That Noise

I have heard a minor, intermittent rattle at idle turn into a $1,700.00 catalytic converter replacement and I’ve heard a loud, persistent rattle at all speeds require three .40 cent washers to completely eliminate a heat shield noise. A noise can be anything! So you are driving and now there is a noise. If you are going to go to your repair shop and blurt out, “There is a noise, I have no idea, you’re the car people! It is an annoying noise, you tell me!” That’s the same as saying, “Charge me whatever you want!” If you give little or vague information, that means the technician working on your vehicle is going to drive it, look it over and make you a giant list of things it needs. Or worse. This is the equivalent of handing over your checkbook. In the automotive world when an experienced technician is handed a car to drive with a complaint of a noise, if it is a detailed complaint, the technician already has an idea what to look and listen for. This means the more details you can give the better! (And it will be a less expensive diagnostic fee you will be charged.) Let’s say the same customer states a “buzz type noise at 35 to 40 miles per hour, the sound is coming more from the right front, and it gets louder while accelerating up a hill.” Now, this is useful information which will help the technician fix your car quickly and more efficiently. Many times a complaint with no specifics will yield little results. Many times I’ve witnessed a mechanic say, “Well, I drove that car a couple times for that noise complaint with no real details, and found nothing obvious. ” Who could blame this guy? There was no effort put into the complaint; why should there be any effort put into the repair? Give details. Get results! A better service advisor or person who is taking in your vehicle (see blog section re: Up Front Selling) will ask the right questions: when does the sound happen? And, at what speeds? Does it occur when the car is cold, or at full operating temperature? Remember, this is your car, and sometimes just asking to see the car on the lift can shed light on what is going on. I once saw about a dozen porcupine quills sticking out of a tire, causing a rubbing noise on turns! After conferring with the customer that he had, indeed, recently hit an animal in the road at night, we shared a laugh, put a couple of new tires on, and he was on his way.