Well-maintained cars hum beautifully, even at high speed. However, once our car starts to deteriorate, we will hear squealing, tapping, knocking, grinding and scraping noises. When we hear them, we should know that there’s something wrong with our car, even if it’s just a loose bolt. Healthy engine emits a constant note if we press on the accelerator steadily. The sound won’t fluctuate or wander. If we have a problematic engine, we could hear knocking that could be caused by sticky hydraulic tappets; or clicking, due to valve train issues. If we have coolant leakage, we may notice hissing noises from inside the engine. This could happen when anti-freeze or coolant flows into the engine. We shouldn’t ignore such noises. When our car has low coolant level, our engine may start to seize, once the temperature gets too high. Noises could also come from other parts of our car. As an example, if wheels of our car start to get noisy, when we may have brake or wheel bearing problems. In this case, bearing can be obtained at lower price. Taper bearings are the type that’s usually used for our car’s wheel bearings. It should be proper adjusted to compensate for the normal wear and tear.
Good quality bearing should be able to last many miles and a considerable amount of time. Some noises can be easily eliminated, such as making the retaining nut tighter. Mechanics should know whether a nut is loose or adjusted incorrectly. If bearings in the wheel is in good condition, then the noise could come from the brakes. It could happen if brake discs have been significantly worn out. Although squealing brakes isn’t always a dangerous sign, it is something that we need to fix soon. If we are not sure, it is important to consult experts. Brakes are still a simple system, even in modern cars. However, we need to maintain them properly for an obvious safety consideration. Replacing brake pads is a common maintenance task and can be performed quickly in many auto repair shops. Also, experienced mechanics can detect various problems, such as caliper pistons are seizing and brakes can’t release properly. Even in new cars, brakes may still squeak due to its design. We may ask experienced mechanics, if we think that the noise is too loud. All brakes are based on hydraulic technology and when we press the pedal, two brake pads are squeezed by the caliper.
This increases the friction and the wheel slows down. Each pad has a lining and if it wears away, eventually the metal brake disc will make contact with the metal backing found on the pad. The quickest way is to examine the brake pads and check their conditions. A car is consisted of thousands of different parts and wear may affect moving parts. We should listen to our car and check for any kind of noise. The exhaust is also a major source of noise and any leak could also cause significant noise.