Found this part hanging free inside my door - what is it?
 

So I have been trying to isolate a door noise for a while now. I finally took apart the door panel and examined inside between the door frames. I was expecting to find a lose nut or two. Instead I found this. It was just lying there on the base of the floor (between the outer metal frame and inside the back panel - see pics). What is this part? Any idea what the functional purpose is. How do I put it back? I would really appreciate it if someone could link a door assembly diagram where this part is pointed out. BTW aside from finding this part, everything seems to be working. The window goes up and down fine. PLEASE HELP!

where I found it lying
Attachment 74639

close up
Attachment 74640

inside panel
Attachment 74641

So I think I figured out that it is the "outer door handle protector" from the diagram below.

Attachment 74632

This is what mine looks like without the protector on there.

Attachment 74633

My question is, how important is it that I try to install it back on there (I might decide to have Honda dealer do it for me, since I haven't had luck with 3rd mechanics in my neighborhood). From what I am seeing on youtube DIY, it might be more complicated than I can handle.

I found this video for a dIY for exactly this :) great!


I am still not confident I can do it myself. How important is it that I put that back on there? HOw much might it cost in labor at the dealer? (I am in Tysons, NOVA area).

Ok. So I manned up and did it myself. It took 2hrs to do it (the stupid key cylinder would just not go back in). Anyways here is the after before and after pics side by side. I still have no idea how it fell off (or if it was ever on there to begin with). But this should definetly help solve my "harmonic rattle sound"...

Before
Attachment 74624
After

Attachment 74625


Hopefully this is helpful for someone else.

Good job for tackling this project yourself. That's time well-spent learning about your S.

Thanks man! It is encouragement from other members like your self and the wealth on knowledge on this site that allowed me to fix this and many other smaller problems. I have done more repairs on this car myself in the 1st year of ownership than I have ever on all my cars before this combined. And I only have a $25 all in one mechanics kit for walmart that I did this with. All in all not bad.

Also I have to admit the car is super easy to work on too. I doubt I would be this brave with an older Porsche or BMW.

Now that you are comfortable getting into door innards, you may want to apply some strips of B Quiet (or equivalent) to kill resonance and then add some lightweight hydrophobic sound insulation (3M Thinsulate anyone?) Reposition the plastic water barrier and panel.

You will be amazed at how much quieter the car is, how much better your speakers sound and what a nice "thunk" you get when you close the doors.

Thanks thats a good idea and I might consider it in the future. But to be honest the road noise and sound don't bother me (as long as it is normal stuff from transmission and engine). The lack of sound deadening for me adds to the visceral experience of this car and the sense of speed (honestly 45mph never felt this fast before). Also I am coming from and Audi S4 (b8.5) so no matter how hard I try I doubt it will ever achieve the quite and isolation of that car.

For now I think I have resolved most of the creaks, clanks and buzzing (Who knows how long that will last). I feel like in the summer the car calms down a bit (expanding plastics ???).

The resonance tiles won't block much sound, just annoying frequencies. The buzzy, resonating type sounds and frequencies.

If you wanted to quiet sound levels as well, you'd need to also add something like mlv over ccf or that lightweight 3M acoustic stuff.