Find a mechanic for ticking & rattling sounds

Rattling or Ticking Noise in your Car

If you can hear a rattling, ticking or banging noise coming from your car while you are driving or even while the vehicle is stationary, its essential that you find out what the problem is and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

There are a huge variety of noises that are produced as the result of something going wrong in your car which makes diagnosing something specific, almost impossible.

That’s why you need to do your best to identify the noise as specifically as possible!

If you gather the answers to the following questions and pass the information on to a trained professional, you can make the repair a lot quicker and cheaper!

Find where the noise is coming from exactly by sitting passengers in the car and telling them to try and listen to where the noise is coming from. If it is close to one wheel, in the front or beneath the seats, a mechanic will be able to rule a huge amount of issue out.

What is the car doing when the noise is being emitted? Are you turning a corner? Accelerating? Slowing down? Once more, identifying this will enable a mechanic to rule a huge amount of problems out. If the is only heard when slowing down, then it very may well be your brakes.

If you only heard the noise once and are worried about what it was, then the conditions in which you heard the noise could be to blame. For example, if it was extremely warm and you heard your engine making a strange noise then it could have been the cooling system failing. Mentioning the conditions in which the noise began can help a mechanic further.

Here are some of the most common noises that are caused by any problem and what the problem is likely to be.

Under the hood

Squealing

If you notice a rubbery squeal being emitted from the engine area which gradually gets worse over time, you may have a loose serpentine belt or there may be an issue with the; air conditioning, power steering pump or water pump.

Bubbling

A bubbling noise is likely to be caused by air being trapped in the fluids that run around the engine. Antifreeze or coolant run through a car engine to keep it cool and sometimes air can get mixed into the liquid.

This is when a bubbling sound is emitted.

Clicking

Older cars will typically be effected by problems that cause clicking or ticking as valves naturally wear down over time or even get loose. However, there are a huge number of issues that could cause a clicking noise so a full diagnostic will be required to find out what it is exactly.

Hissing or Whistling

A leaky vacuum hose or a stressed cambelt/serpentine belt can be a likely cause of hissing from within an engine.

Beneath the car noises

Hard clunk

You may hear this noise from below you when sitting in the car when you change gears which would obviously point to an issue with your transmission.

Ticking

If there is a ticking noise coming from the exhaust when you turn the car off, don’t worry, its simply the exhaust system cooling down.

Whining

Whining from the bottom of the car can mean that the gears in the driveline are worn down or it could mean that the differential fluid is in need of replacement.

Rattling

This noise is likely to be caused by loose components of the exhaust system.

Noises from the tyres or suspension

Knocking

If you’re traveling above 40mph and you hear a knocking sound, the constant velocity joint may have become worn down.

Alternatively, if the sound is made while the car is turning, a wheel bearing may be about to fail!

Squeaking

If your car squeaks when you go over a bump in the road, this could mean that the rubber bushings which dampen vibrations are worn down.

Clicking or ticking

A stone or something else may have become lodged in the frame of the wheel if you hear the frequency of the noise increasing as you speed up and decreasing as you slow down.

Howling

If a tyre is giving out a howling sound, there is likely to be an alignment issue.

Noises while braking

Squealing or squeaking

This is likely to be caused by a metal wear indicator in the brake pad being exposed or a brake pad is no longer secure and is ‘hanging’.

Loud Clunk

If your hear this noise and you’re sure it has come from the brakes, something will have become loose and the brakes may no longer be in use.

Grinding

A grinding noise is an obvious sign of metal coming into contact with metal meaning the brake pads may have completely work away.

These are the most common sounds you will hear if there is an issue in the car, however, there are bound to be a huge variety of noises which will be caused by a diverse range of issues.

That is why you should simply do your best to locate where the noise is coming from before getting in touch with a trained professional.

Finding a mechanic you can trust to do a good job and charge a fair price, is not always easy which is why we simplified the process.

We work with a network of 17,745 mechanics and garages across the UK so we can find competitive repair deals for you.

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You can then compare the quotes and read reviews from previous customers to find the best deal in your area, before booking the repair online.