Almost every driver has had to deal with vehicle noises, sometimes annoying, sometimes alarming sounds from your vehicle alerting you that something unusual might be going on. Whether it’s a bang, ping, clunk or a rattle, anytime your automobile makes an unusual sound, it’s time for you to pay a little closer attention to what it might be trying to tell you. This handy guide below lays out the sounds that warrant the most attention.
GRINDING NOISE? Most of the time when you hear car noises that sound like grinding it’s an indication that one of your vehicle’s components has worn out. If the grinding gets worse when you hit the brake pedal — or if you can feel it through the pedal itself — it’s not something you should ignore. The same can be said for a grinding sound that emanates from a specific wheel while the vehicle is rolling, even if it’s in neutral. This can be a sign that a wheel bearing needs to be replaced, which is not the kind of repair you can delay. Delaying a repair is not only dangerous for yourself and other drivers, it can also make the cost of the repair grow exponentially. If a wheel bearing degrades to the point of damaging the hub or spindle, your repair costs could go up.
RUBBING NOISE? Typically, most car noises that involve a rubbing sound mean just that — some part of your automobile is touching another part when it really shouldn’t. This can be as simple as a piece of loose trim rubbing on a tire, or a tire touching the inside of a wheel well during a turn, but don’t ignore it! Two parts rubbing together often leads to at least one of them failing over time. It doesn’t take long for one part to make a hole in another either, so get it checked out ASAP.
CLUNKING NOISE? Clunking car noises usually indicate that something is loose or worn out, either in your vehicle’s drive train or its suspension system. If you hear a clunk when going over a speed bump or hitting a pothole — and if that clunk is accompanied by a more metallic sound — that usually points to a suspension issue, which could mean a bushing, control arm, strut, strut bushing, or shock absorber needs to be replaced. If the clunk happens when you hit the gas pedal or shift gears, then you are most likely looking at a U-joint or CV joint that is on its way out. An engine mount may also be the culprit if the sound happens when shifting into forward or reverse.
PINGING NOISE? If you hear a distinct ping coming from your engine when you accelerate, especially uphill, then you might be using the wrong type of gasoline in your car. Every vehicle requires a certain octane level to resist “knock,” which is a term used to describe the fuel in each cylinder igniting before the spark plug has fired. Knock can damage your engine, and it robs you of both power and fuel mileage. Some high performance engines require high octane fuel, but so do some luxury vehicle engines. Using less expensive gas (which is usually lower in octane) may save money now, but it can cause expensive problems later. Filling up with that type of gasoline doesn’t fix the issue though, so you should find out what damage the pinging caused in your engine.
For more information on car noises, chat with a knowledgeable expert at Auto Select!