What is wrong with my car?
October 20, 2011 7:58 AM Subscribe
My car has started making a grinding noise. A trip to the mechanic is in order, but before I go I'd like to have an idea of what the problem might be.
I drive a 2005 Subaru Outback (an automatic). When I start driving there is a grinding noise, originating from the driver's side front tire area, that disappears after I've driven a couple blocks. It's not a high-pitched squeak, and there is no additional sound or softness when I break. I first noticed the noise this summer while I was on vacation, but after I got home the noise stopped. That was two months ago.
I don't know if this is related, but the weather where I was vacationing was cooler by a good 20-25 degrees than where I live. It was as soon as the temps started cooling down this fall that the noise came back.
I drive a 2005 Subaru Outback (an automatic). When I start driving there is a grinding noise, originating from the driver's side front tire area, that disappears after I've driven a couple blocks. It's not a high-pitched squeak, and there is no additional sound or softness when I break. I first noticed the noise this summer while I was on vacation, but after I got home the noise stopped. That was two months ago.
I don't know if this is related, but the weather where I was vacationing was cooler by a good 20-25 degrees than where I live. It was as soon as the temps started cooling down this fall that the noise came back.
If your car is front wheel drive, it may also be the CV joint. Occasionally, the boots on those can tear, allowing crud to get in there and in between the gears.
posted by Gilbert at 8:20 AM on October 20, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 8:20 AM on October 20, 2011
I just had a grinding noise too, it was brakes, trusted mechanic said I was lucky it hadn't caused an accident. He wouldn't even let me drive it three blocks home and bring it back this morning when the parts arrived. Please get this checked out ASAP.
posted by mareli at 8:32 AM on October 20, 2011
posted by mareli at 8:32 AM on October 20, 2011
There are some things you can check for yourself.
First, inspect the wheel area visually. Look for odd things like rocks trapped behind your hubcaps or sticks or junk caught in the space behind the wheel. I once had a loud grinding noise in my old car and it was a rock. Really look around, sometimes the answer is obvious even if you don't have much car knowledge.
Second, look under the car at the rotating parts/long shafts that connect to the wheel. There should be some accordion-shaped rubber "boots" - that is the CV joint mentioned here. Any tear in the rubber means that it needs replacing. The tears that happen are usually visually obvious.
If you are feeling very adventurous, use your car jack to lift up the front of your car as though you were going to replace the tire. Chock the back wheels with something, and apply the parking brake before jacking it up. Then put the car in Neutral and spin the wheel. You will be able to feel if the grinding is coming from the "center" of the wheel or elsewhere in the car. That will tell you if it is the wheel bearing/brakes or... something else.
Whatever you do, take it to a good local mechanic and not a Jiffy-lube type place.
You should get an answer like you heard here - CV joint, wheel bearing, or brakes. Those are the most common failures that produce that kind of sound in that part of your car.
posted by fake at 8:37 AM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
First, inspect the wheel area visually. Look for odd things like rocks trapped behind your hubcaps or sticks or junk caught in the space behind the wheel. I once had a loud grinding noise in my old car and it was a rock. Really look around, sometimes the answer is obvious even if you don't have much car knowledge.
Second, look under the car at the rotating parts/long shafts that connect to the wheel. There should be some accordion-shaped rubber "boots" - that is the CV joint mentioned here. Any tear in the rubber means that it needs replacing. The tears that happen are usually visually obvious.
If you are feeling very adventurous, use your car jack to lift up the front of your car as though you were going to replace the tire. Chock the back wheels with something, and apply the parking brake before jacking it up. Then put the car in Neutral and spin the wheel. You will be able to feel if the grinding is coming from the "center" of the wheel or elsewhere in the car. That will tell you if it is the wheel bearing/brakes or... something else.
Whatever you do, take it to a good local mechanic and not a Jiffy-lube type place.
