Why Is My Car Making a Strange Noise? Insight from Your Trusted Southlake, TX Auto Repair Shop

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If you’ve owned a car for more than a year or two, chances are you’ve heard it make a weird noise that left you a bit worried. The truth is, there are tons of different reasons that cars make strange noises, some of which are completely harmless. However, car noises can also be an indicator that you’ve got a serious problem you need to fix, so you need to know the difference. If you’re currently dealing with a car noise, here’s how you can identify it and decide if you need to visit a Southlake, TX, auto repair shop.

CLUNKING

One of the most common noises you’ll hear in a car is a clunking noise. Unfortunately, this can also be one of the toughest sounds to diagnose since it can come from so many different sources. An auto repair expert can help you figure out what’s causing your clunking noise by asking you some questions about when it happens and, in some cases, reproducing the noise.

If your clunking noise happens when you apply the brakes, there’s a good chance that some part of your brakes is warped or damaged. If you hear the noise only when you’re going over bumps in the road, the problem could be a loose part of your exhaust system or a problem with your suspension.

Clunking noises often indicate that there’s something loose somewhere in your engine or underneath your car. No matter what that thing is, you don’t want it to be banging up against other parts or hitting the road when you’re going over bumps. If you hear a clunking noise coming from any part of your car, you should take it to an auto repair shop and have them diagnose the noise.

SQUEALING

Perhaps the most common (and the most easily fixable) noise you can have coming from your car is a squealing noise. The truth is, this is something that just about every driver is likely to experience at one point or another, especially without regular belt replacements. Most often, a squealing noise coming from your engine is the result of a bad belt, although there are a few different specific possibilities. You can get a new belt for fairly cheap and have an auto repair expert install it in no time to see if that fixes the problem.

If a new belt doesn’t take your squealing noise away, you need to consider whether that noise could be coming from the bottom of your vehicle. If you hear a squealing noise that seems to originate from the area near your front wheels, you might simply need new brake pads. Brake pads have wear indicators built in that make contact with the disc and make a loud noise to let you know when your brake pads have worn down too far. The good news here is, you can have an auto repair shop install a new set of brake pads in no time at all.

GRINDING

Of all the noises you can hear coming from your vehicle, grinding is one of the worst. While the exact cause of the noise depends on when it occurs, a grinding noise is often an indicator that you’re doing serious damage to a crucial part of your vehicle, such as the gearbox. As soon as you hear a grinding sound coming from any part of your vehicle, you should take it to an Southlake, TX, auto repair expert and see if they can figure out what’s causing it.

If you hear a grinding noise when you shift gears, there’s a good chance you have something wrong inside your gearbox. It could be a bearing or another part of your transmission, or it could be the actual gearbox itself that’s not getting enough lubrication. Whatever the case is, it’s extremely important to take care of your transmission because it’s not a cheap part to replace.

Grinding noises that come from your wheels are often a sign of bad brake pads. While a squealing noise is most common with a wear indicator, you may also hear a grinding noise when the wear indicator is rubbing up against the disc.

KNOCKING

Perhaps the worst sound you can hear coming from the engine of your vehicle is a knocking sound. While it’s not always a guarantee that you’ve got a serious engine problem, that’s usually the case if you hear a loud knock. The best case scenario is that you hear the typical engine “knocking” sound, which is actually a lot more like a metallic ping sound. If that’s the sound you’re hearing, you might simply need to take your vehicle to an auto repair shop and have them tune things up a bit.

A loud knocking sound coming from your engine could indicate that you have any number of problems, from bad bearings to bad timing or even a problem with your knock sensor. If you’ve recently had your spark plugs changed, you could be using the wrong plugs for your vehicle. There may even be carbon deposits on the cylinder walls that are interfering with the normal operation of your engine. Whatever the cause of engine knocking sounds may be, it’s always important to visit an experienced auto repair shop if you’re hearing a loud knocking sound coming from your engine.

A LITTLE HELP

Just because you hear a sound coming from your vehicle doesn’t mean you can do anything to fix it. As a driver, it’s your job to stay alert and make sure you call your auto repair expert if you notice your vehicle making any strange noises.

If you do notice your vehicle making strange noises, Import Car Center can help. We can diagnose even the toughest noises in luxury and import cars, making us the best auto repair option in Southlake, TX, if you’ve got an import. Give us a call to schedule an appointment or find out more about the noise your car is making.