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Cars can make some awesome sounds. From an engine revving in your favorite "Fast & Furious" movie to the exhaust note of your grandpa's old muscle car, car sounds are a regular and well-recognized part of life.
But as nostalgic as some sounds are, other car sounds are enough to ruin your day. Maintenance schedules are easy to follow, but sometimes your car will tell you when it needs service. Not to worry, however, the folks at the Ken Garff have excellent hearing—"We hear you" isn't just a tagline, it's a reality. Not only do they hear you, but they also hear all the weird sounds your engine makes.
Here are five sounds to listen for that might mean it's time for service.
Belts
Have you ever started your car only for it to squeal out like a stuck pig? Cars aren't pigs, and that squealing isn't just your car waking up — it's a cry for help from your engine's belts. Mia Bevacqua of Repair Pal said accessory belts for your air conditioner, power steering, or alternator could be the culprit. Or, with most newer cars, it could be the serpentine belt, which powers multiple accessory components.
Not sure what the squealing could be? Let the service crew at Ken Garff check it out. They've heard all the squeals.
Brakes/rotors
Few components on a car are as essential to your safety as your brakes, and boy, they'll let you know when they need replacing. Jeff Youngs of NADA Guides said, when brake pads are getting close to being completely worn, they'll start to squeak when you apply the brakes. Thankfully, new brake pads are a relatively simple and inexpensive service item.
However, if you ignore the squeaks, you'll soon hear a more pronounced metal-on-metal grinding sound. This sound could mean you're now wearing down the rotors and will need to get them resurfaced or replaced — and that's a bit more costly than just replacing brake pads.
Wiper blades
It's pretty easy to tell if your wiper blades need replacing. Daniel Fan writing for LinkedIn said to listen for any sounds or behavior produced by your wiper blades that aren't normal. This rule of thumb is obvious, but it's true.
Worn wiper blades will chatter, skip, squeak, or even outright scratch your windshield. Replacing wiper blades is pretty straightforward on most vehicles, but if you need help, the folks at Ken Garff are happy to help.
Tires
Tires don't necessarily make a tell-tale sound when they're worn, but they can cry out in some interesting ways. You may hear a "whomp whomp" sound when driving. This could be a blister or bulging sidewall in the tire. Christopher Lampton of How Stuff Works also said a bad tire could produce excessive vibration while driving. This could mean your tires are misaligned, unbalanced, or something else.
Regardless, if you sense an above-normal amount of vibration, or other strange sounds coming from your tires while driving, it's best to get them checked out ASAP.
Alerts
Modern cars are loaded with technology and if something in your vehicle needs addressing, your vehicle is going to, in very overt ways, notify you about it. If your vehicle's dash has a light on, a warning sound, or an alert chime with a message on the screen, take it in for service. Jen McCaffery of Reader's Digest writes that while you might try and milk out a few more days (or months) out of the car before ponying up for what could be a costly repair, chances are you'll just spend more later by neglecting the issue.
If your car is making a weird noise, don't let it get worse. Take your car to an expert at Ken Garff. They can get your car up and running quickly—and eliminate those concerning sounds. To schedule service, go to the Ken Garff website.
