VTC actuator issues on Honda Accord europe models?

[Karl]

Hello,

I recently bought a used 2008 mk8 Honda Accord 2.4 DOHC iVTEC car with K series engine and currently has 131800km on record. Lately I’ve started hearing a distinct rattle from the engine bay that lasts usually for about 1-2 seconds. I started noticing it at temperatures around 0 celcius on cold starts.

This morning however it was -15 celcius and the rattle was quite loud and for 3-4 seconds and then went to normal operation. It doesn’t happen on every cold start (yesterday was -9 celcius and it cold started like a dream) so it is quite random.

I did some googling and digging (on this forum as well) and I’ve found out that mainly the cause is the VTC actuator and that Honda has even issued a TSB for it. Though mostly it seems that it only happens on American models and not that frequent on European ones. The car was bought as new from an official Estonian dealership.

I asked the dealership about it as well, even left it overnight at their service place so they could try to replicate the issue which of course couldn’t be since it is random. I then asked about VTC actuators and they said that part has only been changed once or twice in my country and that they haven’t really heard about it failing. Yet on the other hand in the neighbouring country Russia, which has the same European models, that issue is pretty frequent and is even covered by an extended warranty.

Has anyone experienced this on European Accord (or any Honda) models as well? Should I stay on the fact that it is the VTC actuator or could it be something else (chains etc) causing these rattles? The rattle noise is spot-on with the one that owners report regarding the actuator.

Topic

[college man]

North america its a big problem. have not had many posts your way.

[lee brown]

the vtc actuator can be an issue one europeon accords especially of this age it is quite possible that this is your problem however if you do take it to a dealer for diagnosis and repair ask them to check the timing chain guides and tensioner at the same time as trying to diagnose the vtc actuator as at lower tempretures on cold start the timing chain guides or tesioner could make a similar sound to the vtc actuator
i hope this is helpful to you

[Karl]

Hi djexkon,

Thank-you for the info. I’m planning to take it to a mechanic next week at the dealership and can ask him to check those as well.

Also a small status update:
This morning at -13 celcius engine cold started without a rattle. It is so random that it has me so puzzled.

I did have a log of some cold starts
03.12.16 – +3 celcius – rattle
04.12.16 – 0 celcius – no rattle
05.12.16 – 0 celcius – rattle
16.12.16 – alternator belt got replaced – no rattle til 05.01.17
04.01.17 – -9 celcius – no rattle
05.01.17 – -15 celcius – rattle
06.01.17 – -13 celcius – no rattle

So it looks like it doesn’t really matter on the temperature since the rattle exists on both minus and plus sides. This randomness made it difficult for the dealership to diagnose it before as well.

[Author]

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