I am at a loss.....I brought my ep3 in for clunking noises in the steering colum. Honda replaced the spring seat, adjusted my steering rack and lubed everything. drove the car for a day and the clunking noise returns!!! The nosie happens only in parking lots and driveways going under 5mph. The noise even causes slight pluses in the steering wheel. Has anyone else had this problem? The car is stock, so this must be a factory related issue. I am fed up with this car.

 

Please, any thoughts or expeirences on this issue would be great.

 

is it usually single clunk?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bva03 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...Honda replaced the spring seat...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly which parts in the following illustration were replaced?

 

the reason i ask if it is a single clunk - i have the same noise on my rsx-s and im fairly sure it is a broken motor mount !!

ive had my whole shock assembly replaced and the noise persists and its not bad cv-joints !! check your engine mounts!!

 

I had the same problem on my Type S after acura replaced the steering gear box for me. If you follow the steering column down to where it connects to the steering gear box, there will be two "clamps" right before it goes into the steering gear box. Make sure those two bolts are tightened to spec.

My car use to make a clunking sound everytime i turned; you could feel the "clunk" through the steering wheel. After i tightened those two bolts to spec, the clunking went away. Come to think of it now, if those two bolts would have fallen out when i was driving, i would have been in some serious trouble.

Good luck.

Edit: Before realizing what was truely causing the problem, i thought it might had been the ball joint that connects the strut assembly. I checked everything in my suspension, and everything was at spec. That's when i realized it was something else.

 

hmmmmmm

this "pop" or thud is driving me crazy and i cant really feel it in the steering wheel - more in the pedals. im going to check the steering column though right now !!

 

wakaru- thanks for the illustration. if u guys are still having problems, look at #2 there are four "nipples" spaced evenly around it. those nipples are supposed to pop through individual holes on #7 which aren't displayed but they are there. once i set those correctly my popping clunking noise went away. i also used a thin layer of marine lube between all peices. mike

 

Chino, sorry to hear that you're still having problems with the EP3. Take it back to the dealership and make them fix it. If you get the same result, take it to a different dealership. Hit me up when you get a chance. Later. -Type R Mike

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by p220 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wakaru- thanks for the illustration. if u guys are still having problems, look at #2 there are four "nipples" spaced evenly around it. those nipples are supposed to pop through individual holes on #7 which aren't displayed but they are there. once i set those correctly my popping clunking noise went away. i also used a thin layer of marine lube between all peices. mike</TD></TR></TABLE>

My wife's '01 EX sedan had that same problem after the strut was replaced under warranty. The technicians did not line up the pieces correctly, and she got the "pop" whenever she turned the steering wheel from lock to lock. I took the strut apart and lined them up and everything was fine after that. When I put my Eibach Pro Kit on my Si, I made sure these were lined up also, and did not have any problems after.

 

Thank You for all your help. I will go back to the dealership and try to get this fixed.

 

my element had the same problem.. the dealership said the the column wasnt in between notches.. they told me just to make sure it wasnt between notches when adjusting the column and since then havnt heard the noise.. that may sound a lil confusing.. hope you understand

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NorthernXposure &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my element had the same problem.. the dealership said the the column wasnt in between notches.. they told me just to make sure it wasnt between notches when adjusting the column and since then havnt heard the noise.. that may sound a lil confusing.. hope you understand </TD></TR></TABLE>

Basically, tighten those two metal "clamps" on the steering column near the firewall.

 

this spring and shock style is known to make noises ... i dont even kno why honda went with it.. but try to twist your springs all the way till they sit properly.. it got rid of that thump clack sound...and ya it only happends when you turn the wheel all the way on each side

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by racerdc5 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">sjracer: I have a clunk noise at low speeds when say I'm in a parking lot and going +/- 5mph and I stop...it clunks. Then if I were to go reverse a little, and stop...it clunks. When I go forward again and then stop, it clunks. What do you think the problem is, and what can I do to fix it? (if it is fixable)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like your break pads are shifting/moving in the caliper. I know the brake pad moves some, but in your case, you might want to take it back to the dealer to get it checked out. Good luck.

 

Am I getting this right? If the two bolts near the steering gear box are tightened then this clunking noise will disappear? Or do I have to take my springs out (pro-kit) and have them lined properly again, i remember when I had mine done a friend of mine did them with me standing around, I dont have much Suspension knowledge but I thought they had to be lined up correctly in order to sit right. So , which is it tighten the two bolts or take the springs out and have them aligned again? From what I got out of it they have to be taken out and done again? Does anyone know if this is bad for the car or any side effects to leaving it like that?

Thanks sorry for being long

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Neddy1081 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Am I getting this right? If the two bolts near the steering gear box are tightened then this clunking noise will disappear? Or do I have to take my springs out (pro-kit) and have them lined properly again, i remember when I had mine done a friend of mine did them with me standing around, I dont have much Suspension knowledge but I thought they had to be lined up correctly in order to sit right. So , which is it tighten the two bolts or take the springs out and have them aligned again? From what I got out of it they have to be taken out and done again? Does anyone know if this is bad for the car or any side effects to leaving it like that?

Thanks sorry for being long </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, that all depends on where the problem is coming from. Just use trial and error to find the source of the problem. If you only started hearing the noise after you installed your pro kit, then the noise must be coming from your front suspension.

The only reason my steering column bolts were loose was because the dealer replaced my steering gear box, and i guess they didn't tighten the two bolts to spec.

Actually, that plastic washer (Edit: It's #9 in the picture up above) in between the top hat and spring, you should check that for sure. More then likely that's what's causing your problem. They tend to break on our suspension. Make sure you have the spring seated correctly. Make sure you have the top hat faced the right way when installing it onto the strut assembly. Since you're going to have everything apart anyways, make sure you grease up the top hat really well with white lithium grease or anything of that nature. Good luck.

PS: Just check the steering column first. If it's not that, then take apart your front struts. Sorry, there is no simple answer.

 

thanks for the reply. I know a lot of kids on ephatch that are having this same problem. I dont know if I am going to correct it but thanks fot the heads up.

 

just jack your car up in the front.. crab those springs and twist it to where it suppose to be.. clock wise i think..and do the same on the otherside... im pretty sure thats whats causing it..

 

Are you saying these kids cars are stock? If so this seems to be a case of a Lemon...right. I am now bringing in my stock ep3 for the third time with this problem. I have had two Acura's and one Honda and have never had such a hard time with any of them.

 

and how are we supposed to know where the springs are supposed to be? just keep turning??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bva03 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have had two Acura's and one Honda and have never had such a hard time with any of them.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's called a new suspension. Trust me, this "problem" is more common then you might think.

 

I have this problem now but after I put on the TEIN type FLEX coilovers...it's definitly steering...IMA go to acura dealer and see if they can fix it under warranty...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by arctic-k20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and how are we supposed to know where the springs are supposed to be? just keep turning??</TD></TR></TABLE>


yes you will need to keep turning it .. i beleive clock wise from looking uptop of the strut..you can actaully see where the spring sits and "semi locks" in place

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sjracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

It's called a new suspension. Trust me, this "problem" is more common then you might think.</TD></TR></TABLE>

this isnt a new type of suspension.. its based on the mcpheason "not sure on the spelling" strut...but i guess you can say its new to honda