Chirp… Chirp.. Chirp. You turn the volume down and start to anxiously rub the steering wheel in hopes that the sound is coming from the car beside you on the highway. Chirp… Chirp.. Chirp. You frantically roll your windows down in anticipation of relief — but the sound dies down as the highway air gushes in. The sound is undoubtedly coming from inside the car. “NOT AGAIN!” Chirp… Chirp.. Chirp. The sound resumes as your window’s glass rises shut. You know there’s no stopping it, and you allow yourself to be tormented by the God-awful sound until your next repair. Car noises can be nightmarish. But in this particular case, you weren’t in any real trouble.
A chirping sound that stops when the wheels stop rolling could signal either lug nuts that haven’t been tightened properly or something that is making contact with your tires as they rotate. A chirping sound that continues while you’re idle, but with your engine on, could be a radiator fan malfunction and most likely a bad fan belt drive. Similarly, a chirping sound that starts only when the AC is on, can mean the AC fan is rubbing on its cage, a bad coil, or once again, a bad fan belt. In either case, the repairs would have been simple, and there was no real reason to fret. But do have a professional look at it in case of oddities.
In this blog, we’ll highlight the three noises you should truly be wary of. Early detection can minimize the damage spreading across your car and may save you a lot of money, so keep your ears peeled for these sounds.
Car Noises That You Should Watch Out For
- A Croaking and Clicking Noise as You Make a Turn
- A Grinding Noise coming from Your Transmission
- A Knocking Sound Coming from Your Engine
A Croaking and Clicking Noise as You Turn
Imagine hauling a wooden board across a hard, sandy floor. Now add an occasional clicking noise to that sound. If you hear that whenever you are making a sharp turn, then it is highly likely that the constant velocity joints of your front axles need changing. Some vehicles are at risk of further damage if this joint is not replaced in time. The bad joint could cause the axle to break and in the process heavily damage the vehicle. Do not ignore this sound, and book an appointment with your car mechanic ASAP.
A Grinding Noise Coming from Your Transmission
If your automatic car emits a grinding noise from its transmission, it could hint at a serious problem with the transmission’s planetary gear system. If this component of your transmission is left until it is fully damaged, the damage will spread to the entire transmission system. Be warned that the transmission is the 2nd most expensive part in a car. Click on the following link to find out about expensive car parts.
A Knocking Sound Coming from Your Engine
When a knocking sound comes from your engine, it could mean one of two things. Either low engine oil or a damaged engine that should urgently be looked at. Checking if your engine oil is low is pretty straightforward. If all is well in the oil tank, then by process of elimination, something is wrong with your engine. It should be dealt with the utmost haste.
How to Check Car Engine Oil?
Locate your engine oil dipstick under your cars hood. Usually it looks like a red or yellow bottle cap with a ring mechanism for you to pull on. Simply pull the stick out, clean the part where the “empty/full” readings are with a towel, and dip the stick back into its place. Next carefully pull the stick out once again. Then check how far the oil has reached on the sticks empty/full scale. For more information about engine oil, oil health, and oil changes read our UAE Car Oil Change Guide.
Car Noises and Sell Your Motors
Does it seem like you’re jumping from one repair to another recently? Do you miss the trouble-free days when your car was in a better condition and didn’t act like an attention-hungry 4-year-old? That’s a feeling every experienced driver can relate to. Change is a constant in life, and it’s wise to change your car every now and then. If you’re considering making that call, then consider Sell Your Motors as a potential buyer. We buy any car, regardless of its condition in only 30 minutes. Try our free online car valuation system and receive a call from us, or jump the queue and give us a call right away: 04 330 1030
