| thodgdon |
I am curious how many of you have defective weatherstripping/seal on your rear doors and don't realize it. The seal I am referring to is the one on the body, which goes around the door opening.
While applying silicone to the MDX's weatherstrips, I noticed that on both rear door seals, in the same place, the weatherstrip is torn or not molded properly. If you have the passenger side rear door open, look at the upper right corner of the seal. If you have the driver's side door open, look at the upper left corner. Here is a photo showing the location:
The problem occurs in the same place on the other side. Here are some pictures of the defective seal:
Here is the kicker:
I called the parts department to see if they stock these weatherstrips - they don't. So I took the vehicle to the dealership and the service writer who agreed that they were defective and the result of a bad mold process. He ordered two new seals to have replaced under warranty. Today they did the work and THE NEW SEALS HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. Wait - it gets even better.
We then walked around the dealership, looking at brand new '04 and '05 models on the lot and they all have the same defective weatherstrips.
So back to the original question. How many of you have this defect? If someone wants to make a poll out of this, I would appreciate it.
Thanks |
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| BlueStreak |
Yup. My 2 year old 2003 has the same issue.
Lovely.... |
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| zafer |
just checked mine, 2003, garage kept, 13500 miles, and they're like your photos :( sorta seems like the slits are intentional to accommodate the bend, lousy design though.quote:
Originally posted by thodgdon
If someone wants to make a poll out of this, I would appreciate it.
Thanks
I created the poll for you, and put in yours and Greg's vote. |
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| mdxx3 |
| Mine's like that too (04 model). At least the MDX's weatherstrips don't squeak all over like how it does with our other truck. |
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| nhatman |
it's not a defect. seals are made/molded in straight sections and can conform to most bends, but in the case of a sharp corner like the one you pointed out, a separate molded corner piece is used.
i'm no expect in seals but i've worked with a few dealing with sealed shipping containers for aerospace hardware/components.
i don't think this is a "flaw" in the design; it's just part of the design and the manufacturing techniques. besides, is it really a flaw if they are functioning the way they are suppose to? any leaks? excessive wind noise? |
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| DaleB |
If you have concerns of it coming loose at that corner, or just not sealing as well as it should, you might consider builiding up or mending that area with some black RTV (silicone caulking, etc.).
You can work the caulking into the desired shape with a wet plastic spoon, knife etc. I would wear disposable plastic gloves while working with the stuff. |
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| DaleB |
Just checked my 2002. It comes up to a nice point on the corner.
I might seal that small section that appears to be torn away (jagged edge). Obviously a defect in the molding process, but hardly a serious one.
The vent behind the corner flap is normal. |
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| Fabvsix |
I just checked mine, thinking since the wreck, mine will be off, but to my surpise, both are perfect !
I know this X was a good one, too back we got smacked two months ago and she ain't the same. Waiting patiencently for the 05.... |
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| thodgdon |
Since some people have perfect ones and some have ones that are deformed/defective, it's obviously not part of the "design" as nhatman suggests, but is a defective component. If they were all as shown in my photos then I would tend to agree with the "it's part of the design" theory.
In fact, the upper rear corner of the front door weatherstrip has a similar form, but is molded perfectly. Whether or not the defect has a negative impact on the vehicle, I think it's Acura's responsibility to fix it. To that end, I am going to have them keep ordering new weatherstrips until they get a set that isn't defective.
I don't think it's unreasonable to have a slightly higher expectation of quality in a supposed near-luxury SUV... |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by thodgdon
Since some people have perfect ones and some have ones that are deformed/defective, it's obviously not part of the "design" as nhatman suggests, but is a defective component. If they were all as shown in my photos then I would tend to agree with the "it's part of the design" theory.
In fact, the upper rear corner of the front door weatherstrip has a similar form, but is molded perfectly. Whether or not the defect has a negative impact on the vehicle, I think it's Acura's responsibility to fix it. To that end, I am going to have them keep ordering new weatherstrips until they get a set that isn't defective.
I don't think it's unreasonable to have a slightly higher expectation of quality in a supposed near-luxury SUV...
You may want to check to see if earlier years have a different part number. They 'should' fit the same!
If not, it is unlikely it will change until they run another batch of 50,000...!!! |
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| Jin_Chris |
Checked mine 04 X base (manufactured 09/04). It has the same issue as you pointed out.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.................. |
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| thodgdon |
quote:
Originally posted by DaleB
You may want to check to see if earlier years have a different part number. They 'should' fit the same!
If not, it is unlikely it will change until they run another batch of 50,000...!!!
That's an excellent idea.
Thanks! |
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| nightguy |
| Mine seem to be fine...manufactured 3/04. It doesn't seem like something I want to touch a lot :) but it seems like the pressure of the door would hold the whole thing together. It doesn't seem like it would tear much more than that little section. |
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| honda1 |
| Ok...I've read everybodies posts about defective weatherstrips and how some people have good ones etc....Let me just say one thing....These weatherstrips are actually designed this way...The slits are actually for compression...When the door is closed the air inside the seal escapes out of these "defective parts"...If these areas were not open then the air would not be able to escape out of the seals resulting in your doors being hard to close... |
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| Canuck99 |
| Sounds like you know some details of the design and from Canada. Do you happen to know or work at the plant? Any other current information on the Cabadian version of the MDX? |
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| thodgdon |
quote:
Originally posted by honda1
Ok...I've read everybodies posts about defective weatherstrips and how some people have good ones etc....Let me just say one thing....These weatherstrips are actually designed this way...The slits are actually for compression...When the door is closed the air inside the seal escapes out of these "defective parts"...If these areas were not open then the air would not be able to escape out of the seals resulting in your doors being hard to close...
You're obviously writing your reply without actually looking into this problem very closely, so I will cut you a break.
