“Why is this Honda knocking?”
Engines are the focus point and central operating system for any vehicle. Having issues with the engine can be costly but unavoidable. So when you hear any unusual sounds coming from the engine, it’s easy to panic.
A Honda driver heard an all-too-familiar knocking noise under the hood and took the car to Quality Auto Repair in Redding, California.
A mechanic from Quality Auto Repair Redding (@qualityautorepairredding) says the knocking under the hood may not be as bad as you think it is. The post is captioned, “Not all knocking means engine damage.”
The TikTok begins with a question: “Why is this Honda knocking?”
A mechanic from Quality Auto Repair responds, “Pretty common issue guys. We see these tensioners for the timing belt actually will leak all the hydraulic fluid out of them and the timing belt tensioner will sit there and bounce back and knock, knock, knock, knock.”
That’s good news for the many Honda drivers who mistakenly believe this knocking noise means an expensive repair is in their future.
“It’ll sound like an internal knock. Some people will think, ‘Oh man I need a new engine.’ Really not the case, probably just a simple time belt job. We see these often. For these cars, I mean it’s a simple issue,” he reveals.
Motor1 previously reported that it can cost up to $1,200 to replace a timing belt. A full engine replacement would typically cost thousands more.
RepairPal reports that the most common causes of Honda engine knocking are low oil level or pressure, dirty or old oil, or issues with internal engine components.
The primary cause is improper oil levels. Maintaining proper oil levels is essential for a well running engine. Without enough oil, inadequate lubrication of engine components increases friction, causing the knocking noise.
Using the wrong fuel type or having low octane fuel can also lead to knocking during acceleration.
Worn down spark plugs can also create the knocking noise. Issues with ignition could mean the spark plugs need to be replaced.
Wear and tear on rod bearing and pistons in the lower engine can lead to the knocking as well.
Hondas are widely considered among the most reliable vehicles on the market. However, Honda has had some issues with its engines recently.
In 2023, Honda had a recall for over 250,000 Honda and Acura vehicles with its engine that was caused by a crankshaft manufacturing defect. This issue led to engine noises similar to the knocking noise caused by the timing belt issue. But the crankshaft defect could cause the engine to stall.
While the crankshaft defect is closed, Honda isn’t out of the clear.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating over 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles for engine failures yet again. This investigation is looking into the failure of connecting rod bearings causing complete engine failure, NHTSA reports. Impacted models for this ongoing investigation include 2016–2020 Honda Pilot, 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline, and 2018–2020 Honda Odyssey.
These recalls may have made a dent in Honda’s reputation for reliability. But the brand is still considered among the most dependable, particularly in its price range.
Some of the viewers were annoyed at Honda over the purported timing belt issue.
“All right, send it back to the manufacturer that made it so they could pay for that customer‘s car that they thought it was a good idea to put that part on it that failed,” one said.
“Honda made that piece on purpose. Go back to the old simple tensioner. Duh,” another speculated.
“Land Rover has the same issue but not a simple job,” a third added.
Motor1 has contacted Quality Auto Repair via website submission form and TikTok direct message. We’ve also contacted Honda via email. We’ll update this story if they reply.
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