Car Grinding

Hearing your car make a grinding sound when you start, turn or stop can be very disconcerting. When you hear your car grinding it means something is wrong with one or more of its parts. This can make driving your car unsafe, because you never know when the car part that is making the grinding sound will break or otherwise fail. If you hear a grinding noise coming from your car, your first step should be to determine what is causing it. You can either take it to an auto repair shop to have a thorough diagnostic workup done or, if you are mechanically inclined, you can try to figure it out yourself.

The Right Tools, Training and Technology

In order to safely and accurately determine why your car is making a grinding sound when you start, turn or stop, you need the right tools, training and technology. At our auto repair shop, we have a wide range of top of the line tools designed to fit and fix every part or system in your car. We also have well-trained, highly skilled, experienced, auto repair technicians with the expertise to repair or replace the part that's making the grinding sound. We also have the latest diagnostic machines and technology that can quickly and accurately identify the cause and location of the grinding sound in your car.

The Most Common Causes

When your car is making a grinding noise, most often that means there is a problem with the:

• Brakes
• Wheel Bearings
• Power Steering Pump
• Water Pump
• Alternator

Transmission grinding can also be the problem at times. If you have some experience working on cars, you can investigate to get a better idea of the source of the grinding sound and if it's safe to drive your car to the shop to have it repaired or you need to have it towed. There is a simple 4 step process you can follow that can help you figure out where the grinding sound is coming from and how safe it is to drive the car.

A Simple Four Step Diagnostic Process

To get an idea where the grinding sound in your car is coming from, follow this simple four step diagnostic process. All you will need is a two- or three-foot piece of rubber hose or some other firm, hollow tube.

Step One

Open and prop up the hood of the car. Start the car. Does the grinding noise begin right away? Is it constant as long as the car is running? If the grinding sound has already started, go to step two.

Step Two

Standing in front of your car, locate where the alternator, power steering pump and water pump are in your engine. Check the owner's manual if you need help identifying these parts. Once you have found the parts from which the grinding sound is most likely to come, put one end of the rubber tubing to your ear. Take the other end and put it close to the alternator, the water pump and the power steering pump, one after the other. This can help you pinpoint which one of them is making the grinding noise. Make note of which one the noise is coming from so it can be repaired or replaced.

Step Three

If the noise is not coming from the alternator, power steering pump or water pump, the next step is to take a short test drive to see when the grinding sound occurs. Driving

slowly and carefully in a safe area, step on the brakes and listen carefully. If you hear the grinding sound, you may have worn brake pads or a damaged rotor. Replacing your brake pads and/or machining or replacing your rotor is something we can do quickly, easily and inexpensively at our shop.

Step Four

If the source of the grinding sound is not the brakes, there is one more simple test you can perform. Continuing to drive slowly and carefully, make a right turn and then a left turn. Should you hear the grinding noise when making these turns, the wheel bearings is probably the problem area. This is a major safety issue that you should have one of our professional mechanics address immediately.

Safety First

While it is possible to save some money by attempting to address brake grinding or any of the other causes of the grinding sound in your car for yourself, unless you are properly trained and have the right tools and equipment, to protect your safety and the safety of others in your car and on the roads, it is best to bring your car to a reputable auto mobile repair shop like our to have the repairs done professionally.

Brakes, wheel bearings and transmission grinding are serious issues that are safest if handled by specially trained, experienced, auto repair technicians like the members of our team.

Very Important Components

The alternator, brakes, power steering and water pump and transmission parts that most often make grinding sounds are very important components. Making sure they are in good working order requires professional mechanics with advanced skills and the appropriate tools and equipment to make the necessary repairs. Our automobile repair specialists will quickly and accurately pinpoint the source from which the grinding noise is coming and take the right actions to get rid of it and make sure that those very important components are in good working order.