If you pull up the "ACURA" door sill plate and you'll see that the seal already has two open ends, so it doesn't need another for "pressure relief". And if they were going to mold a pressure relief, it would be a hole, not a ragged-torn-looking hole like in the photos. So much for your rediculous theory.
Next, some owners from most years say that their seals are perfect, and some with the same model year say they look exactly like the defective ones in the pictures. As I said before, if it was an engineered feature, THEY WOULD ALL BE THE SAME!!! If they aren't, IT'S A DEFECT!!!
Last, the front door seal has a upper-rear corner profile exactly like the rear door seal's upper-front corner, it's molded perfectly, and there's no vent in the corner of the front seal (of course, because it has open ends under the door sill plate just like the rear seal).
It's not that I mind the problem so much, because it's a minor thing (even more minor than the annoying intermittent-failing steering wheel radio controls). I just want an admission from Acura that it's a defect. Having the service writer tell me that it's a "water drainage feature" is flat out insulting. At least come up with something believeable... |
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| Jin_Chris |
thodgdon
You read my brain! My full support is on you. My whole heart is with you.
As of today, I just don't have enough time to set an appointment with dealer to discuss a few this and that issues with my 04 X (with only 900 miles on the odo).
Yes!, I personally do not consider this weather strip issue major problem, however, yes!, we need Honda's proper explanation and Honda's promise that they are going to correct this problem with the weather strip supplier once and for all. (we are actually helping Honda's quality control issue aren't we???)
Frankly, I am a little tired of this and that multiple small annoying (maybe significant to somebody) issues. If I am still in my 20's, I wouldn't bring it up, I would rather fix it myself or just ignore such small issues and keep driving the car (such as this and that thunking, thumping, sloshing noise etc etc, now what weather strip!!!!!!!!!).
If Honda can NOT correct this annoying issues in oversea manufacturing site SOON (Canada is oversea to Japan), well, I am sure they will lose a quite amount of potential older generation customer, who would actually afford such high Acura price tag (I am not talking about Civic.....)
Well, I just hope that Honda makes us having discussion on more advanced topic for their product NOT complaning about their product... hmmmmm we will see..... Just crossing my finger....
:mad: |
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| honda1 |
to thodgdon
actually I do see these parts all the time and I have done so since the X was first introduced in 01....I would like to challenge any person out there in the X community to take a pic and post it here and show me a "Good" weatherstrip...As for the seal under the stepgarnish..I am more than well aware that the seal is cut underneath but do you honestly think that air inside the weatherstrip will all rush downwardsto escape out of the bottom in the milli seconds it takes to close your door ?? Honestly do you ?... Here's a suggestion...Open your tailgate and take a look at your tailgate weatherstrip...Do you see the little round holes punched in them....Guess what they are for...That's right...They are vent holes..Just like your door weatherstrip has a hole at the top..Now if it's a jagged looking cut that your are most peeved about then yes you do have a concern as that would be classified as "FLASHING"...But trust me it is a vent hole...And what it does improve is "Door Closing Force"...Without this escape your doors would be difficult to close and then you would be really peeved wouldn't you ! You will not get Honda and let me just say that this part was developped in the US to admit that this is a "Defect" when indeed it is not ! |
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| DaleB |
It is a defect, any way you look at it. Whether it is a functional defect, is another matter. It is the result of a molding error resulting in poor registration in a specific area. It is not the same as the vent hole BEHIND the 'torn' area. No one is saying that weatherstripping should not be vented.
Unless you are experiencing poor weather sealing exhibited by windnoise around the door, or water inside the vehicle, it is a non-problem.
Yes, defects can exist that are only cosmetic and non-functional in their manifestation.
I don't think it deserves all the press it getting here, quite frankly. (He says, as he contributes to it...LOL)
Here is a 'good one' without looking torn. Not that it amounts to a hill of beans! |
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| nhatman |
daleb, can't tell by the picture; you'll need to peel the corner up to see if it is a "defective" one or not.
in my opinion (and i cannot stress that enough), i don't think it's a defect. when they "add" the corner piece onto the molding, there are problably different methods used and since it probably doesn't matter whether it has a hole or not, it's not considered a defect and not red-flagged or rejected. i think it's just a variation on the manufacturing techniques, at the most.
and even if it is, as long as it doesn't cause any problems, then it shouldn't be such a big deal. |
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| DaleB |
quote:
Originally posted by nhatman
daleb, can't tell by the picture; you'll need to peel the corner up to see if it is a "defective" one or not.
in my opinion (and i cannot stress that enough), i don't think it's a defect. when they "add" the corner piece onto the molding, there are problably different methods used and since it probably doesn't matter whether it has a hole or not, it's not considered a defect and not red-flagged or rejected. i think it's just a variation on the manufacturing techniques, at the most.
and even if it is, as long as it doesn't cause any problems, then it shouldn't be such a big deal.
Of course there is a vent hole behind the 'corner' piece, like there should be as far as I know. But no ragged edge as shown previously. Nothing defective in my opinion. |
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| honda1 |
Dale B & nhatman kudos....
I can't stress this enough...there is a vent hole that is there to improve door closing speed..I do agree that the appearance of the corner in the early pics is not very pleasing and it is actually flashing that was never removed at the supplier..The "corner piece" is applied through a vulcanized bonding process...Let's look at this realistically for a second...does anyone think that this corner piece would be added at an extra cost and process when the piece could be extruded as a single piece..trust me all X owners would complain a great deal more if their doors were hard to close as opposed to a jagged appearance of the door weatherstrip corner...and as far as having dealers continue ordering parts until they get a good one...trust me again when I say it will be a cold day in hell before they find one without the vent hole...Thanks to those who understand that this is ruch a trivial defect and if that's all that's wrong with your X you should feel very lucky.. |
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