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What's That Racket? 3 Common Automotive Noises And Their Causes

19 June 2017 by Phyllis Hoffman

As a daily driver who relies on your automobile to get you from here to there, you will start to notice a lot of little things about how your vehicle acts during operation. Every new smell, odd occurrence, and weird sound can have you on high alert and in fear there is something wrong that could leave you stranded. Noises are a common automobile problem, but they are also usually some of the easiest problems to diagnose just by what they sound like. Take a look at some of the most common automobile noises and the likely causes you should know as a driver.

A Loud Hissing from Under the Hood

This kind of noise tends to cause a little alarm simply because it can sound so menacing, so there is no doubt you will notice it if it happens. Loud hissing from under the hood is usually a sound of pressure or steam being released at a rapid rate, which is most often relative to something overheating. If you hear this noise while your car is running, pull over and shut the vehicle off. Check your temperature gauge and pop the hood. Look for steam rolling out of the radiator or moisture spraying out of the coolant tank because these will be your most likely culprits.

Squealing When You Apply the Brakes  

You apply pressure to the brakes and a high-pitched squealing noise spills out into the air until you come to a complete stop. This noise will most definitely get your attention and that is exactly why the noise occurs. If you have regular brake pads, there is a small metal nub under the pad that only emerges when the pad wears out. This nub strikes the metal rotors of your wheel as they turn to create the alarming squealing sound. The purpose of this is to remind you that your brakes need to be replaced and they need to be replaced soon.

Pecking from the Motor 

It is a well-known fact that knocking, tapping, and pecking are usually not good things to hear from your engine. However, this type of noise does not always point to imminent doom. In some cases, something as simple as being way past time for an oil change can cause a telltale ticking noise when the motor is running. This noise happens because the viscosity of the oil has changed so much that it is making it hard for the lifters to function normally. 

Is your car making strange sounds? Contact a business like Precision Automotive for more information. 

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