You should get an answer like you heard here - CV joint, wheel bearing, or brakes. Those are the most common failures that produce that kind of sound in that part of your car.
posted by fake at 8:37 AM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
To expand on fake's comment, I really strongly recommend that people buy the Chilton or Haynes manual. They have routine maintenance, repair tips, and troubleshooting information. They often cover "strange noises" or other issues, and potential solutions, and unlike the internet you can spread it out on the garage floor and flip through it while you work.
posted by Stagger Lee at 8:41 AM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Stagger Lee at 8:41 AM on October 20, 2011 [2 favorites]
Can you make the noise and upload it for us on youtube.
posted by TheBones at 9:32 AM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by TheBones at 9:32 AM on October 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
I agree that it's probably the brakes. If you have disc brakes you will get rust on your rotors if your car sits for a while and it's a damp or humid climate. After you've used the brakes a few times it will grind the rust off and the sound will go away. The strange thing is that it's only happening on one corner. So I'd go and look at your brake on that wheel and see if you can spot something. And of course if you're not handy with working on cars please take it to a good local mechanic as said above and let them diagnose the problem. Cartalk has a review section where you might be able to find a good mechanic.
posted by white_devil at 9:36 AM on October 20, 2011
posted by white_devil at 9:36 AM on October 20, 2011
Just remember: even though people here are giving you an idea of what it might be, don't share your suspicions with your mechanics. And I say mechanics, because you should take it to two of 'em, and let them decide what it might be. If their opinions jibe, then you can shop on price and reputation, and if they don't, then get a third opinion/come back here.
posted by davejay at 12:12 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by davejay at 12:12 PM on October 20, 2011
I will second that it could be a wheel bearing, as your description sounds a lot like what I just went through with my car. It only made sounds at the beginning of my drive as well.
Mine wasn't tied to the temperature though....
posted by hellogoodbye at 3:19 PM on October 20, 2011
Mine wasn't tied to the temperature though....
posted by hellogoodbye at 3:19 PM on October 20, 2011
Intermittent faults are hard and expensive to diagnose and, given that the fault only occurs when you first start driving, it isn't going to make that noise when a mechanic is looking at it. Don't fall into the trap of giving it to a mechanic to start replacing parts until the noise goes away - if they don't know what it is, keep looking.
My best guess is a wheel bearing - as the grease heats up, it's characteristics change and the noise goes away due to better lubrication. This type of noise is almost always brake-related but the fact that it varies with temperature adds a strange wrinkle.
posted by dg at 8:31 PM on October 20, 2011
My best guess is a wheel bearing - as the grease heats up, it's characteristics change and the noise goes away due to better lubrication. This type of noise is almost always brake-related but the fact that it varies with temperature adds a strange wrinkle.
posted by dg at 8:31 PM on October 20, 2011
A bad wheel bearing or CV joint will typically make a noise that corresponds to the speed of the car, regardless of the engine's RPMs. So you might be able to isolate it that way. The noise bad breaks make should correspond to their application, so that's probably not it. A bad transmission can make all kinds of noises while the car is under way, but should quiet down while in neutral.
posted by fartknocker at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by fartknocker at 10:20 PM on October 20, 2011
When my car made a horrible noise immediately upon starting that went away shortly, it was the timing chain. That was more of a rattle and less of a grind, though. If it IS the timing chain, you want to get that replaced sharpish, because if it breaks, it can ruin your engine.
posted by KathrynT at 10:57 PM on October 20, 2011
posted by KathrynT at 10:57 PM on October 20, 2011
KathrynT, I'm very surprised that you actually had a chain break -- they don't typically require (and I've never even heard of one needing) replacement. The Outback has a chain on the 6-cylinder models, and a belt (which DO break, and DO need replacement regularly) on the 4s.
posted by ellF at 11:42 AM on October 21, 2011
posted by ellF at 11:42 AM on October 21, 2011
It didn't break, but it was VERY loose. It might have been a belt, not a chain, I have the Car Dumb. The car is a 1999 Toyota Camry.
posted by KathrynT at 3:42 PM on October 21, 2011
posted by KathrynT at 3:42 PM on October 21, 2011
Ah! Yes, 99 Camry is belt-driven. If the OP has a V4 Outback, they might consider checking belt tension, although I wouldn't expect to hear that from the wheelwell.
Hoping that helloknitty can post here again once it's been looked at, as I suspect we'd all like to hear what it really was.
posted by ellF at 8:57 AM on October 22, 2011
Hoping that helloknitty can post here again once it's been looked at, as I suspect we'd all like to hear what it really was.
posted by ellF at 8:57 AM on October 22, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Without hearing it, my money is on something grinding against the rotor. What you were noticing that stopped could have been the pads wearing down, and the cheaters making noise; if the pads have been worn past the cheaters, then the rotors are likely becoming scored. They could be expanding slightly as they heat up, causing the sound to stop.
When did you last replace your brake pads?
posted by ellF at 8:04 AM on October 20, 2011