Most drivers carefully listen to the sounds the car makes and the sensations that arise when starting the engine and driving. Any unusual creaks, knocks, or whistles may be a sign to seek professional diagnostics.
A wide variety of sounds can indicate one of the common car problems, but squeaking is the most frequent. Initially, it may be a minor concern, but if you neglect it, it can develop into a much more significant and expensive one. Fortunately, there are ways to find out where the squeaks come from and what to do about them.
Most frequent reasons
Most often, plastic trim parts creak, sing and click. Sometimes this happens due to time, that is, long-term use, and sometimes – after negligent assembly during repairs. There are models in which squeaks are a well-known manufacturing defect, and experts recommend avoiding them.
Creaks are more pronounced in cold weather, and in summer, when it’s hot, they can disappear altogether. One way or another, so that the annoying creaking does not interfere, it must be localized and eliminated.
How to get rid of an irritating squeak
First, you need to empty all containers and storage areas (door pockets, glove compartment, armrest niche, etc.) of everything, including small items. After all, even a paperclip stuck in a crack in the glove compartment can cause annoying noises. After this, with a bright flashlight, you need to carefully examine all the places where the connections of plastic parts are visible. If you see whitish abrasion or fine plastic dust, you’ve found the sound source. If not, move your hand on the part you suspect. Need help determining the location of the squeak? Place your assistant next to you and go on a test trip. An assistant is needed because people sitting in different places inside the car hear squeaks differently, which helps to determine where the sound is coming from.
Car mechanics from the Indy Auto Man service station listed the sound sources they revealed in the cars of their clients. There were squeaking keys on the instrument panel, a scraping sound from the side panel in the driver’s feet (the fastening pistons worn out), a dangling lever for switching on the turn signals, a bundle of wires inside the driver’s seat, reaching out with small blows to the upholstery from the inside, a central mirror vibrating to the rhythm of the engine, a zooming speedometer cable, an armrest on the central tunnel that vibrates from the rotation of the cardan underneath.
If all the experiments are unsuccessful, difficult work lies ahead to dismantle the most suspicious parts. Sometimes, in search of a “cricket” that has settled behind the dashboard, you have to remove and disassemble the entire front panel. This is a long job, during which you will have to meticulously go through all the connections, looking for something unscrewed, broken or loose pistons, loose fittings in the air duct sockets, and so on. It would be a good idea to glue suspicious joints and connections with anti-squeak tape and coat the axes of plastic flaps, all kinds of levers, and buttons in places of friction with a drop of silicone grease. In general, this is a job for a tuning studio or a garage company – depending on the capabilities and habits of the car owner.
The main thing after this is to just as carefully and slowly put the parts back together, paying attention to the places where they touch. Place and secure all harnesses, cables, and rods, snap all the pistons, and tighten the threaded fasteners. The result will almost certainly please you.
Dangerous sounds
It’s worse if suspension parts, power unit supports, or, in short, everything that is not in the cabin but under the hood or bottom creaks or clicks. It is better to search for creaking components of the technical part of the car on a lift, although you can reveal some issues right in the parking lot. For example, a squeaking ball joint produces a very characteristic cracking sound when turning the front wheels and rocking the car from side to side (it is enough to rock the car while holding a wide open door or roof rack). You can press on the edge of the hood, but be careful not to dent it. This requires two people – one swings, and the other listens, simultaneously touching the part. A noticeable vibration always accompanies such a creaking. By the way, sometimes you can detect a squeaking silent block by rocking the car and confirming your guess by spraying it with any aerosol lubricant. You need to catch this sound in dry weather. Otherwise, the creaking silent blocks, like other suspension parts, may subside, using moisture as a lubricant.
The situation is worse with knocks. There may be a play in the shock absorbers, stabilizers, steering rack, suspension elements, and engine mounts. All this is very professional work that few amateurs can do.
Problems in body
Diagnosing knocks and squeaks coming from body parts is even more tricky. In 99% of cases, the reasons for this are an accident and subsequent poor-quality repairs. And if you can easily adjust the hood that touches the opening, achieving silence from an incorrectly hung door that was not straightened after an accident will be much more difficult.
In general, fighting extraneous noise is a creative activity that requires attentiveness and a lot of time. But if you follow the rules of deduction and take your time, you can find even the most unpleasant and deeply hidden sounds. Otherwise, it is always worth visiting a service station for diagnostics.