Is your car haunted, making spooky sounds?

All Hallows Eve or Halloween is practically here and it can be a fun or pretty creepy time. If you have a vehicle that is making weird noises, it just might be possessed!  Nah…only Kidding!

Strange noises could oftentimes signal problems that might not drain your bank account, if you act quickly. The sounds that your vehicle is making are warnings that something is wrong and might be on the verge of going. One thing I’ve learned throughout the years as a driver is to not ignore my vehicle when it is trying to talk to me. Whenever I’ve ignored my vehicle’s noises in the past, the problem only worsened and wound up costing me a ransom.

Here are some spooky vehicle sounds that you should absolutely NOT ignore:

Flapping—could signal that there might be something interfering with the fan or your belt might be on its way out

Grinding--manual transmission when shifting—might be clutch-related; it is probably worn, needs adjustment; OR this could mean that your tranny is acting up—SHEESH!

Pinging--you might want to rethink the fuel that you’re using, it might not be the best quality for your engine, you might want to try a higher octane. On the flip side it might be worth your while to get your ignition timing checked.

Screeching--when you brake could signal worn brake pads

Thumping—a loose pulley could be the culprit or loose exhaust pipe

Whining—differential or transmission wear

Hissing—if you hear this sound when you shut off your vehicle, something is leaking. It could be coolant or oil hitting a part of the hot engine like the exhaust manifold; a vacuum line might be leaky or disconnected, or the engine is overheating. A hiss can also come from a loose sparkplug or the exhaust system and/or catalytic converter is plugged.

Knocking—I’ve been there, LORD, have I been THERE!!! This NOT-TO-BE-IGNORED sound can be soft or loud. Soft engine knocking could indicate a loose piston pin; a heavier knock could result in a diagnosis of defective crank-shaft bearings, worn water pump, cracked or broken flywheel or flex-plate that attaches the engine to the transmission, a failing air conditioner compressor or an alternator with worn rotor bearings. But here’s some good news…you might not have to wipe out your savings if it just turns out to be an out-of-time engine or a clogged air filter.

Rumbling—wheel bearing wear

Ticking—Engine valves might need adjustment; engine sludge, engine valve lifters are collapsed, or engine valves are just plain ole stuck

BOO!

--Car Chick