WHY YOUR CAR MAKES SUCH NOISE

The most regular complaint coming from vehicle owners and users has been the disturbing and most times annoying sounds (noise) from their vehicle.

     These noise which often times comes from the engine, belts and pulleys, hoses, exhaust system, tires, suspension system, tire to pavement contact, braking and aerodynamic interference. It is however very important to note that a car noise may be an early signal of an auto system or component failure and hence it is advised that you learn to listen to your car and address the sound early by having a mechanic check it out. Early maintenance saves money.
      Various sources of car noises are;
(1) UNDER THE HOOD (BONNET); this can be  engine piston noises, noises from belts and pulleys and hose noises.
(2) UNDER THE CAR; this may be noises of suspension, brake and wheel noises and exhaust system noise.
(3) OUTSIDE THE CAR; Tyre and aerodynamic noises.

Engine Piston Noises

The main noise you hear under the hood is that of the engine’s pistons going up and down inside the engine’s cylinders.  Powered by the mixture of fuel and oxygen, combustion occurs when the spark from your spark plugs act as the trigger. As you accelerate the pistons move faster and the noise changes appropriately. When the timing is off or when engine calibration is an issue or worse when there is insufficient oil you will hear changes in what would be your regular benchmark engine sound.  You may hear tapping, irregular piston firing, or a metal to metal slap. At that point stop operating the car and get it to the mechanic ASAP.
Step 1to the identification of a problem is listening to your car when it’s signaling you there is a problem.
Step 2 is for you to identify where on your car the noise is coming from.
Step 3 is to find a similar car noise from our car noise library.
Step 4 take your car to a trusted mechanic and play the noise back to the mechanic.
Step 5 is to have the mechanic diagnose and repair the problem.

Preventive maintenance will decrease the chance of you ever saying “my car makes noise”. The best maintenance policy is to have your cars belts and hoses checked annually, your oil regularly changed, your brake pad and exhaust system inspected.