The roar of a car engine is like music to many people’s ears, but sometimes that noise can be overshadowed by other sounds that definitely shouldn’t be coming from the vehicle. If you find that your car is making some horrible sounds, Scrap Car Comparison is here to explain what the problem might be. This post will talk about the different grinding noises that your car could make and how to fix them.
If your car is too far gone and it’s ready for the crusher, get a quote from Scrap Car Comparison today where we’ll find you the very best price offered by scrap and salvage buyers in your local area. Our network spans 99% of the UK and we offer free collection for every customer, at no extra cost!
Car Is Making A Grinding Noise When Braking
If you’re hearing a grinding noise when you press the brakes, you could be driving a deathtrap. There are two possibilities at play, and either problem will need rectifying as soon as possible.
The better of the two scenarios involves debris from the road becoming lodged between your brake calliper and the rotor disk. If you’re able to locate this and remove it safely, then the sound should stop and you should be good to go – although if you think any serious damage has been done, let a professional mechanic take a look at the components before setting off on your next outing.
The worst case scenario (and unfortunately, the more common one) will see you needing new brake pads, and urgently. If you’ve been driving along with the same brake pads for a few too many miles, they’ll start to wear out and eventually, the rotor disk and calliper will begin to rub against each other. This is very bad news and new brake pads should be fitted as soon as you’re able to get the car to a mechanic.
Car Is Making A Grinding Noise When Driving At Low Speeds
If your car is producing a horrible grinding noise while you’re travelling slowly, you might need to get a few different parts looked at before you can accurately determine the cause.
It might be your wheel bearings that are causing the noise, if they’re not allowing the wheels to turn with total freedom and are instead causing friction.
The problem might also lie with the brake pads or rotors, especially if they’ve been put through thousands of miles. When the surface of the pads or rotors begins to deform, it can cause a grinding noise, particularly when you slow the car down. Anything regarding brakes is, of course, absolutely essential, so these should be kept in working order and replaced when necessary without hesitation.
A lack of transmission fluid could also be to blame, with this problem causing the vehicle’s transmission to grind and you might even experience some shaking and difficulty shifting gear.
A worn-out CV joint could result in the vehicle producing a grinding noise, which would be especially prominent when cornering. This noise doesn’t come without risk of breakdown, so it’s recommended that these are replaced sharpish.
Finally, if your car parts are simply lacking lubrication, it can cause a grinding noise. This might be the easiest to rectify, but it could actually cause some significant damage! The longer that grinding noise goes on, the more the touching metal parts will wear down!
Car Makes Grinding Noise When Turning
If your car is making a grinding noise while turning specifically, then either (or both) the CV joints or wheel bearings are likely to blame. The noise will be produced by friction between two or more metal components that should not be touching each other, and it’s possible that you could hear this more loudly when turning to one particular direction than the other.
Car Wheel Makes A Grinding Noise
If you’ve determined that the source of the grinding noise appears to be the steering wheel itself, it’s quite likely that your power steering fluid is either low or contaminated. This should be examined by someone who knows what they’re looking for (ideally a mechanic) and either topped up or replaced as necessary.
Grinding Noise When Putting Manual Car In Reverse
If you’re getting a grinding noise from your manual car when you shift into reverse, it could be because the gearbox has not yet fully disengaged, meaning the gears are still rotating. The simplest cause of this is that you might be lifting the clutch before the correct gear has been properly selected – take a moment to think about your clutch control and if you think this is what’s happening, slow down your foot movement a little bit the next time you need to go backwards.
If that’s not it though, another solution could be to throw the car into a forward gear before quickly putting it back into reverse. Then, we’d advise taking the car to have its transmission and clutch looked over by a mechanic.
Grinding Noise When Putting Automatic Car In Reverse
A grinding noise from an automatic car could still point towards the disengagement issue, although it’s more difficult to tell since the car does the gear shifting for you. A far less serious problem (at least, initially) could simply be a lack of lubrication in the gears.
If your transmission is about to fail, or has already let you down, sell your car with Scrap Car Comparison and we’ll find you the best offer for your vehicle from scrap and salvage buyers in your local area. We only partner with professionally registered Authorised Treatment Facilities, meaning that your car or van will be disposed of in the safest and most environmentally friendly way possible. What’s more, we even offer free collection to all of our customers regardless of where they are in the UK! So, get a quote by calling 03333 44 99 50 or by using our scrap value calculator and find out what your old car is worth today!
