Updated August 15, 2025
Does it seem like your car has been making a new sound lately?
Maybe you’re hearing a clicking, groaning or squealing after you get behind the wheel.
Through noise diagnostics, we can pinpoint the source.
Acquiring information
Test driving a Toyota Highlander
Our technicians start noise diagnostics by taking the vehicle for a test drive.
But before they begin this process, it’s important that we receive a good description from customers about what type of sound they’re hearing. Is it more like a popping noise or a knocking sound?
We also want to know where it’s coming from, and any other characteristics the driver noticed around the same time — such as a vibration.
Dashboard lights that turned on and actions taken at the time the noise appears (such as accelerating) are also helpful details.
Other pieces of information drivers may want to mention are recent events. Has there been any sort of impact? Even potholes and curbs can affect suspension parts.
As we continue down the path of diagnostic testing, we may have follow up questions to get a better picture of what’s going on.
What diagnostic testing looks like
Once we have all of the information, we try to verify the noise.
Because some sounds only occur during certain circumstances, the technicians attempt to recreate it. If it’s a clunking noise, for example, the car may be driven on a road that contains potholes.
One of our technicians worked on diagnosing a noise on a 2008 Toyota Highlander. The customer had noticed a screeching sound when driving down the hill on a certain road. During his test drive, he took it on that road to listen for it.
Looking over a Toyota Tacoma
In addition to conducting test drives, our technicians make sure there aren’t obvious problems, such as a broken or worn component.
After recreating a noise, a process of elimination is used to determine what part of the car the sound is connected to, such as the suspension or the engine.
From what we learn, we can provide recommendations – whether that would involve replacing an item or performing a service.
The challenges of noise diagnostics
If your autoshop is conducting noise diagnostics on your car, don’t be surprised if they aren’t able to figure out the cause right away.
It may take a while for various reasons.
Noise diagnostics can be complicated. Vehicles make lots of sounds, and any of them could mean many things.
A growling noise could have something to do with a car’s wheel bearing, or it may indicate that you have bad tires. Meanwhile, a squeaking sound can be caused by dry, moving parts.
Diagnosing noises is also difficult because cars act like tuning forks — noise travels. You might hear a sound coming from one area when it’s actually rooted in a different place.
We worked on a vehicle where the front differential was going bad. However, the sound was traveling to the back of the car.
You can help speed up the process by being honest, providing as many details as possible, and even being willing to go on a test drive with the technician to confirm the noise.
Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.