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Honda Accord Hybrid Harmonic Drone/Noise Suppression

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Comments

  • jbo3jbo3 Member Posts: 5
    See number 106. Sorry about the incorrect procedure. I was working from memory and it's not as sharp as it used to be. Jbo3
  • jbo3jbo3 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks rhi88. It worked for me. I reposted it on #106. I hope it helps others.
  • no_imaginationno_imagination Member Posts: 1
    Thanks for posting this! The ANC on my 2005 Accord Hybrid worked fine until recently. I recognized the problem just from having read my owner's manual about how the system works when the engine goes into 3-cylinder mode, but came to this site for validation and ideas for what to do about it. I'll try turning off the ANC system and see if that helps before spending a lot of money to fix it, but all the info on this page should help my mechanic (I don't use the dealership) if I decide to get it replaced.
  • soocitysuesoocitysue Member Posts: 16
    I am SO ANGRY that Honda denies this problem and doesn't do a recall on it. Honda is such a great company, with a great reputation that the administration has tried its best to destroy. They should jump at the chance to fix these. At the very least, they should disconnect the thing. That's what I had done, but I can tell you, you will know every time your car idles at 1500 rpms... which is all the time. It is still annoying.

    There is a procedure you can try; did you find that in these postings? Good luck! And I'm glad my info helped someone.
  • ghchawaiighchawaii Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2012
    This seems to work very well, but it's only short term because the device seems to reset and turn back on when the engine goes off. It's easy enough to do over and over, but the buzz for the 60-90 sec can drive you nuts.

    I found a more permanent fix. The link is http://www.justanswer.com/honda/1bymn-causes-motorboat-noise-2005-honda-accord-h- - - ybrid.html. I think this fix is basically doing a permanent grounding from the dome light to the chasis which is the dealers' test procedure.

    It took me a couple hours, mostly to figure out what I was looking at. I can summarize it here and it should only take about 30 min. Start by getting to the fuse box at the driver's left leg. In order to see, there is a flexible black plastic piece that has to be removed; the end by the engine side is easy. The end at the dash requires that the lower driver's side dash be loosened. To loosen the dash, there is a single Philips screw on the left and a clip on the right that goes into a metal bracket. The clip has to be squeezed then pushed through the bracket. The rest of the dash piece can be pulled away. Once the dash is loose, the flexible black piece can be popped. There are 3 white plastic clips that I pushed with a flat screw driver and pushed down.

    Right above the fuse box are several wire harnesses and pin block connectors. There is a large brown and a large white pin block connector; these have to be unmounted by slipping a flat screw driver into the tab and pulling the whole block down. After these are off the mount, push them upward to see well.
    The very top pin connector is a "8 pin"... It's actually a 10 pin connector, but two are not used. The far left top wire (1) is green and red; THAT IS THE ONE YOU WANT. To be sure you are on the right wire, count from the green-red; there are two open slots, then 2 more on the top row. The next row goes orange, yellow, black, yellow, yellow. The black is the 6th wire and is a ground.
    Back to the all important green and red wire. Cut that wire free then ground the wire some place to the chasis. I first "tapped" into the wire and grounded it; the noise went away, but the dome light stays on with the switch in the "door" position. After I cut it loose, the dome light works correctly and the noise is still gone.

    It cost me about $10 at Radio Shack for wire and a connector to splice in. Sure is a lot better than $400 to the dealer
  • leftmid7leftmid7 Member Posts: 1
    If your harmonic drone sound is most apparent between 1500 and 1700 RPM try this.
    1. Accord Hybrids with Navigations system: Turn the ignition switch to ACC (1) or ON (II)
    2. Turn the Audio Unit off. (Radio on and Off button, push to off)
    3. While holding down the upper part of both the "CH/DISK" and "SEEK/SKIP" buttons simultaneously, press the VOL/Pwr knob.
    This will place it in Diagnostic mode...DIAG will appear in the upper window above the Nav unit.
    Now while the engine is stopped and while in DIAG mode, turn the ANC ON and OFF by pressing the SCAN Button, you may have to push SCAN button ON and Off a couple times... While in the OFF mode, This will be displayed in the upper window above the Nav unit..... a low frequency hum (50HZ should be heard. While this low frequency tone is sounding turn the engine on and the sound should go away. IF it does your ANC is working and now is reset to the on position automatically. Now drive your car and see if the low frequency drone is gone!

