[dbastian]

Does anyone have info on this? When I'm driving and go over anything, little cracks in the pavement, or little bumps, I get a tap tap tap noise coming from the left front side of my car, it's nothing inside the car, I've pushed on the dash above the gauges, tried pushing the door, nothing rattling inside the car, it sounds like it's coming from the suspension or something. Any ideas?

Thanks,
DBastian

 

[mdxrb]

DBastian,


I have had my MDX for just over a week. I just love it, but I came to this forum in search for an explanation to the same problem you seem to be experiencing. Mine sounds like it is coming from the suspension somewhere. It is only noticeable on small bumps (like cracks in the road as you mention).

I once had a car with a broken spring, and this is kind of the same, however much quieter. It sounds like something is loose and 'rattles' a bit over small bumps. Almost like there is a small amount of play in the suspension.

Anyone else experience this?? Any luck at the dealers?

I haven't called my dealer yet, as I am not looking forward to the "I can't hear anything" response I am expecting from the dealer...

Rod

 

[MesaBeige]

DBastian,


I have had my MDX for just over a week. I just love it, but I came to this forum in search for an explanation to the same problem you seem to be experiencing. Mine sounds like it is coming from the suspension somewhere. It is only noticeable on small bumps (like cracks in the road as you mention).

I once had a car with a broken spring, and this is kind of the same, however much quieter. It sounds like something is loose and 'rattles' a bit over small bumps. Almost like there is a small amount of play in the suspension.

Anyone else experience this?? Any luck at the dealers?

I haven't called my dealer yet, as I am not looking forward to the "I can't hear anything" response I am expecting from the dealer...

Rod

I don't like to be the bearer of bad news but it sounds like the start of the THUD. That's exactly how mine first appeared.

MB-

 

[dbastian]

DBastian,


I have had my MDX for just over a week. I just love it, but I came to this forum in search for an explanation to the same problem you seem to be experiencing. Mine sounds like it is coming from the suspension somewhere. It is only noticeable on small bumps (like cracks in the road as you mention).

I once had a car with a broken spring, and this is kind of the same, however much quieter. It sounds like something is loose and 'rattles' a bit over small bumps. Almost like there is a small amount of play in the suspension.

Rod

Yep, I think we have exactly the same thing. I called the dealer, but they just said to bring it in, I live in Chicago, and it's a pain in the butt for me to get to a dealer, let alone leave my car there. I was sort of hoping it would go away, Maybe I'll take a couple days off to take it in, have you had yours to the dealer yet?

DBastian

 

[mdxrb]

Thanks for the info. I am planning to print out some of these posts and bring it to the dealer. Although I hope they have already dealt with this problem in the past!

Rod

 

[JSD]

Got my MDX about three weeks ago and recently started hearing this tapping noise, coming from the left front somewhere. My sales rep told me to bring it in so they can take it for a test drive to evaluate where it's coming from. Did anyone have this looked at yet? Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[tsai_guy]

I just picked up my SS MDX last week and began noticing a soft clicking/tapping sound coming from the area around my left leg (front driver's side) everytime I went over uneven pavement. If I'm not mistaken, the problem seems to be more severe in hotter weather, as my wife reported that she couldn't hear the sound when she took the car out from the garage early in the morning one time.

The problem doesn't seem to be mechanical (e.g. thud or pinging) and I think it's probably just the result of poor assembly. I'm hoping it's just some part that's not screwed in tightly, but I can't seem to isolate or get rid of the sound even though I've tried pushing all the panels and speakers on the left side.

It's not a loud noise and and can't even be heard when the stereo is on, but I don't think it's acceptable on a new MDX.

Does anyone have a similar problem? Any advice on how I should deal with it?

Thanks,

tsai_guy

 

[mdxrb]

tsai_guy:

That sounds like the same problem I had. From what I understand, I think it is the early stages of the "THUD" that you will read about in other threads. Mine started fairly quiet and infrequent. After about 1000KM (600 miles), it was pretty consistent. I took it in to the dealer. They diagnosed the problem on the first trip, and fixed it after they had ordered some parts. They replaced the left and right struts (damper units). The noise is gone so far.

I recommend taking it in to your dealer. I couldn't have put up with the noise much longer, however quiet it is...

 

[tsai_guy]

mdxrb,

thanks for the info. I was hoping it WASN'T something major like the "thud."

I'm still hoping it's just a loose plastic part.

