NEW 2009 Euro Luxury Auto Pinging

[SteveH]

Well I posted previously that I had no pinging but now I'm not so sure? I've done 2300km's on the Euro now and it's had this metal ball rattling noise coming from the engine for awhile now. It used to happen only when on low revs / gear but it also seems to occur while I'm cruising on the freeway at 100km/h.

This kind of noise I used to hear in my 350Z but it was once off only every now and then and the car was 3 years old, so I thought it was normal.

I normally have the stereo on so I don't worry too much about that rattling noise ...

I think I am in the same boat as you Primetimex. Over the last few weeks I have noticed something like a metallic rattle when the engine is under load. My car has just rolled over 5,000 k's and I have probably noticed it over the past 500 - 1000 k's. Will have to contact my dealer tomorrow I think.

[Bobjones]

strangely my 1996 crap falcon and 2001 commodore has more rattles and problems than my CU2...

That must be unfortunate, but then again the 82 Commie and 89 Mazda have been rebuilt...by me...atleast the engine in my VZ Commie does not rattle, but then again...it uses a bucket load of fuel (who cares fuel card) and the rest of it will fall apart in 3 years (end of lease) and some P plater will think its cool...

Update, engine still rattles, and as has been said I cannot see it being at the detriment to the engine, if this was occuring on a turbo car I would be extremely worried, will just wait patiently for a fix.

Oh and as for horror stories, Mazda Rx8's having done 40,000km's just out of warranty requiring rebuilds as the apex seals are having gaps of 40thou compared to most decent rotary engine builders clearancing apex seals to 2-3thou...and Mazda don't give a crap...

[primetimex]

I think I am in the same boat as you Primetimex. Over the last few weeks I have noticed something like a metallic rattle when the engine is under load. My car has just rolled over 5,000 k's and I have probably noticed it over the past 500 - 1000 k's. Will have to contact my dealer tomorrow I think.

I usually don't notice the noise when the stereo system is on - normal volume nothing too loud or silly, so it doesn't really bother me.

Like I said I have heard this noise in my 350Z, so I don't think it's unsafe it's just that it occurs far more often in the CU2 so perhaps Honda's got to do a bit more work in their engine area.

You're quite right SteveH - the rattle is most often heard when the engine is under load / accelerating - soon as the engine is off load / cruising along is fine. Maybe it's true what someone's said here - the CU2 engine's hit the limit at CL9 some years back and Honda's simply pushed it too far to get a few Kw to push all that extra 200kg's on!

[denot]

... the CU2 engine's hit the limit at CL9 some years back and Honda's simply pushed it too far to get a few Kw to push all that extra 200kg's on!

why cant they just put the Euro R engine on CU2 instead... oh why...

[primetimex]

why cant they just put the Euro R engine on CU2 instead... oh why...

Maybe Honda deems it unnecessary here to put the Euro R engine and also cost / competitive pricing considerations.

Would be even nicer if a CU2 can have V6 200kw+ engine I think that's really the only thing missing from the current gen Euro - a meaty enough engine to push its bulk around.

I'm currently using the CU2 now as daily driver work, home etc to put on enough kilometres to see whether the rattling gets any worse or about the same.

[OranparkAddict]

Ok, I think the most alarming thing is that NO official documentation to euro owners has been made from Honda Australia. Dealers have no idea what is going on and are just telling us different things.

Parents Euro was in the dealership yesterday getting the handbrake replaced. Anyway dealer told us the third story of a fix is on the way and we will notify you to bring your car in.

The car has 21000k's on it and when we first took it back to the dealer they said the fuel octane wasnt good enough. It was being filled up with shell v-power and we took it back and said we did, we do and we will fill it up with PULP. It took a long conversation for them to then tell us it was a problem and wont affect the engine. Still haven't received any writing fom dealer or HONDA OZ about the issue.

Between having problems including often having a random jerk at take off, handbrake replaced, rattling rear parcel shelf, windscreen rattle, seat memory failing and pinging honda has basically done nothing. The pinging is a rather embarrasing sound on a 'high performance' 148kw naturally aspirated 'luxury' car.

BTW we purchased the car in june last year,reported the 'pinging' to the dealer in July at first service. I can personally tell you that Honda has known about the problem since July last year. I understand that it takes time to engineer and rectify the issue but with no guidance from Honda what is everyone supposes to do and think.

The dealer the car was purchased fro,m in a South Western Sydney area,(that is specific enough) has been incompetent, Bull#hitting there way through problems and just in general lousy. It took them roughly 3-5 months to order a new handbrake assembly. As they had to get it from Japan.... SURE

Also, there is a rattle on the front central cup holder when it is open. Apart from this and the odd 200kg of extra weight compared to its main competitior i like the car.


