4WS weird noise

power-power · Post by **power-power** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 8:45 am

i have this car for 11 years, last summer it begun to start a noise from rear sometimes. i thought i may be from air stucked in the rear bumper, it was not. than changed the rear pads, it was not. finally i thought it is the 4ws motor. i disabled it from the 4ws ecu's connector and noise is gone. tried too many times, it is that.
the noise is like a little flag in the wind, come and goes last time i tried it last week didn't come for two days but after it was there againd. when sound appears the current of the 4ws system goes up to 30 amperes(this read from the obd port with genuine honda reader) normally this current is like 4-5 amperes.
i am stuck, any ideas what to do? i will disassemble and check the inner parts of the motor but i think it is a big risque.
thanks

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 11:57 pm

So does it only make the noise when you are turning the wheels?
The 4ws motor is meant to draw pretty big current, that's why the wires to it are such big gauge (though I can't remember how much it is meant to draw, exactly).
It's a rare thing to fail, but not entirely unknown - the rear rack on Lisa's does squeak when it moves and sticks, too. I think it has suffered from water ingress.
Hope you get it sorted.
Be interested to see what you find when you strip yours down. Can you take and post pics please?

power-power · Post by **power-power** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:10 am

No, it works perfectly when not moving. Some times(it was 1 or 2 in a week,but now 3-4 in an hour) it does that ntoise while moving straight. nothing sprecial,not only in corners or specific speed or bumps etc.i heard from someone here in Turkey he had the same problem but it is gone by lowering the car he said. i felt some a little squeak when lifted the car on the rear rods connected to actuator but i dont know if this is normal. i will dissassemble it soon by the warm weathers. will keep this updated.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 10:26 am

Ah right, if it is happening when the car is going straight, that sounds more suspension related.
If you say you got the noise when you lifted the car, are you sure it isn't 'shock knock'?

power-power · Post by **power-power** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:24 pm

i am sure it is not suspension related. it is more likely a vibration, as i said above it is like a flag in the wind, or think about a gear spins fast and you rub a screwdriver on it slightly. i hope i can explain that
last night i thought it is maybe an aligning issue. i wonder is there a control procedure between the wheels and how often ecu checks the wheel angles. if the ecu tries to get the wheels straigt and fails on these actuator may go crazy?

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:31 pm

There is a steering neutral reset procedure you can do. It's described in the service manual.

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:57 pm

i think ive heard this on mine recently too.

my suspicion was a wheel bearing on the rear driverside, but now im thinking it was too 'perfect' a noise. It sounds like a stepper motor fighting to keep it all alligned. I havent monitored the current draw when it happens, as its very seldom, although usually at the beginning (a mile or 2 into my journey).

i had never heard the noise on my h22a5 model, but my new one is later (and seems less prone to throwing the 4ws light when/if i stall it whilst turning).

power-power · Post by **power-power** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:13 pm

Scott560 wrote:i think ive heard this on mine recently too.

my suspicion was a wheel bearing on the rear driverside, but now im thinking it was too 'perfect' a noise. It sounds like a stepper motor fighting to keep it all alligned. I havent monitored the current draw when it happens, as its very seldom, although usually at the beginning (a mile or 2 into my journey).

i had never heard the noise on my h22a5 model, but my new one is later (and seems less prone to throwing the 4ws light when/if i stall it whilst turning).

Definetely not the bearing as i changed both sides recently. it is exactly what you describe,a fighting motor. Mine was very infrequent at the beginning but now makes all the time.
in your case,Is there any possibility confuse with abs motor check sound as it does the sound at the very beginning after first move of car?

power-power · Post by **power-power** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:13 pm

wurlycorner wrote:There is a steering neutral reset procedure you can do. It's described in the service manual.

I ll cehck that...

Post by **tom023** » Wed May 15, 2019 9:37 pm

Scott560 wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:57 pm
i think ive heard this on mine recently too.

my suspicion was a wheel bearing on the rear driverside, but now im thinking it was too 'perfect' a noise. It sounds like a stepper motor fighting to keep it all alligned. I havent monitored the current draw when it happens, as its very seldom, although usually at the beginning (a mile or 2 into my journey).

i had never heard the noise on my h22a5 model, but my new one is later (and seems less prone to throwing the 4ws light when/if i stall it whilst turning).

Sorry for the thread revival but I have had a similar noise for ages coming from the back of the Prelude when driving and it sounds exactly as you describe. I'm just wondering if you got to the bottom of it?
I have scoured the four corners of the internet looking for any info on the fault and have come up empty except for this thread. It used to do it occasionally when I took a gentle right hand bend, sometimes a bump would set it off, sometimes it would just do by itself on a flat piece of road. Since I have fitted the polybush kit in the rear and the thicker antiroll bar it does it a lot more. It seems like stiffening the rear end up sets it off more (almost constantly). As soon as I straighten up the steering wheel the noise stops, like flicking a switch. Once the noise has started, no matter how much I carry on turning in it does not stop (until the wheel is straightened). When cornering hard it does not make the noise. No 4WS fault codes appear and the system works.
I even took the rear boot carpet out and stuck my head in the boot while someone was driving to listen better. It definitely sounds like it's coming from the 4ws motor and sounds like a deep vibration (think going over rumble strips constantly or a screwdriver touching a large moving sprocket).
Tomorrow I am going to unplug the 4WS fuse to deactivate it completely and see if it still makes the noise.