As time and kilometers go by, it is normal for certain noises to appear in the car, known as “crickets”, which in most cases are annoying but not a symptom that something is wrong. In this report, however, we help you identify the car noises that should put us on alert.
Bad adjustments in the door panels or between the different parts of the dashboard are, to cite two very clear examples, the source of many noises in the car. These “crickets” are very annoying because they occur inside the passenger compartment and, therefore, are clearly perceived. Beyond the discomfort that may result, they are not usually a symptom of a serious fault that should concern us.
However, there are certain car noises that should put us on alert, since they are the indication that something is failing or the warning that it is going to fail. It is important to know how to recognize them, since, in many cases, if we take the car to the workshop quickly and catch the problem in time, we will avoid a more serious and costly breakdown.
Car noises that can be a fault symptom
Any machine that is in operation produces noise, it is normal. The problem is when the sound stops being the same as always and we start hearing something strange or different at a specific moment. As we tell you in our report on how to explain to the mechanic what is happening to the car, it is important to identify in which situations the noise occurs, whether it is turning to one side or the other, cold or hot, etc.
In any case, if you hear any of these sounds that we describe below, it is best that you visit the workshop to have it checked.
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screeching brakes
Perhaps it is the most striking noise and the one that most often worries people. Fortunately, in most cases, it is simply due to accumulated dirt in the brake system or a lack of lubrication between the brake pad seat and its support in the caliper. However, there are two noises that should alert us.
The first of them is a sharp sound when we brake and when we release the pedal it stops sounding or it does so intermittently. This noise usually indicates that the brake pads are at the wear limit and are produced by a small metal plate that the manufacturer installs on the pad precisely as a wear indicator.
If the sound is like a screech similar to what we hear in the movies when a train brakes and drags the wheels along the track, the problem is that the friction material of the brake pad has worn out, and what is rubbing is the metal plate against the disk. If this happens, we must change the pads as soon as possible to avoid damaging the brake discs (which are more expensive than the pads) or, worse still, the hub or the brake caliper itself.
High-pitched screeching noise when accelerating
Surely you have also heard it on some occasion, especially on some urban bus something past years. When you start driving you to hear a sharp sound. This noise usually originates from the belt that moves the auxiliaries (alternator, water pump, air conditioning compressor …) when it slips on the pulleys. It can be something as simple as changing the belt or giving it a little more tension or warning us that one of the pulley bearings, the tensioner, or some auxiliary is somewhat seized.
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Engine knocking
If we hear a knocking in the engine that did not do before, it is best to turn off the engine and ask a crane to take it to the workshop. It may be a small thing but on many occasions what it is about is a connecting rod that has loosened and hits the crankshaft.
The repair is expensive, but it is much worse if we keep going and the connecting rod ends up seizing or slipping out of place and breaking the engine block, which will force us to put in a completely new engine.
Noise when turning the steering wheel
At present practically no new car has hydraulic assistance in the direction, almost all are electric. However, there are still many cars circulating with hydraulic steering and a relatively frequent symptom is that a kind of grunt is heard when turning the direction, especially when we do it almost to the limit. This noise is usually caused by a low fluid level, which causes air to enter the hydraulic pump and bubbles to form in the fluid. The first thing we should do is look at the level of the power steering and top up if necessary. If we use the car a lot like this, we will end up breaking the hydraulic pump. On the other hand, if the level has dropped, it is because there is a leak in the circuit that we must control.
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Clack when maneuvering
If when we turn the steering wheel to one side and move forward we hear a clear “cla-cla-cla” the most likely thing is that a CV joint of the transmission is worn, probably because the rubber bellows that covers it has broken and it has lost the grease.
8 Common Noises Your Car Makes and How To Fix It | Video Explanation
Noises your car makes | Infographics
Hi, I am David Bailey a dedicated writer from Linden Bridge School with a degree in mechanical engineering and a degree in marketing. I strive to simplify complex subjects and like to explain complex and technical matters in an easy-to-understand manner. Read More Here
