I have done some tests with this. I have a manual so the clutch has to be depressed when starting the car. i get the noise sometimes when the brake is Not depressed and when the brake is. no difference.

 

Mine's done it twice since I bought it in early February. It's nothing to do with the abs initializing, the 2015 abs motor runs way faster/briefer than in my 2nd-gen fit. First thing I thought of was the cam chain going slack. I think the tensioner is hydraulic and wonder if it leaks down a bit and is slow to reset when it's cold out? Here's one of Bisimoto's engine photos showing the tensioner:

What do you think?
Anyone in warmer places hear this noise?

 

JeffreyAllan: Thanks for posting the video. That is exactly the same noise that I have noticed. I see from your gauges that it was 17 degrees when it happened, which is consistent with my experience. Bzdang's suggestion that the timing chain is making the noise is sensible, but it's hard to test. In fact, it's not possible to test anything now that spring has arrived. My freezer is too small for my Fit to fit. I think our best hope is this forum since the odds of a dealership catching the noise are small, much less knowing what to do about it. We'll just have to hope the noise doesn't indicate anything serious.

 

That almost sounds like timing chain noise to me...

 

I posted a video on p. 2 of this thread that records the noise. It's clearly the same noise. Same sound, same duration. If it is the timing chain starting out slack, what will the long-term repercussions likely be? It's going to be very difficult to get Honda to take seriously a symptom that happens only at very cold temperatures and that lasts only about a second. Many Fits are housed in areas that never see temperatures much below 20 degrees, so it will only affect a narrow range of customers. This is another disincentive for Honda to devote attention to the problem (assuming it is a problem, of course).

 

After some google searching, I've found quite a lot of discussion about problems with the variable valve timing control (VTC) actuator on Honda engines, dating back to at least 2008.

For example: 2.4L Engine noise on cold start-up, CRV AND Accord - Page 76

My 2 cents...
Whether it's the cam chain tensioner or the variable valve timing control (VTC) actuator that's draining down, and slow to get oil on cold startups, then we're all f'd until they reprogram every ecu out there to allow a couple of extra cranks before the engine fires.

 

hi,i have a problem my honda fit has a noise on the left side, something is rattling like a plate while earthquake i have a noise record

 

Well it's finally getting colder up here in Toronto, so seems like a good time for an update. My car had a quiet summer but the start-up noise re-appeared in mid-October, right after an oil change at the dealer (the very next morning in fact). I've noted raspy-noise start-ups at least nine times since Oct 20th, so I mentioned it to a service advisor today when I brought it in for recall work, and he suggested leaving it overnight so they can start it themselves in the morning and perhaps hear it.
The most interesting thing to me was that while I was there all five of the service advisors were dealing with customers with an assortment of Honda models, but the same complaint!

 

I had a number of incidents last winter with the rattle upon start. I typically happened only below 15 deg. F. I had the dealer try to duplicate it by keeping the car overnight, but they could not do so. I played a recording of the noise for the service manager, and he reported what he heard to the next level up. The word came down that they thought the noise was caused by my not using a genuine Honda oil filter (I had a Wix filter installed). So I changed to a genuine Honda filter, but the weather warmed up and never got cold enough again.
This morning the noise was back; I have a genuine filter installed this time. It was 29 degrees when it happened. So I plan to wait for it to happen a few more times and then call the dealer again. I have 26K miles on my EX CVT model, and I have no other significant complaints. I really love the car. I hope this rattle at start is not a harbinger of some early failure.

 

Left my car overnight at the dealer and met the technician this morning for a cold-start. Of course it was on it's best behavior and didn't do the noise today, no surprise!
But the tech and I had a great discussion about vtc actuators, he's a sensible fellow and he's changed out more than 300 of them on various Hondas, and he was surprised that I was hearing start-up noises from a GK Fit. We played my Thursday morning startup video showing just a touch of raspyness, with my phone audio playing through the car sound system , and then a series of GK youtube videos from you guys, and he was Shocked and Appalled - some of those startups sound horrible.
I told him about WW2 bomber ground crews turning the props by hand to get oil distributed properly in big radial engines before startup, and me cranking/kicking-over my VFR750 and WR400 with the choke off, to get oil moving into the heads before startup - he gets it. I asked him if he could tweak some ecu parameter in my car with his service computer, to make the engine crank over a bit before lighting up, like my old Soobs used to do, summer and winter, hot start or cold. Said it wasn't possible to do with their system, but I wonder if maybe some performance tuners might have a way?
In any case he was planning to call Honda (Canada) about the noises asap. Will see if anything comes of it.

