@Charlie1960 I agree with you.
Unfortunately, many owners only post once. And then disappear. No conclusions, no results.
But I'm sure - if these sounds had led to significant repairs for someone - we would definitely know about it )))

 

Mine sounds exactly the same on cold starts at least. The wet clutch plate explanation was my understanding to this characteristic and I’m fine with it.

 

I think you’ll find that a number of owners raised concerns in the forum and if I remember right a couple tried to reject their vehicle back in 2019. Pretty sure those owners didn’t update the outcome of their actions. I cant recall any failures being reported through the years if that helps.

 

@Charlie1960 I thank you for the information provided.
Continuing the topic...
I have friendly relations with the service technician at the official Honda dealer. He has no sense in fooling me. I called him. To my question, he replied: "Don't worry! They all sound like that".
I strive to understand problems that seem incomprehensible to me while operating my cars.
The explanation about the multi-plate clutch has the right to be true. The question remains - these sounds are not on all cars and not on all Honda hybrid models. Otherwise, every owner of a hybrid Honda would raise this topic.
I am trying to systematize the information available on the Internet.
Preliminary conclusion: these sounds are definitely present on some (but not all) of the hybrid CR-V 5th generation of releases 2020-2022 for the European market.
I can clarify the following about my option. The sound is not related to the climate control being on (off) during a "cold" engine start. Frankly, starting the engine at +17 degrees C is hard to call "cold")))
If you start the car, the sound will appear after 5-10 seconds and disappear after 10-20 seconds.
If you immediately turn off the engine and then start it again, the sound will reappear and then disappear again.
When the engine is warmed up (and everything around it is also warmed up) - there are no sounds.

I will observe and try to figure it out.
Maybe we are dealing with certain defects for a particular batch of cars. Maybe these defects are not critical. Maybe they cannot be called defects. But the fact is - specific sounds.

Anything can happen in the work of car manufacturers. One of Honda's latest massive problems is the recall of defective 3.5-liter gasoline engines in North America....

I very much hope that our case is not so tragic!

I will continue to share observations and information.

P.S. I also have a 2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD - the mileage is now 95,000 km. A similar sound appeared on it at 40,000 km. But in MDX, even after +5 degrees C and above, this sound does not appear at all. It returns only in the cold season.
Americans don't bother with it! Maybe we don't need it either?...

 

This topic was discussed previously and I believe the phenomenon was explained pretty succinctly by JeffJo a previous poster with phenomenal knowledge of the hybrid.

The CR-V hybrid - and in fact, all Honda iMMD hybrids dating back to August, 2014 (2015 Accord Plug-in Hybrid), use a wet multi-plate clutch pack to engage engine drive. Such clutch packs are known to rattle sometimes, especially in cold weather, when the input shaft is turning but the clutch is not engaged. It's called "intermediate plate rattle." There are no known issues related to this rattle, the manufacturers of them insist "the rattle is not detrimental to the operation of the clutch," and I know of no faults associated with them in the 6.5 year history of their use in Honda hybrids.

I tried to link the actual thread but failed dismally. Sorry.

 

Hello! I have the same problem. The problem is this sound. Everything works, there are no errors. Purely mechanical sound when you first start the car in the morning. The car is 2021, still under warranty. I will communicate with the dealer. I will report the results additionally.

 

Hi,ok. What was the issue? We are talking about the same 2.0 hybrid engine ? Thanks

 

I experienced a similar dealer saga on the Ford pickup I have. the best solution here may be take it to another dealer, and advise if they can keep it overnight, and test start it in the morning. did that with my ford and only this way did they find the issue.