These Sounds Mean Your Vehicle Needs an Inspection, Maintenance, or Repair
We’ve all experienced it: you’re driving your vehicle, and something sounds off. No matter how new or old your vehicle may be, sometimes things go wrong, and you hear a conspicuous noise. This could be a sign that something needs a quick change. On the other hand, this could also be a sign that something needs to be addressed before a major vehicle component breaks down. No matter what, when you hear one of these five sounds, you need to get your car, SUV, van, or truck looked at to ensure the lifespan of your vehicle remains strong and won’t be compromised.
What are the five sounds? Our team of maintenance and repair experts has the key noises that mean you should come to your local Spradley location to have your vehicle checked out.
Grinding
Your car is meant to drive smoothly. When there’s a sound that doesn’t sound like the vehicle is moving smoothly, that’s a sign. Your brake rotors may be the reason for the grinding sound. Other potential issues also include the drivetrain. Take note of when the grinding sound is occurring; does it happen when turning? Braking? Changing gears? If you are hearing a metallic grind while shifting gears, that could mean the start of a severe transmission problem. The intensity of the repairs may depend on how quickly you address the concern. Either way, metallic grinding means components that are meant to work smoothly together aren’t doing that. There is something in conflict with another aspect of the vehicle or its own way of safely operating.
Clicking
One of the most common reasons for a clicking sound in your vehicle is low oil. That’s the most frequent problem. That can mean you’re overdue for a routine oil change. However, you also need to make sure there isn’t a leak occurring somewhere causing the low oil levels. A routine oil change could be the method to resolve the clicking sound. Other reasons that may be more intense include an issue regarding your oil pump. Regardless, clicking sounds mean you need to head over for a quick inspection and routine oil change. By doing so, you can get the easy fix solved and determine if there are any other issues underlying with the vehicle that needs to be addressed.
Popping
You want to keep popping sounds for movie nights and popcorn. When you hear it in your car, it can be as simple as a dirty air filter. This means a quick change of the air filter, and the issue can sometimes be resolved. There are other times a popping sound can indicate something much more severe. If the popping is coming from your engine area, specifically, it could be a sign of issues regarding the engine exhaust. Hearing this sound while in the middle of a long drive means the vehicle the exhaust could be experiencing a leak. No matter why you are hearing a popping sound, it means your car or truck needs a diagnosis and consequent repair. Having a reputable expert take a look will be key to see if it is something as simple as a dirty air filter or if you need something more extensive like the exhaust looked at for diagnosis.
Sizzling or Hissing
The tricky thing about sizzling or hissing sounds in your car, truck, SUV, or vehicle is that this can be because of a wide variety of reasons. When you hear a squeal from the timing chain, that is almost a sure bet that it’s the timing chain that needs maintenance or repair. However, sizzling and hissing are commonly heard with a wide variety of issues. Some newer vehicles even have a turbocharger that causes additional air noises you wouldn’t typically hear in older vehicles. In that case, the hissing is completely fine because it means the compressors are simply doing their job. Other times, the hissing or sizzling sound can be a loose vacuum hose. Although the list gets incredibly long with additional reasons, all of them can become significant issues if you leave them ignored. This can be because of an overheated engine, leaking coolant causing the overheating, other fluids leaking onto the machine, or other areas of the vehicle that generate a fair amount of heat when operating. Other reasons can be plugged catalytic converters or your entire exhaust system experiencing a clog. Many of these can lead to an engine or extensive system going out, so the sooner you have a sizzling or hissing sound looked at and diagnosed, the better.
Squealing
A squeal when you first start your vehicle or turn the wheel is often the belt that needs a tune-up. A squeal when you brake can be anything from a simple cleaning because there’s dirt, or build-up, on the brakes somewhere, often the rotors, pads, drums, or shoes. Squealing while breaking can also mean some brake components are loose or weren’t mounted properly. When addressed quickly, the life of your braking system shouldn’t experience too much of an impact. Left alone, the brake system could ultimately fail on you, so have that checked out as quickly as you can. Whether it is a slipping belt or a brake system with build-up, squealing is your vehicle’s way of letting you know something is working much harder than it should be, and having it addressed immediately will decrease the chances of massive repairs, compared to routine cleanings, maintenance or repair.
Other Sounds to Listen For
The above five are some of the most common sounds that signal a need for vehicle inspection, diagnosis, maintenance, repair, or some combination of those to your vehicle. There are others you shouldn’t hear when driving your car, truck, SUV, or van: knocking, rumbling, ticking, pinging. The nice thing about hearing unusual sounds in a vehicle is it’s a clear sign you need to bring it in for a diagnosis. While it’s unfortunate to experience, it also makes vehicle care simple. Routine maintenance is one of the best ways to prolong the life of your vehicle. But if you hear a sound outside of what you usually hear, it’s your vehicle’s way of saying it needs some assistance to keep running smoothly.
If you need maintenance or routine care, our Spradley locations have certified specialists who will keep your vehicle running the way you need it to. Each used vehicle we offer gives you a number of options. You can Explore Financing, Check Availability, Request Information about the truck, SUV, car, or sedan, or contact us directly to get the process started. Give yourself peace of mind with one of our certified pre-owned vehicles.
Whether it’s Spradley Chevrolet, Kia, or Hyundai, all of them offer service and parts, in addition to a strong selection of new and certified pre-owned vehicles. We make it easy to schedule service online in Southern Colorado at Spradley.com. We’ll keep your vehicle running smoothly because when you have a well-running machine, your life can be whatever you want to make it. We’re here to help keep your car, and life, on a smooth-running road.
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