What to Do About Strange Noises in Your Vehicle

Your car will always make noise during operation, but generally it should be nothing more than a pretty consistent hum or whir. If you start to notice strange, sporadic (or constant) noises appearing during operation of your vehicle, it’s important to listen carefully to where the noise is coming from and what it sounds like so you can get an idea of what the problem is and what steps you need to take to correct it.

Here are just a few examples of some weird noises in wheels or other parts of your vehicle and what you should do about them.

• Low hums: It’s not uncommon to hear a persistent humming while you’re driving—this could just be normal engine operation. However, if the noise still happens even when you’re not accelerating and just let your vehicle coast, this is likely not engine noise. Instead, it could very well be a wheel bearing noise. Those bearings might need to be tightened or replaced.
• High squeals: If you notice a high-pitched squealing noise or a sound that is almost reminiscent of birds chirping, this is likely an issue with a worn or damaged belt, specifically the serpentine belt. Another possibility is that the belt doesn’t have enough tension and needs to be adjusted.
• Clicks while turning: If you turn the wheel and hear clicking noises, this could be coming from the CV axle. What’s most likely happened is that the axle shaft boot is damaged and has started to leak its grease. Without the axle being properly greased, the components inside can become dry, which causes a clicking sound as the components rub up against each other. You should make it a point to repair this issue as soon as possible to avoid extensive damage—you might just be able to get away with restoring the grease and replacing the boot if you catch it early enough. Otherwise, you’ll need to replace the entire CV axle.
• Grinding or squeaking: A grinding or squeaking noise is almost always an issue with the brakes. Usually this means your brake pad has worn down and is no longer providing the necessary cushion during brake application. Brake pads should be replaced every so often. If you continue to operate your vehicle with worn brake pads, additional parts of the brakes could sustain damage, including the rotor, and that is a much more expensive fix than simply swapping out the brake pads.
• Rumbling noises: You might occasionally hear a rumbling noise while idle, and that noise could get louder as you accelerate. This noise can become quite loud, even drowning out the radio or conversation. This probably is an issue with the exhaust system, such as an exhaust leak near a gasket or in another exhaust component. You may be able to repair the exhaust, but in all likelihood replacement of the damaged component will be necessary.

For more information about what it might mean if your car wheels are making a weird noise, contact the team at Rivergate Muffler & Auto Repair today.

Categorised in: Vehicle Repairs

This post was written by Writer