You are driving along, and all of a sudden, your engine starts to make a strange noise. Should you pull over? To play it safe, we recommend that you do pull over and have your SUV, car, or truck towed to our shop. This prevents additional engine damage if something is seriously wrong.
Growling
For example, if your engine is growling or grinding, you may have a problem with the oil circulation. You may also have a problem with the oil level. Either of these things can damage the engine irreparably. The water pump will also growl in front of the engine if it is going bad.
Hissing
A hissing noise can signal that you have a leaking vacuum hose in the engine. You can continue to drive your automobile if the vacuum hose is leaking, but you may start to have problems with the engine’s performance. Hissing can also be a sign of a fuel, oil, or coolant leak.
Knocking
If you just filled up with an octane rating that is lower than what is recommended for your automobile, this is most likely why the engine is knocking. If you have worn rod bearings in the cylinder block, the engine will knock constantly. In this case, the pistons can damage the cylinders.
Popping
A loud, popping noise can indicate that you’ve got a hole in the muffler. In addition to the popping sound, your engine may also be extremely loud. Unfortunately, popping can also be a sign of a leaking exhaust manifold. Finally, the catalytic converter may pop if it is clogged.
Rumbling
Speaking of the catalytic converter, the engine will rumble loudly while it is running if the catalytic converter has been stolen. The engine will also rumble loudly if the muffler needs to be replaced. You could get a moving violation ticket if the engine is extremely loud.
Squealing
Finally, the most common reason why an engine will squeal is a loose serpentine belt. This will make the engine squeal loudly when you first turn it on. As an aside, the brakes can also start to squeal if the brake system is overheating or the brake pads need to be replaced.
If your automobile is making strange noises, bring it to our shop so we can diagnose the problem and repair it. If you are concerned that the noises are damaging the engine, again, have the vehicle towed to our shop to prevent driving it and causing further problems.