Weird Croaking Sound from My CRV During Throttle – Any Ideas

Hey everyone, my 2016 CR-V has just hit 152K miles. Everything’s been fine, but lately, I’ve noticed this odd sound—like a toad croaking—whenever I press the throttle a bit harder, especially when going uphill or when it needs to pick up speed. It doesn’t really happen at higher speeds though.

I recently got a tune-up, so not sure what’s up.

Unfortunately, I can’t upload a video, but the best way to describe it is like a quick “krrgghhhh” sound, then it goes back to normal. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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Sounds like your transmission might be slipping a bit under load. I’d suggest checking your transmission fluid level and condition. A croaking sound is definitely unusual, but it might be related to the transmission struggling a bit, especially on inclines. If the fluid looks burnt, it’s time for a change.

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Hey, buddy, mine and it turned out to be a small exhaust leak. It’s possible you’ve got a leak in the exhaust system, maybe a crack or a loose connection. When you put the engine under load, the sound could be the exhaust gases escaping. I’d get it checked just in case!

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It could also be your engine mounts. If they’re worn out, the engine might be shifting around more than it should when you throttle hard, which can make some funky noises. I had a “croaking” sound too, and after replacing the mounts, it went away.

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Sounds like it could be a worn belt or a pulley that’s slipping under load. Have you noticed if the noise is louder when you first start driving? Sometimes, when belts get old or pulleys wear out, they start making weird noises when you accelerate.

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I’d check the heat shields too. I’ve heard a croaking-like sound before, and it was just a loose heat shield rattling whenever I accelerated. It wasn’t very noticeable at high speeds, but during take-offs and inclines, it made itself known.

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