Its not making a very good reputation for a company that is so assuring of their quality product. This can equal a resale problem.

When issues like this happend to Subaru and some other car company(i cant remember), they stopped production till they fixed the problem, in this case we are under the impression nothing is happening and no one cares. Improve your act on this issue honda.

[primetimex]

Improve your act on this issue honda.

Sorry to hear all your problems with your CU2 OranParkAddict - hopefully they'll all be fixed to your satisfaction soon.

You're quite right - Honda really needs to improve their act on their supposedly 148kw naturally aspirated luxury engine.

The first thing I hear when I mentioned pinging to the Service Manager was that "did you fill up with premium unleaded fuel - preferably 98 Octane?" to which I replied of course there is nothing else.

This standard reply re: premium fuel is just total rubbish - CU2 can and should run on 95Octane as stated in the manual period. No ifs and buts.

Fact of the matter is the engine is flawed and needs fixing.

For me, I ignored it as I can't really hear the engine pinging when music is on!

[aaronng]

Would be even nicer if a CU2 can have V6 200kw+ engine I think that's really the only thing missing from the current gen Euro - a meaty enough engine to push its bulk around.

Just need to persuade Honda Australia to persuade Honda Japan to make some RHD CU2 with the 3.5L V6 engine. The LHD version is about to go on sale in the US.

[SPQR]

Just need to persuade Honda Australia to persuade Honda Japan to make some RHD CU2 with the 3.5L V6 engine. The LHD version is about to go on sale in the US.

Hear, hear! And so say all (most) of us! There is a reason why there's all that free space under the bonnet.

[SPQR]

Never argue with a professor who believes his books are 100% correct, even though theory has been proven wrong many times.

"The Philistine not only ignores all conditions of life which are not his own but also demands that the rest of mankind should fashion its mode of existence after his own". Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

PS Enjoy your mind.

[denot]

Ok, I think the most alarming thing is that NO official documentation to euro owners has been made from Honda Australia. Dealers have no idea what is going on and are just telling us different things.

Parents Euro was in the dealership yesterday getting the handbrake replaced. Anyway dealer told us the third story of a fix is on the way and we will notify you to bring your car in.

The car has 21000k's on it and when we first took it back to the dealer they said the fuel octane wasnt good enough. It was being filled up with shell v-power and we took it back and said we did, we do and we will fill it up with PULP. It took a long conversation for them to then tell us it was a problem and wont affect the engine. Still haven't received any writing fom dealer or HONDA OZ about the issue.

Between having problems including often having a random jerk at take off, handbrake replaced, rattling rear parcel shelf, windscreen rattle, seat memory failing and pinging honda has basically done nothing. The pinging is a rather embarrasing sound on a 'high performance' 148kw naturally aspirated 'luxury' car.

BTW we purchased the car in june last year,reported the 'pinging' to the dealer in July at first service. I can personally tell you that Honda has known about the problem since July last year. I understand that it takes time to engineer and rectify the issue but with no guidance from Honda what is everyone supposes to do and think.

The dealer the car was purchased fro,m in a South Western Sydney area,(that is specific enough) has been incompetent, Bull#hitting there way through problems and just in general lousy. It took them roughly 3-5 months to order a new handbrake assembly. As they had to get it from Japan.... SURE

Also, there is a rattle on the front central cup holder when it is open. Apart from this and the odd 200kg of extra weight compared to its main competitior i like the car.


Its not making a very good reputation for a company that is so assuring of their quality product. This can equal a resale problem.

When issues like this happend to Subaru and some other car company(i cant remember), they stopped production till they fixed the problem, in this case we are under the impression nothing is happening and no one cares. Improve your act on this issue honda.

Strangely the problem you have is more than anyone else got in this forum... I've heard about pinging issue, but for the rattle and all... heck my cousin new BMW series 5 has all the rattle you can get (5 spots inside the car that I can count from test drive it once). He complains to BMW, and after 2-3 months no response (and "fake" fix from BMW dealer) He finnally sold it.

What I'm trying to say here, you cant have a 100% perfect car that doesnt have anything to bother you at all. This pinging issue is really a bad thing and need to be fix, but for the rest of the problem? I think most, if not all, car sort of having this problem. After having Civic Sports before purchasing the CU2, I'm happy enough with the condition and the build quality of the CU2 (havent got pingin issue myself, but I think it just a matter of time for all auto).

And like I sed before, 1 year is nothing compare to the problem me and ppl found on 2001 Honda Civic before, and they just release the fix on 2006.

also, you said CU2 is 200kg heavier than its competitor. What is CU2 competitors that 200kg lighter?

anyway, just my 2 cents...

[aaronng]

Mazda6 is 100kg lighter, and Liberty 2.5 is 150kg lighter. Not sure which car is 200kg lighter.... Maybe Mazda3?