Honda CRV noise when shifting

My wife and I bought from the Honda dealer a used 2005 Honda CRV automatic with 13000 miles. The vehicle now has 20000 miles. This vehicle makes a clunking noise when shifting between first to second gear only after the car has been parked, engine off or after backing up. After the first noise it will not make it again even when idling at a stop light. No noise between any other gears. Took it to Honda dealer three times and they can’t hear it. They serviced the brakes and they said they can’t find anything mechanical wrong but the clunk is still there. The noise sounds to me like when automatic doors lock but I do not believe this vehicle has this function. Any ideas what this may be? Warranty is running out and I am afraid of a transmission problem but local dealer said that they would honor even if the warranty is expired. Honda Inc opened a case number. Any suggestions is appreciated.



Thanks

signed

Bought a clunker

If it’s just a clunk it might be shifting normally. Do you know if the fluid level in the transmission was checked and if so if it was good?

Took a while to find the transmission dipstick almost hidden underneath the battery. Fluid level is normal. A neighbor who has some mechanic skills drove it and said it might be the synchronizers? Is this possible for this vehicle?

fares2340

Clunking is not a typical sympton when one has syncronizer concerns.How is the shifting? particulary downshifting,easy to get in gear?no grinding noise. But wait a minute your checking transfluid level with a dipstick? automatic or manual?

I have 2006 Honda CRV automatic bought brand new & have the very same sound as you describe on your CRV. I have wondered just like you what it is.It happens every time when I leave my garage & drive approx. 100 feet I will hear this clunk just as it shifts from 1st. to 2nd. Sounds exactly like the doors all locked. I am wonderig if it locks the big side swinging back door? But I have got out and checked & that door is not locked. Here is what I was going to try, get my wife to stand out on the street about 100 feet away ,then I will drive till it clunks and I will get my wife to check that rear door to see if maybe it does lock automaticly. that way I wouldn,t be opening my drivers door. I don,t think it is the tranny. I have never ask the dealer as I wasn,t really worried about it. But if I find out I will post it here .

Thanks condos: at least I know I am not crazy, since the manager looks at me like that every time I go back. I see that your 2006 CRV has the same clunking noise so maybe it is nothing serious. Let me know what you find out with your test.Also when we purchased this CRV it started to wear the tires unevenly. The steering wheel was bit tilted to the left. We took it in and Honda said it was out of alignment. I paid about 90 dollars to get a 4 wheel alignment. After they completed the job, the steering wheel was nice and straight. Today about three months later I drove my wife to work. She is the main driver. I noticed that the steering wheel is tilted to the left again and I suspect that the vehicle is out of alignment again. My wife says that she did not go over any big pothole. What can be causing this vehicle to get out of alignment so quickly and could it be related to the clunk we hear? Any feedback out there? Thanks to everyone who has given input. I am starting to get fed up with this vehicle. This vehicle is automatic.

fares2340

A neighbor who has some mechanic skills drove it and said it might be the synchronizers? Is this possible for this vehicle?

Nope. Your neighbor isn’t as mechanically inclined as you think. Synchros are found in manual transmissions only.

Just picked up the CRV. The manager said it was out of alignment again. They must felt guilty because they did not charge me this time. The steering wheel is still tilted about 5 degrees. Will see how long the alignment lasts. The noise is still present between first and second gear but maybe it is something typical of this vehicle since condo had it in his Honda CRV 2006.

fares 2340

Hi

I know this thread was posted several years ago - just stumbled across this. I have noticed this exact issue/ noise in my 2006 Honda CR-V. The car runs and shifts fine - just makes this strange noise when first starting out in the morning and I begin to accelerate up to normal speed and only after parked and re -started -then will not occur again unless car is stopped for awhile. I was wondering if anyone ever figured out what the problem was? I am guessing maybe CV joint issue. Thanks.

I know this is an old thread but so far this is the only forum I can find with people experiencing the same issue. I just bought a 2005 cr-v and it makes the same noise and for the life of me I can not figure it out. Seeing that i just bought the car my biggest fear is an issue with the transmission.

Too much play in driveshaft or axle shafts can cause this sort of symptom. Ask your mechanic to put car on lift and manually check.