Two quick things.

I'm fairly certain my VTC actuator has issues on my 09 Accord because on a cold start I hear the dreaded rattle/grinding noise. Luckily it's for barely a second, which isn't as bad as other people's situations. This started happening last winter (which was pretty brutal on the east coast) and I'm certain it won't go away on it's own. I know the dealer can fix this problem, charging me $500+. I've read that a few people had to replace/fix it several times before they got it right. I really, really don't want to go through all that trouble for a minor rattle I can ignore. Left unchanged, what could potentially happen? Is it worth getting replaced or what?

And finally, my Accord also has the equally-dreaded blower motor noise. It's not bad in this weather (it's nice and hot and I also installed the undercover), but I know when winter rolls around it'll be a nightmare again. The undercover I installed muted the sound A BIT but it definitely didn't fix the problem like the one thread suggested. I posted about this many months ago and got the dealer numbers for an AC wire harness and power transistor. Luckily all together it was under $90 (I called a little while ago). If I purchased these two parts, would I be able to fix this noisy blower motor or would the entire blower motor have to be replaced?

Again, thanks for any help in advance. I love my Accord but it can be a real pain.

 

Have you seen this video?

This doesn't look too bad, but I don't have TSB 09-010 to see all the steps and there seem to be quite a few.

Regarding the blower noise, replacing transistor and harness are unlikely to repair a noisy blower. Usual cause is debris in blower or possibly blower cage contacting shroud due to poor fit.

Checked the shop manual and blower replacement appears to be medium difficulty; lots of steps but nothing that appears very difficult. However, I've not done this job and sometimes there are surprises once the opponent is engaged.

good luck

 

In regards to the video, no I haven't and honestly that doesn't seem like something I'd want to mess with. I'm not very car/mechanically savvy, I can usually only do intermediate DIY things on my car anyways. Or I'm just lazy, who knows. Do I need to worry about the actuator at all or what? It really doesn't bother me much and I'm not willing to put time & money into fixing it, especially if it won't cause any problems besides noise.

The blower motor on the other hand does bother me. I read the service bulletin again; why do they say to replace the harness and transistor in the first place if it won't fix the noise? The undercover muted the sound but it's still there.

And what exactly is causing this noise? Debris could be very, very possible. Don't know what you meant by the shroud fit situation. Or it could just be worn out. My car has 85,000 miles on it and the previous owner used the AC a lot. Should I just buy a new blower motor?

I found this and it seems like a pretty good deal. 2008-2010 Honda Accord Blower Motor - Four Seasons 75817 - - PartsGeek.com

 

I found the TSB but it doesn't provide any guidance on consequences of leaving the situation "as is". As I suspected, it is a very labor intensive TSB requiring many parts removals for access.

Blower fan cage is surrounded by a blower housing. If the fan cage interferes w/ housing there will be noise.

Only you can decide if blower replacement is necessary or not.

good luck

 

I'll just leave the actuator as is for now.

I see. Any way to check if the blower fan cage is interfering with the housing? EDIT: I also can't find any information or videos on how to replace a blower motor yourself.

 

Blower motor replacement is detailed in 98-02 shop manual. You can buy one for $22 from automanualsource. com.

good luck

 

I just found a service manual for 2008-2012 accord for free online. Will that suffice? EDIT: To answer my own question, yes it will. This is exactly what I was looking for.

I have one last question. When I move my steering wheel from extreme right to left, occasionally there is a 'knock' heard in the front middle of the car. It seems like right as I move the steering wheel to the center position theres a knock. This only happens occasionally but it has been worrying me. The steering is smooth but I feel this could develop into a bigger problem down the line. Any idea why it knocks like that? It didn't do that when I first got the car, it developed over time. It currently has 85K miles.

 

Check tie rod outer and inner ball jts for play or noise. I currently have inner ball jt on an MDX that makes a popping sound when steering wheel is turned slightly. No play in steering but noise. You may have similar problem.

good luck

 

Gotcha. If there's play, I'm assuming it would affect steering and be noticeable? And if no play and just noise (assuming it's this based off how the car drives), should I just ignore it?

 

If noise doesn't bother you, you could live w/ it but check for worsening condition.

I'm replacing inner BJ on MDX to remedy noise. I inspected the inner BJ and found it easy to rotate, but tight. I could not simulate noise it makes under load, but was able to feel/locate vibration from noise through tie rod arm.

good luck