My car is the 03 Accord V6 automatic in my sig. I posted here about a month ago regarding an intermitted TCS light coming on- seems like it's a slowly failing wheel sensor. I'll get to it before the winter.

Two issues have crept up recently. One is that twice in the last two weeks when I have had to stop hard, the brake light has come on my dash. It stays on until the next time I hit the brakes, and then it goes away. Now, I'm taking the car to get looked at (anything brake related, I think, deserves attention), but I wanted to know if anyone had any ideas as to why the light goes back out after depressing the brakes again? I could understand if something was wrong if it goes on and stays on, but over a week went by before it happened again.

Issue #2 is a rattle I get intermittently when I'm accelerating- happens around 3200 rpm, and disappears after the car shifts, or if I accelerate past 3200, it goes away. My uncle, who is a mechanic, rode with me on a super-hot (temp was in upper 90's) and the car was totally silent- he said he didn't hear any knocking or pinging from the engine. Then, a few days later, driving around town, I go to accelerate and the noise comes back. The rattle come and goes. Accelerating through the gears while merging onto the highway yesterday, everything sounded great. Then, tonight, climbing a hill, the rattle came back.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

did you check your brake fluid reservoir?

 

low fluid in the reservoir will cause the light to come on under hard braking (usually means pads are worn) ...rattle sounds like it may be an exhaust heat shield loosening up.

 

Thank you for the responses. You were both spot-on about the brake fluid- it was low, which was tripping the brake light.

And the rattle was being caused by a loose heat shield around the catalytic converter. With the clamps installed, my engine sounds right again.

Thanks!

 

If the fluid was low, be sure to check for leaks.....or you are about due for brake pads, I'd inspect the thickness of them.

 

Thanks, poorman. No leaks- I'm about due for new pads, but they have just enough life left in them that my mechanic suggested holding off changing them until my next oil change service (I'm at about 4mm).

 

I'm thinking probably nothing more serious than low fluid in the brake fluid reservior. Please note, low fluid level is normal for cars with disc brakes (the fluid displaces the movement of the piston(s) as they move out as the brake pads wear) and typically means that the brake pads are well beyond half worn. If you still have some brake pad left, add some fluid; if the brake pads are nearing end of life, have a brake job done (or do it yourself, it's pretty easy job).

I'm going to SWAG that there is a heat shield on your exhaust system that is rusting away and partially disconnected; pretty common for cars as they age, and a rattle within a certain RPM range is a very common symptom of this.

Edit: Geez, might help if I read the entire thread first before restating what others have already said. Duh!

 

you can never state the right thing too many times

 

Thanks, I don't feel like quite so much of a tool.