    If you do not have the NAV unit follow this procedure.
    1. Turn the ignition switch to ACC (1) or ON (11)
    2. Turn the audio unit ON.
    3. While holding down both the "Preset1" and "Preset6" buttons simultaneously, press the AUDIO PWR knob.
    4. "DIAG" will appear on the audio unit display to indicate you have entered the self-diagnostic mode.

    NOW, while in Diag mode turn the ANC ON to OFF by pressing the #1 button, A LOW
    frequency hum (50HZ) should sound for up to a minute. While this low frequency HUM is Sounding turn the engine on and the HUM should GO AWAY. Now drive your car and see if the low frequency drone has gone away!

    There have been numerous cases where the ANC appears to toggle off all on its own.
  • richking52richking52 Member Posts: 2
    Last week I had a new ANC system installed in my 2005 Hybrid Accord. The car runs much quieter now BUT I get this unbearable ear popping/pressure feeling every time I turn on the engine. I feel like I'm under 20 feet of water. There is no noise to hear. It's just an intensely uncomfortable feeling. The weird thing is that not everyone can feel it. The Honda mechanics couldn't feel it so they didn't know what to fix.
    Anyone have any ideas?
  • richking52richking52 Member Posts: 2
    Last week I had a new ANC system installed in my 2005 Hybrid Accord. The car runs much quieter now BUT I get this unbearable ear popping/pressure feeling every time I turn on the engine. I feel like I'm under 20 feet of water. There is no noise to hear. It's just an intensely uncomfortable feeling. The weird thing is that not everyone can feel it. The Honda mechanics couldn't feel it so they didn't know what to fix.
    Any ideas?
  • ric9999ric9999 Member Posts: 1
    richking52, u still hear noise after replacing ANC??

    Can you shower some details on replacing ANC like cost , what were all replaced etc... thanks
  • cygnusx789cygnusx789 Member Posts: 1
    Thank you so much for this post! The drone went away! I took off the panel that holds the tcs button which required me to remove one philips screw at the bottom left and grounded the green/red wire up high on a bolt that had another ground. It's out of the way and looks original. I didn't have to remove any of the connectors on the fuse block but just unplugged the gray 8-pin connector on top of the fuse block and cut and splice a longer wire in. Saved a bunch of money! Cost to repair: $0 (had existing connectors)
  • gankhuyaggankhuyag Member Posts: 2
    if u have 2005, V6 Hybrid Accord, which is making some noise sounds like a booming or humming noise with some vibration, when decelerating or easing off on gas. Goes away when braking or accelerating again? Find 8 pin gray connector which is located behind of yellow connector, and cut the green/red wire. Then ground it to bolt securing hood release.

    here is the link you can fix your problem.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnzQ7My--nk
  • johnbay572011johnbay572011 Member Posts: 2
    If I follow the instruction for eliminating the Drone noise mentioned in #112 of 121 Re: Harmonic Drone Noise FIX [moosyw] by leftmid7 . will I be shutting off the Hybrid function of the car which could affect the gas mileage.
    Thanks for any help you can give me in this matter.
  • johnbay572011johnbay572011 Member Posts: 2
    I've noticed that my gas mileage has decreased around the time the Harmonic Drone noise started. Could this be the cause or could it be something else. Any help someone could give me would be very much appreciated.
    Thanks!
  • ovie3ovie3 Member Posts: 2
    Hope this is not too late,sorry but dont have same problem with my 2005 hybrid accord,am yet to change my ANC unit am still experiencing the humming and vibrations in my car through the speakers whether the stereo is on or off. could you please send me the details of where you had your ANC unit changed or where i get to buy the unit itself?also did u change your speakers? your reply will be so well appreciated.thanks
  • ovie3ovie3 Member Posts: 2
    could you please give me a step by step procedure on how to do this operation? i have the same problem and am still thinking of replacing the anc unit.i know this has been long hope to get your reply soonest.
  • dickcdavisdickcdavis Member Posts: 3
    I don't have the specific directions. I just took the car to the Honda Dealer in Kingman Arizona and they had the official procedure. It was covered under my Honda Care Policy. What they did was replace the ANC unit and both front door speakers. Once they did that I never heard the droning noise again, and I have put 50,000 miles on it since then. It did not effect the sound quality of the audio system. I absolutely love this car.
  • iamshizam3iamshizam3 Member Posts: 1
    Hello there, I attempted this repair yesterday but it seemed to fail. Can you please clarify exactly which wire it is, my middle light remained on when i grounded the wire when it was on door open that is. But the sound still reamined, did I do something wrong?
  • soocitysuesoocitysue Member Posts: 16
    One mechanic tried to make that work for an hour without success; another one had it work in 5 minutes. When I took it to Honda service, they kept suggesting all kinds of other things, and I finally said, just disconnect it, please. That's all I know.
  • giri1giri1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi could you please let me know exaclty which wire we need cut. I see two green/red wires in the 8 pin grey connector.
  • rgreifrgreif Member Posts: 1
    My car makes a noise like cymbals or a tamberine when driving at slow speeds (under 40 mph). It also happens when driving to the right. It does not happen when I drive to the left. I tested it by driving in circles both ways.
  • dronelessdroneless Member Posts: 6
    LISTEN UP DRONE NOISES - I read on here somewhere - some guy say - this noise is related to the Noise Cancellation System "if" you open the drivers door and it stops the drone noise. I laffed but got desperate enuff to try it before I spent thousands on repairs. IT WORKED!! The Noise Cancellation System cancels out noise of the 3 cylinders when in ECO mode. My stereo amp had a short which broke the circut on the Noise Cancellation System and with it off I had a loud drone. I fixed that and the drone was instantly gone - no expenses. Feel free to email me for more info: AlanMartin@mindspring.com
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    droneless said:

