2013 Rattling Noise When Shifting from 1st to 2nd Gear

[carmcarter]

This past Saturday my 3 week old 2013 CRV LX started making a low rattling noise when the car shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. This noise becomes louder when the car goes up hill. The Honda service department says this noise is normal road noise for the LX model as it is not as well insulated as the EX. I test drove the LX and I don't recall hearing this noise nor do I recall being aware of this noise before Saturday. Have any of you experienced this type of noise or is your shifting quite and smooth? If you have had this problem and found a fix, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you. Carmen.

[Grafarian]

This past Saturday my 3 week old 2013 CRV LX started making a low rattling noise when the car shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. This noise becomes louder when the car goes up hill. The Honda service department says this noise is normal road noise for the LX model as it is not as well insulated as the EX. I test drove the LX and I don't recall hearing this noise nor do I recall being aware of this noise before Saturday. Have any of you experienced this type of noise or is your shifting quite and smooth? If you have had this problem and found a fix, your help would be much appreciated. Thank you. Carmen.

I have a 2012 CRV LX and I think the not as well insulated statement is BS. The reason why EX cost $2,000+ more is because its just mostly cosmetic options. Sun roof, speakers on the mirrors, painted matching mirrors, seats with different materials and pattern(who really pays attention to what the seat looks like when they get in a car?) and passenger arm rest, intermittent wipers. I doubt if they cut out on sound insulation.

P.S. I love the extra head room, but dislike the fact they did not add variable wipers or passenger arm rest.


As for low rattling noises, I can't say I hear any rattling or at least my definition of rattling.

The only noise I have ever heard from the CRV is something engaging for hill assist when you are parked on a incline and shift your car into drive.

I do notice the CRV sorta feels hesitation and jerkish when driving on a hill in eco mode, when it is very cold outside and the fluids and engine has not warmed up. I did notice some sort of noise when doing this. When I turn off eco and go on the same hill in very cold temps the CRV does not jerk and make noise from 1st to 2nd. I guess the transmission is always trying to up shift for lower rpm and fuel economy?

Also FYI, if it is very cold and very windy, since I live near a main artery of the highway when you jump on flat hill / down the on ramp the CRV will only go up to 3rd gear when it is very cold out. If you do not let the car warm up first. I think I was at 55 MPH somewhere around 2500 RPM for about a minute before it reluctantly kicked in 4th gear for about 30 sec and 5th gear finally engaged. Never noticed a rattling noise.


Some questions are:
1. Is your CRV AWD or FWD?
2. Do you drive with Eco mode on all the time??
3. Since you are in the 3 week phase are you babying it? the manual states no towing for the first 600 miles.
4. Are you aiming for fuel economy? lite throttle so the car can up shift to the next gear faster.
5. Do you let your car sit and warm up before driving?
6. Does this seem to happen at certain temp/climates?
7. What are your average climates at the moment?
8. Does the same rattling noise come back when you go to 2nd to 1st?

When people complain about rattling it is usually because something wasn't put together properly thus making rattling noises. maybe you only hear it in first to second because at higher speeds the road noise and speed can mute out low sounds?

The other option is just dirt or junk stuck somewhere under your car.


If you do go to the dealer to have it look at again, I would ask them if you can test drive another CRV LX and see if it makes that same sound. Just tell them you will take it around the block or two just to satisfy your skepticism/complaint. make sure if you get the same drive train fwd or awd.

If it is cold outside I can tell the CRV does not really want to up shift early until everything warms up. So if your temp is cold outside try driving without eco for a while then when everything is warmed to normal turn back on eco and see if it still makes that noise.

P.S. I always drive without econ I only turn it on if I am stuck in stop and go traffic, no point in accelerating quickly if your going to coast or apply brakes in 5 secs after moving

[carmcarter]

Hi Grafarian,

Thank you for your response. My CRV is an AWD. I rarely drive in ecomode and am not hauling anything. I went to the dealer tonight and my salesman and I drove a CRV LX on the lot and then mine (we repeated this a couple of times with him driving my car). He agreed that my car makes a rattling noise from 1st to 2nd and the dealer car doesn't. He is going to work with me & his service dept. to get my problem resolved. I will post what happens.