[AD88]

Hi all. Please can you possibly assist.
2022 Civic 11th gen 1.5T with 32000km
Recently noticed a rumbling/croaking type noise only when:
Cold start
In drive and taking foot off brake
Lasts for about 1 min, not present when car warmed up.
Basically when When car is cold and Idling higher, seems to be when Torque converter is engaging. Impossible to find the source since car has to be moving and goes away quickly.
Could it just be a rattle? Heat shield? or transmission warmer? Needs a CVT oil replacement at 40 000km
Car drive fine otherwise...
Thanks in advance.

 

[5358]

Is this what it sounds like? Like a clunky metal sound similar to a chain clacking.

Go out to the engine first check it's oil to make sure it's not low. Then on a cold start listen right in this area circled in red for that rattle. If you're having trouble tracking it down use a mechanics stethoscope.

If it's rattling from that area under its plastic cover. It's likely a variable valve timing camshaft actuator a sprocket that sits under there with the timing chain connected to it. It's most commonly just called a camshaft actuator but it has various different names. I've heard it referred to as a camshaft phaser also. It shouldn't be rattling if oil is full and clean.


In this last photo here is another source where that engine likes to rattle. This is the electronic waste gate actuator. It's kind of normal for that thing to rattle though. I don't think it would apply though to what your experiencing on cold start.

 

[Exeuropat]

Cold valve lash?

 

[5358]

I was thinking valve lash adjustment also. Usually they don't need it till about 60,000 miles. He hasn't even hit 20,000 miles yet.

 

[NewCivicOwner]

Hi all. Please can you possibly assist.
2022 Civic 11th gen 1.5T with 32000km
Recently noticed a rumbling/croaking type noise only when:
Cold start
In drive and taking foot off brake
Lasts for about 1 min, not present when car warmed up.
Basically when When car is cold and Idling higher, seems to be when Torque converter is engaging. Impossible to find the source since car has to be moving and goes away quickly.
Could it just be a rattle? Heat shield? or transmission warmer? Needs a CVT oil replacement at 40 000km
Car drive fine otherwise...
Thanks in advance.

I’ve always found my civic to be noisy especially in the cold but never experienced what you are describing. If it happens only at a specific instance such as you are describing then it’s potentially an issue I guess but I don’t have any mechanical knowledge I’m just guessing. Up to you whether you want to take it in and deal with the service department regarding inspections and what not.

 

[AD88]

Thank you all for reply. Went through the the areas described above and cant really hear the sound unless in drive.
Recently hearing it at times after car warmed up but only slightly. My feeling was that is a vibration coming from somewhere. Checked all the heat shields cant find any rattle or contact points. The front floor panel rattles a bit when I hit it, tried securing it a bit better but not easy.
Its a tough one to solve or to diagnose. Perhaps over time it will worsen and become easier to diagnose.
I am pretty sure its not engine related.
Cant exclude CVT though...Or torque converter...or anything else that only works during cold starts...

 

[5358]

Yeah if it's only doing it in drive like a rattle could have a loose flywheel or something. Might be worth taking the inspection plate off the bottom of the CVT. It's a plastic cover held on with one bolt. Start it up apply e-brake put it in drive. I'd probably chock the tires just to be extra safe. Look up in there with a flashlight see what's happening you'll probably hear sound if it's coming from there. Sounds like it's an underload thing only. Whatever it is hopefully nothing too serious. Actually had a rattling in an engine bay once. Come to find out it was a 10 mm socket rattling on a frame support 🫥. It took me all of 3 days to lose that socket they always disappear it's always that one.

 

[NewCivicOwner]

I would suggest at least trying to talk to a technician at your Honda dealer or a local mechanic. They may be willing to offer some insight free of charge, I know my old mechanic would have.

 

[AD88]

Thank you, still have warranty...I will contact them rather and ask them to look at it. Will keep you all posted on progress.
I wish i didn't worry so much about cars .

 

[cryptolime]

this car is especially noisy during cold starts. I think it's the aluminum engine block.

 

[AD88]

So after many hours under the bonnet finally solved the issue.
I inspected the Air Filter and found it was not replaced at 30 000 km as it should. Noise would go away for a day or two after I removed and cleaned out the filter.
I then replaced filter with a new one and noise was gone. I also secured the Filter box bolts and the grommet behind.
At the same time I discovered that the cables over the battery would hit against the Bonnet also adding to noise.
The right fender liner also made some rattles.
All secured and noise gone for over 3 weeks now.
Lessons: Always double check what dealers do....At the point where I should ask for the empty oil cans.
And that rattles can come from virtually anywhere in the car.
Now to sort out the steering headache for an otherwise really enjoyable car.

