M-B Headaches
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
'06 Honda Element
M-B Headaches
Hey guys,
I'm really starting to stress over my car, and I'm just not sure I can take much more. I should point out that I LOVE the car; I'm just having so many mysterious problems.
Right now I'm dealing with several irritating things:
1) The keyless entry seems to have a mind of its own; it operates whenever it feels like it. It seems like there is some correlation with cold weather, but even that is not consistent. I've replaced the batteries in my key fob and resynchronized... but the problem persists.
2) The windows fog up from the inside at night and freeze, which is a pain. The ice melts and has ruined the fabric covered c-pillars; this has also, over time, caused the material that covers the sunroof shade to come unglued, and it hangs down lifelessly when closed. I think this has to do with the "puddling" problem I have in the rear floorboard that some of you guys think is caused by the AC draining. I've talked to the dealer who is little-to-no help, and I'm afraid to take the car to an unaffiliated mechanic.
3) Sometimes at highway speed the car just starts violently vibrating! I have to slow down to like 55 mph. It's like something just breaks loose.
4) When taking a hard left hand turn or when topping a hill I hear a flapping sound coming from the front passenger wheel well.
5) There is this one rattle... not the only one, but it is the mother of all rattles. In cold weather, this rattle comes from right in front of me. I can't tell if it is in the steering column or the instrument cluster, but at 70-80 mph is a just a continuous buzzing. I really hate rattles, and one of the reasons I bought this car was that it seemed so solid. This is driving me insane.
6) I'll finish up my gripe session with this one... it's the issue I'm most concerned about. Whenever I slow to a stop, I hear a cluck sound coming from the rear as the car goes back into first gear. I'm not used to rear drive cars, so I've been hoping this wasn't unusual. I recently had the transmission fluid changed; I'd hoped this would help. It hasn't. Sometime I can't hear it at all, and sometimes, especially when it's cold, it sounds really bad to me. I think you might have guessed by now that I'm really picky about my car. I don't know if I'm making too much of this, or if it is really a huge problem. I don't mind investing a few K to get this car back into shape, but I certainly don't want to spend five thousand to repair the transmission on a six thousand dollar car!
Anyway... I'm glad to get that off my chest. I'm in college and I work full-time. I'm super busy and sorta stressed out a lot! Is there any light at the end of the tunnel, or should I just go buy a new Civic and forget it?
Thomas
I'm really starting to stress over my car, and I'm just not sure I can take much more. I should point out that I LOVE the car; I'm just having so many mysterious problems.
Right now I'm dealing with several irritating things:
1) The keyless entry seems to have a mind of its own; it operates whenever it feels like it. It seems like there is some correlation with cold weather, but even that is not consistent. I've replaced the batteries in my key fob and resynchronized... but the problem persists.
2) The windows fog up from the inside at night and freeze, which is a pain. The ice melts and has ruined the fabric covered c-pillars; this has also, over time, caused the material that covers the sunroof shade to come unglued, and it hangs down lifelessly when closed. I think this has to do with the "puddling" problem I have in the rear floorboard that some of you guys think is caused by the AC draining. I've talked to the dealer who is little-to-no help, and I'm afraid to take the car to an unaffiliated mechanic.
3) Sometimes at highway speed the car just starts violently vibrating! I have to slow down to like 55 mph. It's like something just breaks loose.
4) When taking a hard left hand turn or when topping a hill I hear a flapping sound coming from the front passenger wheel well.
5) There is this one rattle... not the only one, but it is the mother of all rattles. In cold weather, this rattle comes from right in front of me. I can't tell if it is in the steering column or the instrument cluster, but at 70-80 mph is a just a continuous buzzing. I really hate rattles, and one of the reasons I bought this car was that it seemed so solid. This is driving me insane.
6) I'll finish up my gripe session with this one... it's the issue I'm most concerned about. Whenever I slow to a stop, I hear a cluck sound coming from the rear as the car goes back into first gear. I'm not used to rear drive cars, so I've been hoping this wasn't unusual. I recently had the transmission fluid changed; I'd hoped this would help. It hasn't. Sometime I can't hear it at all, and sometimes, especially when it's cold, it sounds really bad to me. I think you might have guessed by now that I'm really picky about my car. I don't know if I'm making too much of this, or if it is really a huge problem. I don't mind investing a few K to get this car back into shape, but I certainly don't want to spend five thousand to repair the transmission on a six thousand dollar car!
Anyway... I'm glad to get that off my chest. I'm in college and I work full-time. I'm super busy and sorta stressed out a lot! Is there any light at the end of the tunnel, or should I just go buy a new Civic and forget it?
Thomas
Super Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 584
Likes: 1
From: Atlanta, GA
C230K
>> but at 70-80 mph is a just a continuous buzzing. <<
Possibly coming from overhead console with the sunroof switch? Could possible be the climate control sampler. Common issue with the little fan in there.
Doug
Possibly coming from overhead console with the sunroof switch? Could possible be the climate control sampler. Common issue with the little fan in there.
Doug
