WHY DOES MY CAR MAKE NOISE WHEN I TURN?

With a new car, any unusual road noise you hear might set off alarm bells. As your vehicle ages, though, some noises become a little more natural — and others are still a sign you should visit the nearest Opelika service center. Why does your car make a noise when you turn? Well, that depends on the kind of noise you heard, whether you were on a city street or a highway, and a few other factors. There are several possible culprits that could be the cause. See what could be causing these common car noises below.

COMMON SOUNDS WHEN TURNING

Whether you’re hitting the highway and leaving Opelika for a road trip or you’re making the same drive you do every day, you shouldn’t hear anything but road noise when you turn. If you now notice any of these sounds, you need to have your vehicle looked at:

• Clunking
• Popping
• Creaking
• Squealing
• Groaning
• Screeching
• Whining

These could be mechanical problems associated with the steering wheel itself, but they could also be signs of wear on your suspension, brake pads, tires, or almost any other part of your vehicle that’s involved in moving and turning. Any turning noise you hear driving around Auburn or Phenix City should have you searching for a mechanic before it gets worse.

CAUSES OF COMMON CAR NOISES WHEN TURNING

Although this is not a full list of car noise culprits, these are some of the most frequent issues our service techs encounter on cars from Opelika or Columbus, GA:

• Tie Rods: A loose or broken tie rod could cause you to hear a clunking sound.
• Sway Bar Link: If you notice a knocking noise in addition to poor handling, a failing sway bar link may be the culprit.
• Ball Joints: If you hear a creaking sound that gets louder and louder as time goes on, the ball joints on the vehicle could be to blame.
• Bushing: When this part of your suspension system is not properly lubricated or is in need of replacement, you can hear a creaking noise.
• Struts and Shocks: If you notice a bouncy ride when driving over bumps along with a strange sound, it could be due to the shocks and struts on the vehicle.
• *Suspension Joints: * If you hear a creaking, clunking, or popping sound at lower speeds, the sound could be caused by worn-out or broken suspension joints.
• Power Steering Pump: Another sound you may notice at low speeds, most often described as a whining sound that seems to be coming from the engine, could be due to issues with the power steering pump.
• CV Joints: Problems with the CV joints could lead to a crunching sound when turning at higher speeds.
• Power Steering System: If you are turning at a normal speed and notice a screeching or whining noise, it could be due to the power steering system itself. While it may be a simple fix like adding power steering fluid, this is not always the case because of the complexity of the system.

OPELIKA FORD CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM: YOUR AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE EXPERTS

Now you may have an answer to the question, “Why does my car make noise when I turn,” let us figure out what’s making that noise and fix it. Set up an appointment at your convenience and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.