very sensitive dynamic balance. A lot of high-end car dealerships and tire dealers have them to find subtle wheel and tire problems. I had all four of the wheels and tires on my MDX run on one and it found them all to be well within normal tolerance - less than 20 pounds of load imbalance per tire, which is considered quite good for SUV category tires, so that is not the problem in my case. If they find a problem, they remove the tire and rotate it on the wheel as per the machines display to match the high spot of the tire to the low spot of the wheel. and balance out the forces. Dunlop tires are famous for high load imbalances and the 970 did wonders for smoothing the ride on my BMW when I put the new SP9000 tires on it. It really is the ONLY way to have your tires balanced...

If the vibration is gone then they are right. And it sounds like the know what they are talking about.

Only time will tell as I do not have the car back.

They found the problem using a machine in their Porche service dept. The machine puts a load on the tire as it is being balanced. Not quite sure how it works, but . . . I think it measures roundness of the tire, but not sure.

 

[mogur]

Vibration gone!

Well, my MDX is back after four days in the shop for the vibration and, more recently, rear end clunk problems (see my previous messages on that one)....
Bottom line: The cyclic clunk from the rear end and the high frequency vibration are both gone. What cured it? They replaced the VTM-4 unit. Apparently it was responsible for both. This is the second vehicle that they said they have had to do it to. The other was a 2002 model. So now I am finally smooth and happy!

Tom

 

[MDX_K]

Hi Steve and mogur,

Could you tell me if your car is free of vibration oor not now? Because I just found this problem tonight. And I have 980 miles on it now. Now I need to tell my dealer this problem and hope they can go the right direction.

Thanks.

Kevin

 

[Steve]

Hi Tom,

I just got back from a 12 day trip, so the car has been in my garage. The dealer brought it back to me 2 hours before I left. They replaced all 4 tires - I took it for a quick ride, brought it up to 100 MPH and no vibration.

I'll wait a few weeks and hopefully the vibration is gone for good.

Glad to hear that you're all set too.

Steve

 

[Steve]

Has anybody had success eliminating the vibration? I have had the tires replaced and then subsequently had them rebalanced (at the dealer). It is still there

 

[Steve]

10000+ miles and still have vibration

I still have the same vibration as at 400 miles and the X is going back again (3rd or 4th time). Anyone else had this problem? Fix? other then Mogur?

 

[tvmdx03]

Steve I have the shaking you are talking about

My car is shaking past 75 mph and beyond. I have tried two sets of tires, two sets of rims, a new drive shaft and now everyone is stumped at the dealership. Car had the problem at 2000 miles and no one can get rid of it. They have tried force balancing 11 times!!!.
I just went into the dealership to drive 4 different 04 models as suggested by the dealership and two of the 4 had the shaking. They are trying to tell me that it is a normal resonance of the MDX but I can't believe thats true.

Do you still have the problem? I have 8000 miles on it now and the car has been into the shop for a total of 33 days.