[Lenonlaw]

I have owned 2 of these and driven 3. Off idle around 1250 Rpm it sound like it has a rod knocking every time you take off. It’s horrible. Honda says it’s normal. It’s NOT normal. When it’s not under load or in gear it’s just fine. It’s pretty embarrassing every time you takeoff from a stop light or pull through a drive-through that your car sounds like it’s hammering. I’ve had it in the dealership three times and they put no effort into it

 

[Moab Junky]

Thats pretty sad. Just for fun, I'd dump a can of high quality injector cleaner and run a tank of ethanol free premium grade gasoline through it.
Good luck there.
MJ

 

[Lenonlaw]

Thank you. I'll give it a shot. I never run ethanol gas through it. I'm pretty beat up Honda doesn't seem to care. I've had great luck with all my CRV's. It just hammers under load.

 

[Moab Junky]

A buddy of mine worked at a garage. A car came in on a flatbed, it would start, but ran so rough it would die under any load. They got it unloaded, and got it running, but when they put it in gear it died..
His boss told him to dump a can of BG 44K injector cleaner in it and run it for an hour.

Buddy spaced it out and let the car run for 7 hours straight, hahaha. He jumped in it and said it ran and drove like new. That stuff is amazing.

 

[Moab Junky]

I'm sure you are documenting your visits to Honda. Keep going back every chance you get.
Document dates, times, who you spoke with, what they were willing to do, OR NOT DO.
You may end up writing a letter to Corporate and getting an attorney involved.

Good luck!

 

[14v6]

If you are referring to an engine knock at about 1100 rpm under light load, I went through this with a 2017 Ridgeline. It reared its ugly head within the first thousand miles or so. It never got worse over 4 years and 25k miles but I was obsessed with it, often not using the radio so I could hear the engine. I thought maybe it was part of the timing gear like a loose tensioner or something like that but it did sound like it was coming from the lower end of the engine. I was very vocal about this on the Ridgeline forum posted videos and there was a video of a guy with an MDX that made the exact same noise so I knew I wasn't alone. I would even roll my window down when next to anything with the same engine when at a red light and listen to them pull off, it was driving me crazy. When the 3/36 was about to end I took it to the dealer to document and of course it was a waste of time and got the good old could not duplicate response.. This frustrated me and with the mushy brake pedal I was thinking of dumping the Ridgeline. The noise would happen every time on my slightly sloped driveway on a warm engine when I would pull off after opening the garage. I could brake torque the engine at 1100 RPM and it would be there every time on a warm engine.

When I got the Passport, on the drive home I pull it into the garage and what do you know, the exact same noise just much more subtle. Sorry, but it's a Normal characteristic of the engine. the direct injected earth dreams V6. My port injected Accord sounds so much better, no injector noise, no fuel pump noise, it's still a total gem. Since the noise only occurred in gear I now know it's not related to the transmission as the Ridgeline had the 6 speed and the Passport the 9 speed. I suggest you end your search for a reason because there is no cure for this one, it's just the resonance of the engine.

 

[JRJ]

I have the same noise... I think. I would describe mine as more of a "ticking" sound, kind of like the sound a car would make that is low on oil and the lifters clicking. Can't hear it when inside the car with windows up and agree with the warm engine and rpm stated above. Dealer told me "Normal" and after doing some research like 14v6, decided I'm not going to worry about it and hope for the best.

 

[14v6]

Here is a video of the noise I'm talking about. It has the same random rhythm but is less metallic sounding in the Ridgeline. Almost sounds like a timing belt slapping against plastic.

 

[Moab Junky]

I'll have to roll my windows down and pay close attention. I'd be shocked if my car sounded like that. Sounds like a 4 cylinder diesel, lol

 

[JRJ]

Here is a video of the noise I'm talking about. It has the same random rhythm but is less metallic sounding in the Ridgeline. Almost sounds like a timing belt slapping against plastic.

I think mine be different and don't think it does it consistently. Haven't noticed it while engine is cold or is warming up. The Passport is my wife's car so I'm not in it all the time but the first time I noticed it is was when she came home to pick something up, I was in the driveway and as she pulled away I could hear it ticking. Seems to disappear with a little more throttle and rpm's. Several other times since, like slowly moving through a parking lot looking for a parking spot, lightly pushing on throttle.
I'm due soon for the B16 service, so will ask again when I take it in.

 

[ProdGirl]

Are you able to go to another dealership nearby?
I’d be losing my shit over that kind of response!

 

[JRJ]

I could, there is another about 20 miles away. When I take it back in for the B16 service in a few weeks I'm going to try to have it documented on the work order as a "customer says" kind of thing and ask that they document their response to it.

 

[mtrapuzz]

I have noticed the ticking as well. I haven't done a lot of investigation to find out what it was, but I was thinking of maybe using a higher viscosity oil on the next change to see if that helps. I'll probably see if I can figure out what Honda recommends for warmer climates but I am in Florida so a 10w-30 should be fine to try.

 

[14v6]

I wouldn't change the viscosity but you could try different brands. I've look at tons of videos on rod knock and piston slap and always thought that's what I had in the Ridgeline but since it's in the PP, it is probably the noise the engine makes at a certain rev range based upon how the ECU is controlling things like fuel mixture and other stuff that's way over my head. Don't confuse direct injector clicking with this issue. Probably the best thing that an owner can do is go test another Passport and see if it makes anything similar. Like I said it would always do it on my driveway on a warmed up engine but occasionally, I could hear it when going through parking lots at light throttle or pulling off, it was annoying to say the least.

 

[mtrapuzz]

I wouldn't change the viscosity but you could try different brands. I've look at tons of videos on rod knock and piston slap and always thought that's what I had in the Ridgeline but since it's in the PP, it is probably the noise the engine makes at a certain rev range based upon how the ECU is controlling things like fuel mixture and other stuff that's way over my head. Don't confuse direct injector clicking with this issue. Probably the best thing that an owner can do is go test another Passport and see if it makes anything similar. Like I said it would always do it on my driveway on a warmed up engine but occasionally, I could hear it when going through parking lots at light throttle or pulling off, it was annoying to say the least.

It's not "changing" the viscosity. Typically there is a range of viscosity recommended by the manufacturer depending on temperature where you live.

 

[14v6]

It's not "changing" the viscosity. Typically there is a range of viscosity recommended by the manufacturer depending on temperature where you live.

As per the owners manual it's 0w-20 for -20F to 100F.

 

[mtrapuzz]

As per the owners manual it's 0w-20 for -20F to 100F.

I know what the owner's manual and the oil filler cap say. That doesn't mean you can't use something else. This is an oil viscosity range chart from the FSM for my Nissan Frontier for instance. Typically the manufacturer will recommend the least viscous oil to pad their fuel efficiency numbers.

 

[14v6]

It's your car let us know if it makes a difference.

 

[User Name Error]

Sorry, to hear about your issues. How many miles do you have on the vehicle and how long have you owned it?

 

[cevwvu]

I have noticed the ticking as well. I haven't done a lot of investigation to find out what it was, but I was thinking of maybe using a higher viscosity oil on the next change to see if that helps. I'll probably see if I can figure out what Honda recommends for warmer climates but I am in Florida so a 10w-30 should be fine to try.

If you are noticing a rhythmic ticking while the vehicle is idling I would suspect the high pressure fuel pump could be making that sound.