 

This has happened to me as well... Temperatures as low as 20 and as high as mid 50's. A few of the times I've used the OEM remote car starter and I heard it screech through the garage door!

 

Wow, same thing is happening with my 2015 LX Fit. I don't have the starter button. I initially thought I was turning my key for too long so I tested it this morning again and released my keys right away. Same sound as the mp3 file. I'm in MA, temp in the morning was 5F. I tried my CRV 2016 as well that uses a similar engine as the FIT. That car started beautifully with no weird sounds.

 

Found this online. It looks like this was an issue with Accords back in 2008-2010. The sound I found online with these accords is exactly the same. According to this link, it is an issue with a faulty VTC (variable timing control) actuator.

Honda cold rattle - Automotive Service Professional

Edit: Not good news, this is happening to CRVs, Accords and Civics lol. Found some posts from ppl in those forums. By the way, I also found a work around for the noise. In the CRV or Accord forums people were mentioning that if you turn the key (don't start car) then turn down the key and then fully turn the key to start, the noise does not happen. I tested it right now while it's 15 degrees outside and I did not get the rattle. I will test it again tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

I've actually flown a B-17, and the reason the engines are pulled through before start is to clear the oil from the lower cylinders in each radial engine where it naturally collects after engine shutdown. Otherwise you'd blow a couple cylinders off when you energized the starter due to hydraulic lock (the oil is not compressible). Ever notice how much smoke the engines make when they start? They're burning off that excess oil…

Our situation appears to be caused by a lack of oil, not too much in the wrong place… and turning the engine over a bit before actually starting should be an effective workaround if indeed that's what's going on. For those of us with push-button start (EX and higher trims on USDM cars), I'm not sure there's any way to actually do that, though.

I also wonder if the lightweight oils used in modern engines contributes to the problem - the low viscosity means the oil drains out of the engine faster than if it were good old SAE 30 like I use in my vintage farm tractors.

es

 

Just an update. I tested the work around this morning (turn key, turn down and turn key to start up) and there was no sound. It was pretty cold this morning too. The car actually started very smoothly doing this. I am wondering if it is really an issue of lack of oil. But why would turning the key (without starting car) resolve this issue?

 

What do you mean when you say "turn key, then turn down?" Are you bumping the engine over without starting, or just turning the key to the "Run" position (without going all the way to "Start"), then back to "Off," then starting?

If you're bumping the engine over without starting (the engine turns over a bit but does not start and run), you're possibly building up a little oil pressure so that when you do start up, the rattle isn't there. Otherwise, perhaps there's something electrical in nature that's kicking in just by turning to the "Run" position that fixes (or bypasses) the problem, but nothing from my "old school" engine knowledge comes to mind as to what that might be.

es

 

Yes, I am just turning the key all the way to the diagnostic checks (oil light, engine light, etc).

 

Hmmm. I can do that with my push button start by keeping my foot off the brake when I hit the button. Despite having some temps in the teens and twenties, I've yet to have the rattle happen so far this Winter (heard it off and on all last Winter).

Will give that a try to see if it makes any difference.

es

 

Linked into this thread from driveaccord.net. Many 2.4L owners have the same start up growl thought to be attributed to a dry/faulty VTC actuator. I think it is oil filter related. My personal experience has been that the sound went away when I used NAPA Platinum & Mobil 1 extended performance filters. I'm currently using a Fram Ultra Synthetic and the noise has returned. I'm going to swap it out this weekend and report back.

 

Do you know off the top of your head whether the NAPA and Mobil filters have anti-drainback valves (ADBV)? Does the Fram?

Anyone know if the OEM Honda filter has an ADBV?

es