Your car is talking to you, might as well listen

Believe or not, your car is actually talking to you. It’s not using words, obviously, but with certain sounds it is trying to communicate to you what is happening beneath the hood. For owners, this may be something they want to pay attention to.

It is therefore imperative that you take the time to investigate any sound that may be coming from your engine. By investigating, we mean making a note to tell your dealership about the noise the next time you are in for service. It can also be a good idea to give your dealership a call if you hear a very particular noise as that could save you a lot of problems and money.

“Some clients don’t like mimicking a sound that they heard, but most often the noise you heard is frequent and we will recognize it immediately. For our mechanics, it saves a lot of time to be able to know what a sound was and approximately where it came from”, says a service technician at Lallier Honda Repentigny.

If you hear a growling sound coming from the engine, your timing belt may need to be replaced or your alternator may have a problem.

If you hear a knocking sound, it may be related to your engine’s combustion. That means you may need to use a fuel with a higher octane level, or adjustor the engine’s injectors.

A squeaking noise when braking means that your brake pads may need to be replaced, although sometimes it can just mean that they are dirty or cold, and the noise will go away eventually after a few kilometers on the road.

The key here is that anytime you hear a noise that seems unfamiliar and that does not want to go away, or occurs in very specific situations like going over a bump or when braking, it’s best to have it checked out as soon as possible.