Do I have a mouse in my dashboard?
April 13, 2008 7:39 PM Subscribe
FunnyCarNoiseFilter: very high-pitched whistling/ squeaking/ chirping noise coming from dashboard vicinity on the right side.
It's quiet but noticeable. Occurs inconsistently, so I can't correlate it with any particular action in the car. My trifling car knowledge suspects something to do with a belt? Problem: I have a 4-5 hour drive scheduled in a few days. I'm busy and would rather not rush around for a mechanic pre-departure if I don't have to. I also know a mechanic at my destination who can check things out when I arrive.
Will my car survive the drive? Or should I err on the side of caution and get this checked out before I leave? The car is a '99 Corolla.
It's quiet but noticeable. Occurs inconsistently, so I can't correlate it with any particular action in the car. My trifling car knowledge suspects something to do with a belt? Problem: I have a 4-5 hour drive scheduled in a few days. I'm busy and would rather not rush around for a mechanic pre-departure if I don't have to. I also know a mechanic at my destination who can check things out when I arrive.
Will my car survive the drive? Or should I err on the side of caution and get this checked out before I leave? The car is a '99 Corolla.
If it's not louder out of the car than in, then there is every chance it is the blower motor, or a leaf in the vents, especially if it is really high pitched. If it is a squealing noise that is worse when you accelerate, it is likely to be a belt, but that will certainly last until your destination if it is mild enough for you to consider 'chirping' as a descriptor.
I don't think it is serious, it's the wrong kind of noise for that.
posted by Brockles at 8:00 PM on April 13, 2008 [1 favorite]
I don't think it is serious, it's the wrong kind of noise for that.
posted by Brockles at 8:00 PM on April 13, 2008 [1 favorite]
Well, typically belts are pretty damn loud when they start to slip. They produce a distinctive squealing sound, sounds sort of like tires screeching on pavement. Typically not a big deal, fix when it's convenient. However, there are other things that could be causing a high pitched whine, like bad wheel bearings, that might be more pressing if you're planning a long drive. It could also be the ventilation system in your car, try turning the fan off when you hear the noise and see if it disappears. (On preview: yeah.)
Regarding belts:
There are a few different belts in your car. The common ones to squeak are the alternator belt and the power steering belt. The belts will squeal if they are not properly tightened, or if the rubber has degraded to the point where it will not grip the pulleys correctly.
If it's the alternator belt, it will typically squeal when you first start the car, and it will tend to go away as the car warms up. Revving the engine will also sometimes help. It will also slip sometimes when you come to a stop at a traffic signal. The power steering belt would typically squeal when you are attempting low speed turns, for example, turning into a parking spot.
There are other belts, to drive things like fans, air conditioning, and to control the timing in your engine. If there was a timing belt issue, your car would run like crap or not run at all, and typically these belts cannot slip and squeal like accessory belts, because of the way they're designed.
The short answer is, most of the time a slipping belt is a pretty small issue. If the alternator belt slips too much, your battery might eventually be drained because it's not receiving sufficient current from the alternator. If it's only slipping intermittently, it's not too likely to be an issue. The power steering belt won't stop you from driving the car, although the wheel may be more difficult to turn when the belt is slipping. If you can't get to a mechanic before the trip, I would simply drive it as is.
posted by knave at 8:03 PM on April 13, 2008
Regarding belts:
There are a few different belts in your car. The common ones to squeak are the alternator belt and the power steering belt. The belts will squeal if they are not properly tightened, or if the rubber has degraded to the point where it will not grip the pulleys correctly.
If it's the alternator belt, it will typically squeal when you first start the car, and it will tend to go away as the car warms up. Revving the engine will also sometimes help. It will also slip sometimes when you come to a stop at a traffic signal. The power steering belt would typically squeal when you are attempting low speed turns, for example, turning into a parking spot.
There are other belts, to drive things like fans, air conditioning, and to control the timing in your engine. If there was a timing belt issue, your car would run like crap or not run at all, and typically these belts cannot slip and squeal like accessory belts, because of the way they're designed.
The short answer is, most of the time a slipping belt is a pretty small issue. If the alternator belt slips too much, your battery might eventually be drained because it's not receiving sufficient current from the alternator. If it's only slipping intermittently, it's not too likely to be an issue. The power steering belt won't stop you from driving the car, although the wheel may be more difficult to turn when the belt is slipping. If you can't get to a mechanic before the trip, I would simply drive it as is.
posted by knave at 8:03 PM on April 13, 2008
Wow! A very similar yhing happened to me today: high pitched whistling, actually coming from under the hood (but I could hear it at all time when sitting in the car, coming from behind the dash). It was an air intake cable that had a hole. If you find this to be the case, some duck tape will do the trick until your next visit to the garage.
posted by ddaavviidd at 8:17 PM on April 13, 2008
posted by ddaavviidd at 8:17 PM on April 13, 2008
It's a Corolla. Those things will run like crap for years. Don't sweat it.
posted by flabdablet at 5:39 AM on April 14, 2008
posted by flabdablet at 5:39 AM on April 14, 2008
I'm getting the same sort of sound in my 99 Audi A6, but its random.
posted by Ksilebo at 6:42 AM on April 14, 2008
posted by Ksilebo at 6:42 AM on April 14, 2008
Hopefully it is nothing bad but since you mention a 4-5 car trip you may want to get it checked out.
I had a similar story and it cost a lot to fix. My belt broke ($200) which caused a bearing to seize in my compressor ($1300) and then like mentioned previously that all drained my battery which I ended up having to replace as it was getting older.
Moral of the story - if it is your belt and it breaks you're screwed until you get another one and the $10 belt costs much more to replace especially if stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
Safe Travels!
posted by doorsfan at 6:45 AM on April 14, 2008
I had a similar story and it cost a lot to fix. My belt broke ($200) which caused a bearing to seize in my compressor ($1300) and then like mentioned previously that all drained my battery which I ended up having to replace as it was getting older.
Moral of the story - if it is your belt and it breaks you're screwed until you get another one and the $10 belt costs much more to replace especially if stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
Safe Travels!
posted by doorsfan at 6:45 AM on April 14, 2008
A friend called me up once and asked me to investigate what she thought might be a mouse in her dashboard. After listening for a long time, I realized that the squeaking seemed to be coming from the CD player in the car. Maybe take a look at that?
posted by soonertbone at 10:55 AM on April 19, 2008
posted by soonertbone at 10:55 AM on April 19, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:49 PM on April 13, 2008