When you go to buy your first car, you’re usually so excited by the prospect of having something that gives you a freedom that you don’t think about the sounds the car makes. Most drivers know the basic sounds to look out for: the purr of the engine, the crunch of the tires on asphalt, and the sound of the winds whistling past the wing mirrors as you fly down the highway. All of these sounds are a normal part of driving a piece of machinery as huge and complex as a car. But what about the sounds you don’t expect to hear? The banging inside the engine hood probably isn’t a good sign and is one that should be looked into as soon as possible.
You have to be in tune with your vehicle if you hope to understand what noises count as normal and what noises should mean checking your baby in to see West Leederville Autos mechanics. If you leave it too long in the hope that delaying the visit will help, you’re living in a dream world! We’ve put together a list of sounds you should be noticing because of how different they are, and what each one means. This way, if you start to hear scary crunches or loud twanging, you can get your car seen to as soon as possible.
- Corner Sounds. If your car is making sounds when turning corners, you need to get your steering checked out. Your steering linkage probably needs lubrication rather than a total replacement, but you should always get it checked out!
- Brake Sounds. Clunking noises when you’re braking are never going to go unnoticed. Brake calipers or other hardware could be damaged or completely missing, which isn’t something you’re going to be able to fix yourself. Listen out for the clunking; it’s unmistakable.
- Hissing Sounds. You’re happily driving along and get to your destination, only to hear a sizzling hissing noise coming from the front of the car. If there is an oil or coolant leak, you’ll hear the hissing once the engine is shut off. Getting help as soon as possible is crucial here to minimize how much you’ll have to spend fixing the car!
- Rattle Sounds. Are you hearing rattling coming from the underside of the car while you’re driving home from work? Pull over and have a look to see if the exhaust has come loose. If you can’t see anything, it’s possible that the rattling is from the brake pads, and these have to be fixed as soon as possible otherwise the wear and tear on the car will be too great.
Hearing any of these noises coming from a car can give you a feeling of total foreboding. Bad sounds mean paying money to get it fixed and possibly being without the vehicle while this happens. Which would you rather, though? A fixed car making purring noises or a strangled one screeching for attention? We know what we’d rather!
