For a few weeks, I’d noticed that my 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid felt a little rough whenever the gas engine first kicked on. It had about 80,000 miles on it, and I was up to date on maintenance.
On Monday morning, after the cold front moved through Houston, the shaking was much more noticeable. I could hear a slight tick, too. The engine smoothed out as it warmed up, and everything sounded normal in electric mode.
There still wasn’t a warning light on the dash, but by then I could tell something was off. I asked our team at Chimney Rock Car Care to take a look.
The scan pointed to cylinder 4
When our technicians checked the misfire data, cylinder 4 stood out. The scan report showed an average of 46 misfires over the last 10 driving cycles and 11 misfires in the last 200 engine revolutions.
A misfire happens when a cylinder fails to burn its air-fuel mixture properly. When one cylinder keeps missing while the others are firing normally, you can feel the engine shake. In my case, the misfire showed up in the scan data even though the check engine light never came on.
The spark plugs looked pretty normal
When the team pulled the spark plugs, the gaps didn’t look especially wide. The gap is the little space the spark has to jump to ignite the air-fuel mixture. As a plug wears and that gap grows, it takes more voltage to make the spark jump. A cold engine can make it harder still. That helps explain why I’d noticed a little roughness for weeks and felt it much more on a colder morning. DENSO explains how spark plug wear and temperature affect ignition.
We replaced the spark plugs, and my CR-V went back to starting smoothly.
Why hadn’t my Honda asked for spark plugs yet?
I knew spark plugs were coming up, but my Maintenance Minder hadn’t displayed subcode 4 yet. For my CR-V Hybrid, that’s the code Honda uses for spark plug replacement and a valve clearance inspection.
The Maintenance Minder helps me plan routine service. The shaking was a reason to have the car checked sooner. The misfire counts gave our team a place to start, and the smooth startup after replacing the plugs told us the repair addressed what I’d been feeling.
What to tell your shop if your car shakes on a cold start
If your car smooths out by the time you get to the shop, tell your technician what it does on the first start of the day and how long it lasts. If you drive a hybrid, mention whether it happens when the gas engine comes on. Your shop may need the car to sit long enough to check it with the engine cold. A short video from that first start can help capture the sound and shaking.
Spark plugs fixed my CR-V, but a faulty ignition coil or a fuel delivery problem can also cause a misfire. Learn how our team diagnoses engine problems.
If your car has started shaking on cold mornings, our team at Chimney Rock Car Care can help figure out why. We serve drivers in Houston’s Galleria area, Bellaire, Meyerland, Memorial, and nearby neighborhoods. Schedule an appointment with Chimney Rock Car Care.
