flapping noise while accelerating on my 03

[andrewzacharias]

2003 pilot EXL with RES. I have a strange flapping noise only while accelerating. I thought it was the tires so I had a 4 wheel vehicle alignment, and the tires balanced, rotated.fficeffice"

The problem seemed to have a small improvement after the alignment, rotation, and balance but it’s still occurring. The sound gets louder as the car gets warmed up and/or travels at speeds around 55mph to 70mph (just more noticeable at these speeds).

I still thought it might have been the tires (they are less than a year old, Michelins) so I inflated them to 45 and did a road test. The sound seemed amplified when I did this. I dropped the inflation down to 35 and the sound level went down.

The sound: It sounds like an unbalanced tire like a womp-womp-womp-womp-womp (it’s not too loud). The sound only occurs when I accelerate which leads me to believe it is not the tires. It’s almost like a belt is making an irregular sound when the engine is given gas. Sound seems to becoming from the front of the car, I cannot tell if its driver side or passenger side (but I would lean on the passenger side if I had to pinpoint it.)

Any idea's, I've been reading the Haynes guide but I'm no mechanic. The pilot did have the transmission recall done in 2005. All the fluids are changed regularly did not hear the sound in VTM-4 but I did not get the speed up to where I hear the sound noticeably. >>

2003 Honda pilot EXL RES Starlight Silver
2004 Honda Accord EXL Navi Satin Silver

[cofetym]

Not sure if this is the problem but it's worth reading.

Front End Chatter

[andrewzacharias]

I don't think that's it.

[rocky]

Just to be sure, do you hear it when you are stationary and just rev the engine?

I'm thinking that a heat shield on the exhaust system or a plastic shield/wheelarch insert is flapping in the wind.

If you have body damage there may be a piece of plastic waving in the wind.

[andrewzacharias]

Sitting still while reving the engine in park or in drive while braking does not make the noise. The heat shields have been replaced two years ago. I'll check the fasteners on them. The thing about it is that it only makes the noise while accelerating. So even if I'm at high speeds if I'm not accelerating the sound stops immediately. I've ruled out wind flapping due to that. It almost makes me think its engine or belt related somehow. The Honda service write up tech thinks it sounds like a tire. But, to check it to be safe they want $50 to put it on a lift to check for something rubbing or unbalanced tires while mounted on the car I guess. It does not seem that high for a diagnostic, I just don't want to pay it since I just paid for the other three (not at a honda dealer).

[mclairmo]

Everything mentioned so far should also make noise at speed when not accelerating. What is related to acceleration only? Maybe something that encounters a high load only when accelerating, like a CV joint, U-Joint, tranny, differential, etc? However, I don't remember any of those items making a "womp" noise. Weird issue. I would check for any loose items under the car and under the hood, such as the aforementioned items.

[andrewzacharias]

wish I had a lift... let you know if I see anything...

[andrewzacharias]

So I did a drive test today with the service manager. He thought it might have been a tensioner. It turned out to be a shifted belt in one of the tires. The sound will be there until I get new tires. Also, they were recently rotated for the first time.fficeffice" />>>
>>
They just rotated them back. So the good tread tires (3/4 life) are in the rear and the much lower tread (still 2/3 life) are in the front. The said that the shifted belt tire is in the rear and moving it back to the front will make the noise more apparent. But, they said it won't hurt the car. So shouldn't I have them re-rotated back to preserve the tire life appropriately (thicker tread tires on the front, lower tread tires on the rear)? My gut is saying yes. >>

[3rdrow]

you shouldnt rotate them anywhere at this point. go back to where you got the tires and tell them the problem and get them to work with you on a feasable solution. michelins arent cheap tires and its not fair for you to go 40 or 50 thousand miles with this annoying noise.

[andrewzacharias]

your right, so I went back to costco where the tires are from (previous owner)... I'm a member and they where like whatever, will honor the warrenty. so they balanced them and rotaded them back. they said the honda balance was off by one full oz. so i still noticed the sound ill take it back to them to get a new tire...