    My stereo amp had a short which broke the circut on the Noise Cancellation System and with it off I had a loud drone. I fixed that and the drone was instantly gone - no expenses.

    Nice fix!
  • syeds10000syeds10000 Member Posts: 1
    I have a permanent silution for this ANC system.
    Just go to the back of the stereo and find the 14-pin gray connector in the top middle.
    Once located the connector, go ahead and cut the black wire and connect it back.
    Put everything back and your ANC system should be disconnected.
    Test Drive the car and see if the booming, humming droning noise is gone.
  • thegoldenhandthegoldenhand Member Posts: 4
    syeds10000 said:

    I have a permanent silution for this ANC system.
    Just go to the back of the stereo and find the 14-pin gray connector in the top middle.
    Once located the connector, go ahead and cut the black wire and connect it back.
    Put everything back and your ANC system should be disconnected.
    Test Drive the car and see if the booming, humming droning noise is gone.

    I did this and it didn't work for me. Now I have to join that black wire again since I'm not sure what it does.

  • thegoldenhandthegoldenhand Member Posts: 4
    Does anybody have a solution that actually works? I tried the disable via DIAG mode and that didn't work either.
  • thegoldenhandthegoldenhand Member Posts: 4
    ghchawaii said:
    Back to the all important green and red wire. Cut that wire free then ground the wire some place to the chasis. I first "tapped" into the wire and grounded it; the noise went away, but the dome light stays on with the switch in the "door" position. After I cut it loose, the dome light works correctly and the noise is still gone. It cost me about $10 at Radio Shack for wire and a connector to splice in. Sure is a lot better than $400 to the dealer
    hi ghchawaii! hope you are still tracking this forum. so can you confirm that this "gray connector" is actually hidden above the big bunch of wire harnesses right above the fuse box under the driver side?

    also what do you mean "after i cut it loose, the dome light works correctly"?  cut what loose?  i get the part where i need to cut that green/red wire and ground it to the chasis.  but other than that is there anything else i needed to do?  please advise. this droning sound is giving me headaches.
  • thegoldenhandthegoldenhand Member Posts: 4
    problem solved! finally found the mysterious gray connector.  the huge brown and yellow connectors get in the way of seeing the gray connector.  you have to push that bunch UP and out of the way. then you'll see the gray connector. thanks ghchawaii!  your instructions helped me a great deal. 
  • tbexodustbexodus Member Posts: 1
    I want to be sure we are talking about the same type of noise, I currently drive a 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid. All I do is turn on the car and this low rumble noise like a pulse happens 3 times then it stops. It may occasionally come back when the engine switches from EV to Gas.

    I have a link in the video to help describe the issue, it only comes from my front speakers. You may have to turn it up to hear what im speaking of.

    https://youtu.be/3REPd7x3ckE
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