If you hear a tapping sound while driving your car, you may be worried about the cause of it and wondering what you can do to fix it. There are many things that can cause these issues so it’s a good idea to have the car checked out by a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. If you need help deciding what could be wrong with your car, be sure to keep some of these possible causes in mind. Regardless of the cause, you should get it checked as soon as possible.
Worn Belt
You can also hear tapping or knocking sounds when your accessory belt is faulty. Since the belt, which connects to various pulleys throughout the engine bay, turns as it runs, it’s possible for this to happen. An exact amount of tension must be applied to the belt for it to turn properly and quietly. The tensioner will not work properly if the belt is broken or stretched out, causing slapping, knocking, or tapping sounds. Pulleys that are bent out of shape can also cause this problem.
Manifold Leak
It can be caused by an exhaust manifold leak if you hear a ticking or tapping noise when accelerating or at idle. A gasket leak or a rupture in the manifold can lead to high-pressure leakage of exhaust gasses. As long as you do not consider this a serious problem if you are driving, you can continue driving. Your engine will be damaged if you do not have this problem fixed immediately, since excessive exhaust gas leaks cause damage.
Bad Spark Plugs
An engine tapping might be caused by cracked or loose spark plugs. Because spark plugs need to be properly threaded into the internal combustion engine’s cylinder heads, this can occur. For some reason, if the spark plug is not fully seated to the head, maybe due to improper installation or cracks that make the plug unable to fully tighten, it can result in a bypass of combustion and exhaust gasses, which can cause a tapping noise.
Bad Bearings
Symptoms and causes of engine tapping can also include a rod knock. It is caused by worn or damaged bearings and you will hear a deep tapping sound from the engine. Rod bearings that are worn, loose, or damaged can cause tapping noises, which indicates that they are about to fail completely. If your engine experiences either seizing or locking up, it may try to seize and break a rod. These two conditions can severely damage an engine, requiring an engine replacement.
If you are experiencing any of these issues, it could mean there is a serious problem with your vehicle. You don’t want to drive your car if there are problems, so you should have it serviced by a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. You can make an appointment with us to have your car inspected to find out the cause of the tapping sounds and to make sure they are repaired correctly so you can feel safe on the road.
