Rattle and Hum

One of the most annoying things a professional service writer or technician can hear from a customer is: "My car is making this funny noise. What do you think it is?" It's annoying because these small little noises or big rattles are usually impossible to pinpoint quickly. Also, the noise that is bothering the customer may not even be audible to the tech. Many times a tech hears and repairs something totally different from what the customer wants. Then we hear the second most annoying thing: "It's still doing the same thing." So, before you seek professional help for that perturbing clunk or squeak do a little detective work yourself and you may save yourself a little money and both you and a service tech a lot of frustration and wasted time.

First try to pinpoint exactly when you hear the noise. Does it happen only when the car is first started or when the engine is shut off? At what speed does it occur? Does it go away or get louder when braking? Turning corners? Which way? Knowing the answers to these questions will help to find the culprit.

Also, check the trunk and the floor for any loose items that may be rolling around. I once had a lady that complained that she had a clunking noise from the rear of her car whenever she turned. She had gone to another shop and after spending a lot of money for new struts and springs she still heard the noise. I drove the car and sure enough everytime you turned the corner you could hear this noise. I opened the trunk and immediately saw the problem. Her son had left a baseball in the trunk that rolled from side to side in the trunk. So make sure that the trunk is free of any loose objects.

Performing regular maintenance can also help to keep noises to a minimum. Having the chassis lubed and inspected can help to keep suspension parts in good condition and pinpoint any worn or loose parts before they become noisy and constitute a serious safety problem. Have the brakes checked on a regular basis. Most brake pads have a small piece of metal attached to the backing plate that scrapes against the rotor when the pad material gets thin causing a squeak or grinding noise. This is meant to warn the driver that the brake pads need replacement, but many people just keep driving and don't worry about the noise because the brakes still function normally. Not heeding this noise can lead to the necessity to replace the brake rotors or a serious brake failure.

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