2003 Honda Accord cla cla noise when accelarting at slow sp

HONDA1932

MEMBER
2003 HONDA ACCORD
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
65,000 MILES

Hello,

Car: Honda Accord 2003 V6 Automatic
Mileage: ~65,000 miles

A few days ago I started to hear a clack clack nosie (more like a bundle of pipes hitting each other inside a bag) coming from underhood (I think) when the speedometer hits around 10mph and stops after hit passes 20mph. Afterward, the car does not make any noise even if the speed drops back to 10 and then accelerates back to 20 or higher. However, if I slowed the car to a stop and then started the accelaration again the noise can be reproduced. BTW, the noise is not that loud.

Do I have a transmission problem? (It appears the noise only comes at a certain speed from an idle position or the car speed drops to near zero and.)

Or is something else?

Thanks in advance!

Jim

3 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Hi honda1932,

I don't think it is a transmission fault. Most probably when the AC is turned on, the engine vibrates more and when something is loose, the vibration is causing the noise.

Check if the engine mounts are good. Is the idling speed similar with or without the AC turned ON?

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Saturday, July 11th, 2009 AT 12:11 PM

HONDA1932

MEMBER
2 POSTS

KHLow2008,

Thanks for the advise.

I should clarify.

It does not matter if the A/C is on or not. The noise sounds more like a hoe loosely scraping a concrete floor. The noise is only at initial acceleration at around the 10mph to 20mph speed. If the car is moving and the speed drops back to say 5mph and accelerates back to the 10-20mph again no noise. However, if it stops at a red light and accelerates again the noise is there. Actually, I believe I had heard of this similar noise from other cars on the road in the past.

I wanted to learn more about the possibility of the cause before I bring it into the mechanics for a diagnose. Don't want to be told by the mechanic it is a transmission problem when it is not.

Thanks.

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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 11:44 AM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,814 POSTS

Hi Jim,

The auto belt tensioner is one of the component that can cause the rattling noise that you described and maybe you can ask your mechaninc to have a look at it.

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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 1:57 PM