Car owners should continuously be aware of unusual things, such as vibrations, thunks, squeaks and pungent odors. Being cognizant of unusual smells and noises emanating from our car could help us nip possible problems in the bid. By responding quickly to strange smells and sounds, we can significantly reduce potential repair costs. Any car owners always hate paying exorbitant fees that repair shops are charging. We should be able to spot early telltale signs by using just our ear and nose. One of the most common noises is squeals when we turn the wheel hard or when we brake the car.
These noises are useful to alert any driver. As an example, braking squeals may indicate that there’s nearly no brake material lest on the pad. This should be a good time to completely replace the pads. The noise occurs because the sharp edges of the pads surface have rubbed on the rotor. After the brake pads are removed, mechanics should checks whether there is some dirt particle left on the area. Although noises could be caused by the disappearance of braking pads, we should know that it could also due to the car is being too cold or too hot.
Worn or faulty wheel bearings could also cause grinding noises. The source of the noise depends on whether our car uses rear-wheel or front-wheel drive designs. When determining which bearing is the cause, we should gradually increase the speed of the car on a quiet and smooth road. Sometimes, noises can be eliminated by tightening loose nuts on the wheel bearing assembly. However, we need to replace the bearing if it is worn. If the grinding noise is heard when the car negotiates a right or left hand turn, then we need to inspect the wheel bearing on the opposite side. As an example, if the noise occurs when the car turns right, then we need to inspect the left side.
Noises could also be caused by leaking exhaust and blown muffler. They are quite recognizable and can be easier to diagnose. Even the car is idle we could walk to the back of the car and immediately locate where the noise originates. On a cold morning, we could also hear ticking sound and it could be caused by leakage on exhaust manifold gasket, but it is often mistaken for noises from valve tappet. Solving this problem is usually simple, mechanics can tightens the manifold bolts, because tiny gaps are created when some components of exhaust manifold contract during low temperature.
We could also spot rumbling noises from the engine compartment and it may indicate that the cooling fan is vibrating and not in balance. The water pump could also be worn and this could result in grinding sound. When the fan belt is very tight, the noise can be quite loud, due to the load exerted on the water pump impeller. To solve this problem, mechanics can adjust the fan belt. However, we need to replace the unit if the pump leaks anti-freeze.