5 Car Sounds and What They Mean

Problems with automobiles are fairly common; typical problems are mainly ones of wear and tear. They are standard use issues such as dirty oil, bald tyres, and low fluids. These need to be addressed by a quality mechanic so they don’t develop into bigger problems. The fluids in your car, for example, help it to run smoothly and lubricate the moving parts. If the oil is not maintained, you could create much bigger and more destructive problems. There are also some other not-so-common problems that arise, but that doesn’t make them wholly uncommon, though. You can often identify them by the sounds they make.

1 – Whining After Ignition

If you start your car and hear a high-pitched whining sound coming from under the hood, it is likely a belt problem. More specifically, it is probably a fan belt problem. If the whining stops after a few minutes, it’s almost definitely the fan belt. The belt is made of a very hard rubber that grips various wheels to make them turn. If the belt is not completely in contact with the wheels, it can slip slightly. Such slipping leads to the high-pitched squealing sound. A Brookvale mechanic can deal with your fan belt issue fairly easily.

2 – Grinding Gears

Whether you have an automatic transmission vehicle or a manual one, grinding gears is a sign that something has gone wrong in your transmission. The transmission moves gears back and forth, engaging and disengaging with the engine. The process is lubricated by transmission fluid. If any part of the system it out of balance, it can cause gears to grind together instead of move smoothly. You should take it to a professional immediately, for it could just be a problem of low transmission fluid. If it’s not addressed though, this issue can become a much bigger problem.

3 – Squealing Brakes

When you step on your brakes, a squealing sound indicates you need new brake pads. Brake pads squeeze the rotors of your vehicle, using friction to slow your car to a stop, which wears down the brake pads gradually. To alert you to the end of your brake pad’s useful life, they will make a loud noise when you press on the brakes. You should go to a mechanic as soon as possible when you hear this sound.

4 – Ticking Under the Hood

If you start your vehicle and hear ticking under the hood, it is probably the tensioner that keeps tension of the various belts in your engine. They need to stay under tension to provide good contact with the engine parts. The tensioner can sometimes get stuck, which can cause it to bounce around and make a ticking noise. Typically, this noise will subside in a few minutes. Even if it does, you should make a plan to visit a mechanic.

5 – Crunching When Turning

If you turn your car and hear something like a crunching or a crackling noise, that’s a problem with your CV joints. These are the ball joints that control the angle of your tires and help your car to turn. Damaged CV joints are not an emergency, but can progress to that status fairly quickly if left unchecked.

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