When you own a car, noises come with the territory. From rattles and creaks to squealing, you will hear a variety of sounds from your vehicle over its life. Some of these noises are common and normal. They do not indicate a problem. Many rattles fall into this category. However, some noises should not be ignored. 

If you hear the three noises described in the rest of this article coming from your vehicle, you need to bring it into Ethan’s Honest Automotive immediately. 

Three Car Noises You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you hear one of the three noises described below, don’t ignore it. These noises can indicate a major problem with your vehicle. The sooner you have the car looked at by a professional mechanic, the better. Most car problems get worse as time passes, so faster maintenance means less chance of a complete system failure. 

Therefore, you should keep an ear out for the following noises. 

1)Hissing
Hissing is never a good sound. Often people associate hissing with snakes. In that animal, the hiss is a warning. Cars are not animals, but hissing is a warning for them too. It means that your car has a leak. 

Leaks can occur anywhere there is air or fluid, which in many locations in your vehicle. If you hear the hiss down by the tires, you may have an air leak. Hissing coming from the engine often means there is a leak in a hose. Depending on the hose that has a leak, you may also notice pooling liquid underneath your car in addition to the hiss. Hissing can also occur when there are radiator problems. The number of potential issues causing the hiss means that you will need a professional to properly diagnose and treat the issue. 

2)Screeching
Screeching, especially when you use your brakes, is not a good sign. Brake screeching indicates that your brake pads have worn down. Brake pads typically need to be replaced every 10,000-20,000 miles. Your vehicle’s manual will tell you the recommended replacement schedule for your car. 

As the brake pads wear down over time, they make the metal of the brakes press on metal when you use your brakes. The longer you allow this sound to continue, the more worn your brake pads will become. Worn brake pads eventually fail, so you must get the screech fixed as soon as you hear it. 

3)Clunking
Clunks often come from the undercarriage. They may be loudest when you drive over a bump and be accompanied by a choppy ride. Clunking in this situation usually indicates an issue with your shocks. The more your suspension system deteriorates, the worse your drive will be. Clunking coupled with an uneven ride means you need to have your shocks looked at asap. 

While you shouldn’t panic at every noise your car makes, some need to be taken more seriously than others. Clunks, screeches, and hissing are all sounds to pay attention to. For those people in the Cache Valley area, hearing one of these three sounds means you need to take your car to Ethan’s Honest Automotive right away.