Steering wheel creak

[submitaweasel]

Apologies if there is another thread regarding this topic; I thought I saw one in the past, but couldn't find anything in my search.

We are now 5600 miles and 11 months into the ownership of my 23 Aspec Tech Integra. In the beginning, we had battled through a litany of electrical gremlins related to parking sensors, got into a public fued with a dealer, been in contact with Honda of America, and had a relatively benign 8 months thereafter involving a measly oil change last month.

Fast forward to yesterday when I begin to hear what sounds like keys rattling in the ignition while driving. This is odd, considering this is a push to start car. After paying attention to any inputs I am giving and any sounds the car is making with these inputs, I first notice my clutch pedal creaks (I can get over this but I'll likely include it in my complaints when I go to the dealer). Next I notice, when turning the steering wheel I can replicate the sound and it is closer to that of the sound of a spring binding while being twisted. Knowing that there is a clock spring in the steering mechanism, I believe this to be my culprit.

My question to you all is: has anybody else experienced this? Was the repair straightforward? If so, did the dealer reinstall the steering wheel correctly without it being offset slightly to the left/right? This last part is my biggest concern with taking the car in. Even one spline off will create an off center steering wheel.

I'll be contacting my dealer next week to book an appointment and post back with any updates.

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[Integra23]

Strange. I had 20k miles on my Aspec and the only rattle was from the trunk latch that the dealer fixed.

 

[Imperial]

Apologies if there is another thread regarding this topic; I thought I saw one in the past, but couldn't find anything in my search.

We are now 5600 miles and 11 months into the ownership of my 23 Aspec Tech Integra. In the beginning, we had battled through a litany of electrical gremlins related to parking sensors, got into a public fued with a dealer, been in contact with Honda of America, and had a relatively benign 8 months thereafter involving a measly oil change last month.

Fast forward to yesterday when I begin to hear what sounds like keys rattling in the ignition while driving. This is odd, considering this is a push to start car. After paying attention to any inputs I am giving and any sounds the car is making with these inputs, I first notice my clutch pedal creaks (I can get over this but I'll likely include it in my complaints when I go to the dealer). Next I notice, when turning the steering wheel I can replicate the sound and it is closer to that of the sound of a spring binding while being twisted. Knowing that there is a clock spring in the steering mechanism, I believe this to be my culprit.

My question to you all is: has anybody else experienced this? Was the repair straightforward? If so, did the dealer reinstall the steering wheel correctly without it being offset slightly to the left/right? This last part is my biggest concern with taking the car in. Even one spline off will create an off center steering wheel.

I'll be contacting my dealer next week to book an appointment and post back with any updates.

I believe I do hear a slight clicking/ticking sound when turning the steering wheel. Took the delivery of the car today. It doesn't happen when stationary and I wiggle the steering wheel, happens when I drive and make a turn on the road or parking lot. I believe this could be a clock spring as you mentioned. Since I just got the car, I haven't looked into it yet after driving home.

I test drove 5 vehicles and none of them had this clicking/ticking sound but they had other issue. As a matter of fact, the one I put a $1000 deposit on, had an off-center steering wheel, which dealer couldn't fix even after doing an alignment.

 

[submitaweasel]

I believe I do hear a slight clicking/ticking sound when turning the steering wheel. Took the delivery of the car today. It doesn't happen when stationary and I wiggle the steering wheel, happens when I drive and make a turn on the road or parking lot. I believe this could be a clock spring as you mentioned. Since I just got the car, I haven't looked into it yet after driving home.

I test drove 5 vehicles and none of them had this clicking/ticking sound but they had other issue. As a matter of fact, the one I put a $1000 deposit on, had an off-center steering wheel, which dealer couldn't fix even after doing an alignment.

You completely described the same exact thing.

 

[AIntegraJ24]

Apologies if there is another thread regarding this topic; I thought I saw one in the past, but couldn't find anything in my search.

We are now 5600 miles and 11 months into the ownership of my 23 Aspec Tech Integra. In the beginning, we had battled through a litany of electrical gremlins related to parking sensors, got into a public fued with a dealer, been in contact with Honda of America, and had a relatively benign 8 months thereafter involving a measly oil change last month.