...Will keep everyone posted on the development/fix.

tsai_guy

 

[BellTeck]

Does this noise sound like an exaust getting hot tick? like metal expanding and contracting? I get the same tick on mine and I told the dealer that I think it may be something on the exaust loose and when its warm you can hear it when the motor is idle and in a garage. My dealer decided to take my MDX 4 wheeling in a field behind the dealership and stick a huge bolt through one of my michelins. Im not too thrilled that they took it off road before I even had the chance to. Next time I'll keep the tick noise.

 

[ghm2112]

The Doctor sez...

... you have early stages of the T-H-U-D.

Prescription: get the TSB faxed from Tim at Hondacuraworld and figure out when you want it fixed. I have had the guys here try to fix it, but I think they were lazy and just tightened some of the suspension bolts (the first of three remedies). When I go back Wednesday I will speak directly with the technician and demand that they complete the other two remedies.

Keep in mind:

1. what we call the thud is acually a combination of 3 separate symptoms (see the TSB); and

2. from what I can tell, the thud is not a safety problem, just a huge annoyance and lame design flaw. It will not go away by ignoring it.

Happy Trails.

 

[JSD]

Tsai_guy and I seem to have the same problem - a light tapping or clicking, definitely sounds like it's coming from inside the passenger cabin, somewhere around the driver's left leg. It appears more often in the afternoon or on warm days; I can hear it when I go over bumps, uneven roads. I took mine into the dealer to check it out - they said it was a loose panel and they tightened it. That worked for a day - maybe - it could just have been one of those days that the noise wasn't apparent - but the ticking came back the next day. Next time I take the MDX in for servicing, I'll have them take another look at it.

 

[tsai_guy]

Since my last post, the clicking sound seems to have almost disappeared by itself. I've put on another 300 kms (odometer now reads 800kms or 500 miles) and made a few highway trips and in the last few days the clicking sound has only come out twice, both times during city driving. I'm hoping that the sounds will disappear completely if I keep driving and "breaking in" the car.

As JSD pointed out, it seems to occur in hotter weather or later on in the afternoon. I've read the "thud" posts and don't really think the sounds I'm hearing are the same thing.

If these sound resurface unpredictably, it might be hard to point it out to the service guys.

 

[dbastian]

tsai_guy

My sound used to come and go, and it's been doing it pretty consistantly now, I don't think in my case it's weather related, but there was a time when it didn't happen for about a week or so, but it's been back for about a month now and happens about 80% of the time when I'm in the car. I don't think it'll go away after the car is worn in, I have about 7500 miles on my car now.

DBastian

 

[tsai_guy]

DBastian

I think I may be going through that "quiet week" that you went through, since I haven't heard anything for the past four days. I'm hoping the sound doesn't come back but expecting that it will.

Don't think I'll do anything about it until I bring my car in for its first service. Let's all keep each other informed about the development of our problem.

thanks,

 

[tdnone]

Search in the problem forum for rattling noise back about 6 months ago. I remember someone had a loose or bent clamp attached to the outside firwall to hold some wire or hose. The open end of the clamp is bent toward the firewall and with enough vibration, it rattles against the firewall. The cure is to bed the open end farther away from the firewall. There are even pictures of the parts and its supposedly right position. It may be the same problem.

Good lucks.

 

[tsai_guy]

it's gone

It's been a while since I last heard the noise... I even took the MDX in to service a few days ago to have a few other minor problems (driver's seat belt adjustment not working, loose panel sounds on driver's door/windows) looked at. The guys in service couldn't find the ticking noise (fixed the other problems though), so there was nothing they could do. I think that noise is gone now, although it could be due to the cooler weather we've had in the past few weeks. Hopefully it doesn't come back.

I'm sure it's NOT the thud (thank God!). Hopefully the noise has disappeared for good. Now I have a creaky front passenger seat whenever I go over bigger bumps!! I must have bought a Monday car!!!

JSD: how's the noise on your MDX?

 

[Ken Scott]

Numerous Fixes

I too on occasion have the clicking sound coming from the left front. I also had a squeaking passanger seat and a compass that didn't work. Well, on my last visit to the dealer they had an upolsterer(sp?) work on my seat, they replaced the compass module and they applied the "thud" TSB. Now, the compass works, I no longer have the squeak. And far as the clicking sound......It still appears on occasion just not as often.

 

[JSD]

Still clicking/ticking

Tsai_guy,

I still have the noise - just haven't noticed it as much lately (maybe I'm starting to tune it out a little) - still, it's annoying when I do. Waiting for my first oil change to have it looked at again. Sorry to hear about your seat problems!

 

[Macky]

Check you key fob. When I removed it, the tapping sound went away with it.