Do you listen when your car is trying to tell you something? Your vehicle gives you feedback and instead of ignoring it in hopes it goes away, it is important to learn about the most common noises to try to identify what the problem might be. This will help determine when you should bring your car down to Luke’s Auto Service!
We have listed some of the most common car noises and helpful tips on what to do if your car is making a certain sound:
1. Your Car Makes a Humming Noise When Accelerating
If you hear a rumbling/humming noise as you idle and when you accelerate, the noise gets louder (like an airplane taking off) this is most likely a wheel bearing issue.
What it could mean: This wheel bearing noise is often mistaken as engine noise. One way to tell is to watch your RPM gauge while you accelerate, coast, and let off the pedal. If the noise is still there, it’s not coming from the engine.
2. Scraping Noises from Windshield Wipers
If you hear a grinding noise as your blades move across your windshield, it’s likely that the motor is making this noise.
What it could mean: Fix this issue as soon as possible as if the worn-out wiper scratches your windshield, it can be expensive to replace. A bad wiper will also reduce visibility when raining, making it much more dangerous to drive.
3. Your Car Makes a Droning Noise
This droning noise doesn’t change in pitch or volume while turning, but it gets louder as you accelerate.
What it could mean: This noise may be coming from your tires if they’re old or of poor quality. It could also be a sign that you have “feathered” tires which means your treads are wearing unevenly. Feathered tires could be a symptom of a worn suspension component, causing tires to hop up and down as you drive rather than rolling smoothly down the road.
4. Your Car Makes a High-Pitched Squealing Noise
Do you hear a high-pitched squeal? Similar to a bird chirping when you first start the engine?
What it could mean: This could come from worn, cracked, or loose accessory belts that drive things like your power steering pump, air conditioner compressor, or alternator. With newer cars, it may be the serpentine belt, which drives multiple accessories at once. It’s also possible that the belt doesn’t have enough tension. If there’s not enough tension, the belt slips. But, if you hear this noise only when you turn on the air conditioning, you’ll know there’s an issue with that specific belt.
5. Your Car Whines While You’re Making a Turn
A high-pitched whine while you are turning your steering wheel.
What it could mean: This is usually a sign that your bearings (tiny metal balls that help parts rotate smoothly) aren’t doing their job. The question is, which ones? If you have front-wheel drive, and the sound changes as you turn left, right, and back again, it’s likely your front-wheel bearings. A gradually growing, steady howl signals rear-wheel bearings. If you have rear-wheel drive and the whine gets louder as you accelerate it could be leaking fluid. Get it fixed immediately!
6. Your Car Makes a Clicking Noise While Turning
When you turn one way, you hear a clicking noise. The noise speeds up as your wheels go faster or slow down if you’re reducing your speed. The noise isn’t necessarily there when you turn the other way.
What it could mean: This noise is likely coming from your CV joint which lubes the front axles. When it wears out, it loses the grease that keeps the axles lubricated. Without grease, the components become dry and start making a clicking sound. The CV axle could need replacing.
7. Your Brakes Make Light Grinding or Squeaking Noises
When you tap the brakes and they make a grinding or loud squeaking noise.
What it could mean: A light grinding or squeaking sound whenever you brake is almost always because of poor or worn braking materials. If they grind or growl, get your brakes checked out immediately. It could be a sign that pads are so worn that metal is touching metal—a serious problem that could affect braking efficiency. If you hear this noise even while driving, your brakes may need replacing.
8. Your Car Sounds Like an Unbalanced Washing Machine
While driving, you hear a wobbling noise—like an unbalanced washing machine on the high spin cycle.
What it could mean: If you hear this sound, pull over right away, and check your wheels and tires. You may have loosened wheel nuts, which could result in the wheel falling off, or low tire pressure, which puts you at risk for a tire blowout.
If left untreated, these problems can quickly become extremely dangerous for both yourself and others on the road. Whether you have noticed that your vehicle has started making an unusual noise or a problem is detected during servicing, our certified technicians at Luke’s Auto Service in Verona, NJ can repair or replace these parts to get you safely back on the road in no time!
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