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WHAT ARE THOSE SOUNDS?
• Those of us who identify as less-than-car-savvy-individuals have had that
moment when we walk in to the garage and make a variety of squeaks and
squeals in an attempt to explain the problems our car is having.
THE POWER OF MECHANICS
• To our amazement, the seasoned mechanic nods in
understanding and translates our gibberish, making
statements like:
“Oh, sounds like your
brake pads are
shot…”“Yup, your
drive belt is
giving
out…”
OR
IS IT MAGIC?
• Magic? It sure seems like it but once you know what to
listen for the mystery surrounding car noises begins to
vanish.
SPEAKING ‘CAR’
• Car noises belong to a different language and while you
don’t need to speak car fluently in order to operate one,
it does help to understand the basics.
• Not only will this allow you to ‘talk the talk’ with your
mechanic, but it will also enable you to become more
aware of your car’s need for maintenance.
• Here are 11 ‘warning sign’ sounds to listen for…
1. CLUNKING WHEN BRAKING
• If you hear a clunking sound when applying the brakes, there could be a
variety of issues at play here:
• The most common include, broken brake hardware, an issue with the mounting
of the disc brake caliper or worn parts of the steering system.
• If you have any type of squealing noise when you apply the brakes, you
may be experiencing one or several of the following problems:
• Dirt that is stuck on rotors, drums, pads or shoes, worn our brake pads, loose
brake calipers or it may be the wear indicator on the brake pads
2. HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING WHEN BRAKING
3. GRINDING WHEN SHIFTING
• If you are shifting gears and hear a grinding sound,
there is likely an issue with your transmission or clutch.
• The clutch may be worn or perhaps it just needs an
adjustment.
• Grinding could also be an indicator that there is
some internal damage occurring to the transmission.
4. ENGINE SQUEALING WHEN ACCELERATING
• If you notice a squealing sound while accelerating there are
several issue that could be going on.
• Your drive belt may be slipping or has come loose or you may have
simply turned the steering wheel to its limit if it’s an isolated incident.
• Either way, if you continue to hear this sound you may need to
replace or at least have you drive belts checked.
5. CLICKING WHEN TURNING
• When a car makes a clicking sound going around
turns it’s likely that the outer CV joint Is failing.
• This failure may be the result of simply old age or a
torn boot.
6. SCRAPING IN THE REAR OF THE CAR
• If you are in motion when the scraping is heard, check and make
sure your parking brake isn’t on.
• If not, you may be dragging a branch or other road debris from the
back of the car.
• If neither of these, your brakes may be dragging or the brake drum
backing plates are rubbing.
• The most common causes for engine
popping are as follows:
• Dirty air filters, clogged catalytic
converter, faulty parts in the carburetor,
clogged fuel filter, bad spark wires or
spark plugs, water in the gasoline or
issues with the ignition
7. POPPING FROM ENGINE
8. FRONT CLICKING WHEN TURNING
• This sound most commonly will be heard as you go
around a corner and is typically a sign that either the
brake pads are loose, the CV-joints are worn out or that
something is stuck between the rotor and the brake
pads.
9. KNOCKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD
• If you have noticed a knocking sound coming from the engine area under
the hood it may be time for a tune-up, your air filter may be clogged or
there is a low gas octane rating.
10. BACKFIRING
• Frequent backfires or loud pops when you accelerate often indicate
that your spark plug wires are attached to the wrong spark plugs.
• If not, you may have an ignition timing problem.
• On the other hand, if you notice that you are backfiring only when
you let off the gas, you may be dealing with a faulty air injection
diverter valve or ignition timing issue.
11. RATTLING
• If you can’t visibly see anything hanging down it’s likely that your exhaust
system has become loose and is in need of repair.
• If this rattling sound is only occurring during acceleration, your ignition
timing may be off, your engine is overheated or you are using low-octane
gas in a vehicle that requires high octane fuel to run properly.
CONCLUSION
• Consider this your beginning guide to ‘speaking car.’
• As a general rule of thumb, any time your vehicle begins
making noises that are out of the ordinary it’s a good idea
to take your car in for maintenance.
• The more you listen to the warning signs your car is making,
the less you will end up spending in repair costs in the long
run.
READY TO CHECK OUT THOSE FUNNY NOISES?
TALK TO AN EXPERT FROM C&R TIRE
Tatum Blvd. 602.867.7466
Cave Creek 602.493.5258
I-17 and Pinnacle Creek 623.580.0455
Scottsdale 480.657.6656
Anthem 623.551.6255
