Here is a simple guide to help you determine what noises your car is making and if it's bad or not.
Metallic rattling or clattering on startup that last for 5-10 seconds. If you should happen to hear this ominous (but relieving sound when it goes away fast), you'll be happy to know this is often an easy fix, but if ignored can become fatal for your engine. Some vehicles have a belt or chain hidden inside them. These are called "Timing Belts" or "Timing Chains". They work hand-in-hand with your car's computer to keep your vehicle running "in time" and efficiently. Some manufacturers recommend replacing them after a certain amount of miles, such as Subaru and Honda. When that noise happens, the usual cause is your vehicle is low on oil. Simply check to ensure your oil is at the proper level and most times, your engine will stop doing that when oil is added. Many vehicles operate on oil pressure to regulate certain timing functions, so low oil levels are the usual cause. If your level is good and you still hear sound, take your vehicle to a mechanic you trust and have them look it over. Oil is the life-blood of the engine. Without it, your engine will undoubtedly make noises and cause problems that you don't want to deal with.
Blue or White smoke is billowing from tailpipe. All tailpipe emissions are products of the mini-explosions happening from inside the 4, 6, 8, 10, etc cylinders of your engine. Pure air and fuel burns clear-ish with a tint of light grey mixed in. But sometimes other outside materials work their way into the combustion chamber and cause the billows of smoke. These issues are rarely minor and will eventually lead to either a top-end engine rebuild or a complete teardown. White smoke is generally indicative of coolant being burnt with your air/fuel. Most likely this is head gasket failure and left unchecked will make things worse the more you run it. Blue (or Grey) smoke is generally indicative of an oil leak working its way into the cylinder. Sometimes piston rings lose their seal and you burn oil from the bottom of the engine. Other times, it leaks through head valves or broken gaskets. These are just as potentially fatal as the white smoke and should be checked out by a trusted mechanic. While the option is often there to try additives to fix these issues, they normally end up in engine over haul and can be pricey.
Loud tick-tick-tick from exhaust manifolds and stops after a while. This issue isn't a death sentence. This generally happens on trucks and SUVs. The exhaust manifolds have a habit of cracking and breaking bolts after time. Normally, as the engine heats up, the manifolds get so hot they seal back up because of thermal expansion. Then later on, once the engine cools again, they will come back. While this is not fatal to the engine, the fix is not easy or cheap. We highly recommend taking the vehicle to a trusted mechanic and getting it diagnosed to find the severity of the exhaust leak at the manifold.
High-pitched whine that is synchronized with the steering wheel movement. Here's a good one that could go both ways of cheap or expensive fixes. Most likely that noise is the power-steering pump running low on power-steering fluid. Some vehicles have electric steering systems, so this won't apply to all vehicles. If you can find your power-steering reservoir, most likely you'll find it needs to be filled back up again. However, this often indicates a leak in your hydraulic steering system. Most leaks are minor and you'll rarely ever see a drip on the floor from it. Other leaks are from the steering rack leaking. More common is the steering pump is starting to wear down and leak slowly and your mechanic will recommend a new pump. Generally, you'll be safe to add fluid and won't hear it again for a while.
Squealing noise that goes away after 10 seconds and/or chirping noise every few seconds. This is the easiest fix by far of these sounds. If you notice a chirping sound or a squealing sound that goes away most of the time, it's simply time for a new serpentine/drive belt. Some companies offer a "belt silencer" and I believe Tik-Tok has a video of someone using deodorant to silence their truck belt! But the truth is, these fixes work -- temporarily, but they do work. The best fix is to bite the proverbial bullet and get the serpentine belt replaced. Sometimes, the noises are caused by worn pulleys or bad AC compressors. We definitely recommend you have your mechanic check this noise out and most times the fix is inexpensive.
In conclusion, noises and things we may see in our car startup performance are no joke and may be showing signs of underlying issues. While there are many other symptoms we could have covered, these are the most common issues we as auto technicians see. This post is not to be a replacement for trusted, professional technician diagnostics. It's merely advice and help to those who may be seeking help to figure out what's going on with their vehicle. We are here to serve you and make your life easier by helping you with your car.
Until next time, have a great rest of your week!
The CarKeeper
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