Fast forward to yesterday when I begin to hear what sounds like keys rattling in the ignition while driving. This is odd, considering this is a push to start car. After paying attention to any inputs I am giving and any sounds the car is making with these inputs, I first notice my clutch pedal creaks (I can get over this but I'll likely include it in my complaints when I go to the dealer). Next I notice, when turning the steering wheel I can replicate the sound and it is closer to that of the sound of a spring binding while being twisted. Knowing that there is a clock spring in the steering mechanism, I believe this to be my culprit.

My question to you all is: has anybody else experienced this? Was the repair straightforward? If so, did the dealer reinstall the steering wheel correctly without it being offset slightly to the left/right? This last part is my biggest concern with taking the car in. Even one spline off will create an off center steering wheel.

I'll be contacting my dealer next week to book an appointment and post back with any updates.

What was the update on this? I’ve had mine since Sept 23 and my steering wheel has started making the same sound.

 

[submitaweasel]

What was the update on this? I’ve had mine since Sept 23 and my steering wheel has started making the same sound.

It was never consistent enough to force a dealer trip. Temperatures dropped and it no longer makes the noise. The noise disappearing with the temperature drop makes sense since I would only hear it when ambient temperatures were 90+.

If there's an update, it will likely come 6-7 months from now once we're back in the height of summer heat. Or something will happen before then. Who knows?

 

[submitaweasel]

I figured I might as well update. "Dealer could not replicate the concern."

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Does it occur at low speeds mostly turning right? Sounds like a clicking or ticking?

Could be the cable reel. These cars don't have clock springs, but cable reel failure does occur. My car has this issue and I'm taking it into the dealer soon to look at.

 

[submitaweasel]

Does it occur at low speeds mostly turning right? Sounds like a clicking or ticking?

Yep that's it exactly.

 

[TEPTeggy]

Yep that's it exactly.

I'm getting the same sound, only when turning the wheel to the right.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

Yep that's it exactly.

Cable reel. It's in the steering column path behind the steering wheel.

It will start as a faint tick, click, and as the reel wears it'll get significantly louder and more rattley. Eventually it'll just rattle driving along and not just when turning.

Demand from the dealer to give you a tech to ride with you, demonstrate it to them, and they should know what it is.

The crazy thing is, I notice this, but no one else that has driven my car can feel or hear it. Some people just don't hear these tiny, faint noises, and for most of us after age 30 we start to hear a lot less of the upper range and faint pitchy noises. Turn up the music, stop caring, and it's easy to see stuff like this being pervasive without much dealer complaint.

 

[submitaweasel]

Cable reel. It's in the steering column path behind the steering wheel.

It will start as a faint tick, click, and as the reel wears it'll get significantly louder and more rattley. Eventually it'll just rattle driving along and not just when turning.

Demand from the dealer to give you a tech to ride with you, demonstrate it to them, and they should know what it is.

The crazy thing is, I notice this, but no one else that has driven my car can feel or hear it. Some people just don't hear these tiny, faint noises, and for most of us after age 30 we start to hear a lot less of the upper range and faint pitchy noises. Turn up the music, stop caring, and it's easy to see stuff like this being pervasive without much dealer complaint.

Unfortunately it's still inconsistent in mine. Some days it will do it every turn, some days it makes no noise.

I tried showing it to my wife to make sure I wasn't crazy, and guess what it didnt do? I'd imagine at this point it would do the same at the dealership and I'll make a 1.5hr round trip for nothing. I still have 2 years or 36k on my b2b warranty (we know which will come first at this rate). If it doesn't become consistent I'll raise hell about it until they hear it the closer I get to that.

Thank you for your insight.

 

[Victorofhavoc]

The dealer did something with my cable reel and I no longer get the ticking. I had them fix multiple noises and other things, so documentation was hazy on their end. 500mi now and the noise hasn't come back

 

[submitaweasel]

The dealer did something with my cable reel and I no longer get the ticking. I had them fix multiple noises and other things, so documentation was hazy on their end. 500mi now and the noise hasn't come back

Good to know they got it fixed for you.

My local dealer is on the shit list of dealers on this site so it would take some convincing for my issue to be fixed. I don't think the service dept. there is inherently terrible but just incompetent based on my experience with the other issues that they "could reproduce."

 

[Imperial]

In my case, the ticking/clicking when turning steering wheel at the parking lot speed was the airbag assembly. It has a few springs/locks that help airbag float while using the horn. I got rid of my car back in May, however before this, another Acura dealership(my original dealer couldn't replicate it) tech removed airbag from my car and temporarily replaced with a good known from another car. This stopped the noise.

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