I've been loving my '15 LX since August when I bought it.

All good, with one exception, as follows: in subfreezing weather, starting from dead cold, I get a brief rasping/rattling noise after the engine catches. It's similar to the sound I got from older cars when I accidentally held the ignition "on" too long, when the engine catches before the starter motor is completely released.

My Fit's engine starts immediately, and I get off the key instantly, but I still get this disconcerting rasp right after the engine catches. It only happens when the engine is dead cold, in cold temperatures.

Anybody else experience this? Worry, or live with it? Call the dealer for a warranty issue? (Computer reprogramming?)

Thanks for any replies. A minor point on an almost-perfect-otherwise car.

 

We're just getting into sub-freezing weather here in the Middle West, and I have not had anything like this happen to me. Supposed to be 14* F tonite, and will listen for it when I head out to work in the morning.

es

 

Tight tolerances and cold shrinking the metal. Maybe once you get a few more miles on it, it might go away.

 

I too purchased my 2015 Fit in August of 2014. I have experienced the same noise about 10 times...always with cold weather, but not always freezing cold weather...and not always after sitting all night, or for long periods of time. i stopped at the dealer to discuss this problem last week. The guy working the service department seemed to dismiss it. I explained that I found a youtube clip of a CRV that makes the same exact noise. Again, he dismissed it, saying he didn't have internet access in the garage. I understand the person not wanting to really say anything until actually hearing the noise, but I seriously got the impression that they are fully aware of this happening, but will admit nothing until they hear it for themselves. I left with a very uneasy feeling about their honesty. Of course, I could be completely wrong, but that's what my gut feeling was. Anyway, I now have to find out if I can get a loaner from them if i decide to leave the car overnight, leaving it for them to conduct a cold start in the morning (and hope it makes that ugly noise).

 

it has been in the teens here, and i noticed no extra noises when starting.

epic, can you record and post a video? if not for us, at least to show the dealer what you are referring to?

 

Been 14-16 degrees out overnight and during the day, when cold the engine cranks but a bit more slowly. No grinding or clanking noises though.


Cold weather makes me want to get the cold weather kit for the engine, plug it in, keep the engine warm enough to start easier during those real cold days.

 

I have this same issue. it only happens when its very very cold. Same noise that you get if you turn the key when the car is already going.

I had this issue with my previous car, turned out to be a bad solenoid on the starter. This seems a bit different than though, as there is no other symptoms (ie poor starting)

 

Welp, this happened to me yesterday morning at -6* or so. Engine fired as normal, but got a split-second bit of chatter when the starter motor stopped as the engine started. My guess is that it's the bendix, which is normally mounted on the starter shaft like a bushing - no bearing... If tolerances are out, it could chatter momentarily. It shouldn't do that, tho...

Will mention to the dealer when I go in for my first service.

es

 

I had this (or a similar) noise just a couple days ago. It was about 0 degrees F that morning, and the Fit had not yet been driven. I have the EX, so the start sequence was up to the computer. It started just fine, but just as it fired up there was a half second squeal or some such noise. It wasn't like a starter grind, as others have reported. I assumed it was a pulley bearing or something like that. It's still very cold here in Iowa, but I haven't heard it again. I'll report back if I do hear it again.

 

Reporting back. The noise has happened another 5-10 times, sometimes to me, sometimes to my wife. Having had an opportunity to hear it several times, I agree with those who diagnose it as a starter problem. I sounds as if the solenoid is not disengaging the gear from the flywheel quickly enough, probably due to lubrication that has increased its viscosity in the cold and doesn't allow the gear to disengage quickly, as it should. The noise occurs fairly reliably when the temperature in the garage falls below 20 degrees. I tried it this morning when it was 15 degrees, and it screeched on command. I hope they release a service bulletin on it since it is clearly a problem for more than one of us. I suppose those living in more temperate climes might never have the problem, so even if most Fits have the problem, only those in very cold areas of the country will experience it. I plan to call the dealer tomorrow to see if there is a service bulletin on the problem.

 

When you do find something out, please be sure to post. My garage is usually 25-30 degrees warmer than ambient temp when its very cold outside so I haven't experienced it yet. However, I haven't had it outside in single digit temps yet so I may still experience it. Anyway, thanks for making us aware of it, at least it won't be a total surprise if it happens now.

 

Mine is still doing this every so often when cold. There is actually not supposed to be any lubrication on the starter shaft where the bendix slides in/out... That's a sure way to gum it up.

es

 

I have been trying to get an audio recording of the noise, and I have missed it several times. I have recorded four or five start ups at times the car was at 10-20 degrees, but it did not happen. Today it happened at about 5 degrees, but I was in a hurry and had not turned on the recorder.
Stembridge says there is no lube, which makes sense now that he brings it up. So what is causing the correlation between cold temperature and the starter-flywheel gears grinding (assuming that's what it is)? Maybe it's the computer making a second attempt, even though the first one succeeded, i.e., a delay in the "engine start successful" signal. That's a w.a.g. Magnetic field strength increases as temperature decreases, not too much in the range we are talking about, but some. Perhaps the stronger field is holding the bendix in the energized position too long. That a s.w.a.g.
Hopefully, I'll get a recording tomorrow morning. It's supposed to be -8 degrees. Yikes!

 

it's been happening to me, too. i get a grinding sound and it does NOT sound good.

 

I have been reading this thread and it sounds similar to an issue I had on my old rsx, I would get this rasp sound on cold temperature starts and it turned out to be the plastic motor cover that was mounted by two bolts. These two bolts were on one side of the cover and the other side was left suspended above motor. On cold starts it would oscillate perfectly when the engine started for a 1-2 seconds. Some added spacers to the two bolts to lift the plastic cover higher to prevent this startup noise.

I just wondering perhaps this is the noise some here are experiencing.

I don't have a new fit right now but perhaps in the future which is why I am reading these forums.

Hope you guys figure this one out.

 

I suspect some of these occurrences may be due to holding the button until the engine starts. All you have to do is barely bump the button to initiate the start sequence.

Five degrees here this morning and no unusual sound.

 

I just bump the button, and am still getting the sound every so often. The button is only sending a signal to the computer – it's not directly connected to the starter, so holding it down extra-long won't make the starter stay engaged longer (like it does on my 1950 tractor with push-button start – decades ahead of the trend!).

es

 

Seems I remember our 1950 Ford coupe had one too. Our tractor was a crank-start, magneto-fired Allis Chalmers Model B.

 

The problem definitely correlates with temperature, but low temperature is not a guarantee the symptom will occur. I have heard the noise when the temp. has been between 0 and 10 deg primarily, but it does not occur every time. I always press and release the button fairly quickly; I have never tired holding it to see what would happen. Presumably if the button kept the starter engaged when one held the button, the symptom would not correlate with temperature exclusively. I agree with stembridge that the button merely signals the computer rather than directly activating the starter. I like Fprsx's suggestion since some kind of vibration would be annoying but not damaging. Unfortunately, the noise really sounds like the grinding of a starter gear that has been re-engaged with a spinning flywheel (think of the repeated gag in Good Morning Vietnam), which is somewhat damaging to both gears. I'm trying to get a recording, as I have said, but I still haven't caught it yet. I'll post the recording when I do so that others can listen and give their analysis.

 

Mine's a Ford 8N (restored in 2008, workin' tractor!):



And now back to your regularly scheduled strange starter sounds…

es