Hauntings under the hood: 7 scary sounds not to be ignored

Don’t be spooked if you have scary sounds lurking under your hood. Hong Kong Auto Service is here to to drive away the groaning, grinding, clunking and high-pitched screeches that may be haunting you.

Instead of tricking yourself into wishing these ghastly noises away, treat yourself to a visit to your trusted advisers at Hong Kong Auto Service.

Here are seven frightening sounds that shouldn’t be ignored.

1) SCREECH! You hear high-pitched screeching from the front/back wheels or every time you brake. Is it signaling brake dust or a new brake job?

• It can be a build up of brake dust, or the brake-wear indicators could be telling you it’s time for a brake pad replacement. It could also be a signal that there’s corrosion on the rotor—it builds up on the outer edge of the rotor where the brake pad doesn’t ride.
• Best thing to do: Take it into your auto shop for inspection. While you’re not likely to suddenly lose your braking capabilities, you’re probably not getting optimum stopping performance, either. It’s best to have the system inspected so you know exactly what’s going on and why. If you are in need of new brake pads, you’ll want to address that before they wear out and begin digging into the rotors, which can quickly mean they’ll need to be replaced, too.

2) GROAN. You hear a grinding or groaning sound when hitting the brakes. Could this be the rotors?

• It could be rotors. Inferior brake pads also will do this: The way the friction material interacts with the metal on the rotors can cause loud growling noises.
• Your best bet again is to bring your vehicle in for a brake inspection. Then at least you know. These noises aren’t likely to mean you’re in danger of losing your brakes, but it’s best to know exactly what’s causing the noise. Once fully informed, you can then decide if you should address the issue now or if it can wait awhile.

3) CLUNK! Every time you open/close a car window you hear a very loud clunking sound. What could that clunking sound mean?

• This is often an issue with the window regulator, which is the mechanical device that moves the window up and down and keeps the glass straight and in place.
• The noise can mean the cable or window is off track so it’s fighting to close the window in a straight position. It pops as the window shuts.
• If left to its own devices, it could break the tabs off the glass, which could cause the window to fall inside the door and shatter. Or if it forces it hard enough to close, it could break the window. The sooner you bring the vehicle in to check out this clunking sound, the better. In really bad cases, if the regulator bolts are loose, you can tear the sheet metal inside the door.

4) AH, THAT’S SO SHRILLLLL! There’s a shrill piercing sound coming from the engine when the vehicle is first started. Is it the cackling of a witch or perhaps a belt?

• Our experience tells us it’s like the latter. It could be the belts, the tensioners that help hold the belts in place, or the bearings on the idler pulley, which helps keep the belts in position.
• You want to have your vehicle inspected as soon as you can because it could be something as simple as tightening the belt or it could help you prevent something more serious. And anything more serious could leave you stranded. If the alternator belt breaks, the car accessories will run on battery power and will only last as long as the battery. Then your car will stall, and you’ll be stuck roadside.
• However, this noise also could be a failing water pump. If the water pump bearing is going bad, it has the same squealing symptom as a faulty idler or tensioner. Or the water pump will begin to fail and will leak coolant onto a belt, which would cause squealing.
• If the water pump is failing, you’re on borrowed time. This pumps the coolant through your engine, which keeps it from overheating. If it fails and the engine overheats, it can seize and have a catastrophic meltdown. If you notice the car overheating, you’ll need to pull over immediately in order to prevent the meltdown.

5) EEE ER EEE ER! When you sound this out, it sounds eerily similar to creaking bed springs. Shocks?

• Actually, this is most likely a strut issue, and it won’t leave you stranded, except in extreme cases. Struts dampen the force when your car hits a pothole or uneven road surface and even when you stop rapidly. If they are worn or broken, they can’t dampen the oscillation and the energy is absorbed somewhere else in the suspension system. This unwanted energy will start to take its toll on bushings, ball joints and other suspension components, causing them to wear out faster.
• Worn struts almost always mean you’ll also experience alignment issues and premature tire wear.
• In severe cases, the front end will nose dive when the car stops.

6) Super-Galactic RATTLE. Think like a Jedi Knight when you hear this light saber-ish noise.

• This tinny type of rattle comes from under the car. You might hear it at idle, or when you turn the steering wheel (which causes the engine to idle slightly faster), you can hear the rattle kick in.
• Don’t fear. There’s little danger here. The sound is probably an exhaust heat shield and is an easy fix, even in this galaxy. It’s also an inexpensive repair—usually less than $50.

7) HUM! This is a loud humming (sometimes not-so-subtle) sound you hear when driving straight. When you turn one direction, it gets louder. When you turn opposite, it usually quiets down a bit.

• This is likely a hub-bearing issue. The hub bearing on a car allows the hub and attached components to rotate freely and  keeps the wheel and brake components attached to the car.
• Issues with this can be dangerous because your car will steer and handle unpredictably. It might steer and turn oddly because the bearing is moving back and forth. You might also experience control issues at higher speeds.
• If you ignore this for a long time, it will cause tire wear.

If you’re haunted by any of these scary sounds, be sure to ward them off before they result in costly repairs or an untimely breakdown. Call on Hong Kong Auto Service to help make sure your vehicle is running boo-tifully this Halloween season!