 

[5358]

So after many hours under the bonnet finally solved the issue.
I inspected the Air Filter and found it was not replaced at 30 000 km as it should. Noise would go away for a day or two after I removed and cleaned out the filter.
I then replaced filter with a new one and noise was gone. I also secured the Filter box bolts and the grommet behind.
At the same time I discovered that the cables over the battery would hit against the Bonnet also adding to noise.
The right fender liner also made some rattles.
All secured and noise gone for over 3 weeks now.
Lessons: Always double check what dealers do....At the point where I should ask for the empty oil cans.
And that rattles can come from virtually anywhere in the car.
Now to sort out the steering headache for an otherwise really enjoyable car.

Oh yes dealers wouldn't be the first time I've seen unskilled work done at a dealership. That or the work not done at all it's more common than people think.

Another thing they like to do during servicing. When they rotate the tires they tighten the lug nuts back up with an impact wrench. Putting them on with well over 100 ftlb. Which you could verify with a torque wrench trying to back one of them off. They should only be on there with 80ftlb. The reason they do this is because they know it will warp the rotors for the brakes. Which will put you in the position of having them do a brake job at 100 $200 a pop for each rotor and there's four of them.


Steering issues this might be of interest to you technical service bulletins two of them. The one in regards to snow chains steering component interference is actually part of a recall. It also list the failed part numbers and procedures to check for incorrect adjustment or defective steering rack. The other of the 2 describes sticky steering situation but they both kind of go hand in hand. I believe it says under symptoms steering effort complaint. Both tsbs share a lot of the same part numbers for defective rack. Both remedy issues with rack replacement after confirmation it has a rack with a failed part number.

https://www.civic11forum.com/threads/service-bulletin-out-for-sticky-steering.5249/#post-60142

If you're curious who makes these steering racks and where that's right here.

https://www.civic11forum.com/threads/steering.1894/page-27#post-61005

I've actually checked our vehicle for this I plan to include it in a future video. This way if an owner is so inclined they could check this themselves using that TSB information. It'll be part of a full multi-point inspection full transmission CVT fluid filters change tire rotation all that good stuff I plan to pack the video full of. So far so good our t47 rack here has not suffered with any of these issues. It's not listed as a failed part number either in either of those tsbs. No steering component interference either or incorrect adjustment.

The TSB shows it being checked from the top of the engine bay. I think it's better if you lift the vehicle remove the splash guard much easier to see from below.

At one point Honda was replacing these defective steering racks with a defective rack that was later added to these TSBs I listed. They were doing it on their in inventory checks and for people that came in for replacement. Which had a lot of people stating all the replacement racks are defective too. It's not that they're all defective they just happened to get one that was as a replacement bad timing. Which Honda rectified quickly and is no longer doing it's added to the tsbs now in a revision as a failed part number. If they go under there and look at their part number they will likely find it listed on those tsbs. Especially if they're still rolling around with that replacement but only one way to know.

 

[AD88]

Its really shocking to note what they can do. I guess important to stick to trustworthy dealers and always check...lesson learned
Thank you for the steering info. I think ours are slightly different being RHD.
Not sure what to make of it. Likely part of the bad batch as well. attached my Part No (replacement rack)
Once my dealer was able to diagnose the first bad rack they replaced it easily. Hoping they will do same. Waiting for it to get worse.
Thank you for time taken to assist us.
Curious as to how you know so much...

 

[5358]

Its really shocking to note what they can do. I guess important to stick to trustworthy dealers and always check...lesson learned
Thank you for the steering info. I think ours are slightly different being RHD.
Not sure what to make of it. Likely part of the bad batch as well. attached my Part No (replacement rack)
Once my dealer was able to diagnose the first bad rack they replaced it easily. Hoping they will do same. Waiting for it to get worse.
Thank you for time taken to assist us.
Curious as to how you know so much... View attachment 19728

I just read a lot most mechanics do the internet is a book that never ends. I'm actually totally fascinated with anything mechanical or electrical. I'm really fascinated with any type of engineering. 🙂

I don't claim to know it all only a fool does that. I do know quite a bit about the things I do know about though. Constantly learning new stuff everyday too. The reason behind that I think Snoop Dogg put it best.😅

I'll get off my soapbox now🙂.

I spend a lot of time on the nhtsa . gov website also. They tend to get these technical service bulletins and recall information for vehicles. Good way to keep a check up on your vehicle 👍.

Hopefully your current replacement doesn't give out they'll have to add that to the list 😬. From what I understand it's still an active investigation somewhat.