What is your vehicle doing?
You do not need to know the name of the part. Find the thing your vehicle is actually doing below, and we will tell you what it usually means, whether it is safe to keep driving, and what we would check first. None of this is a diagnosis over the internet — it is so you know what you are dealing with before you call.
Call or text (620) 416-0008. Describe the noise. We'll do the rest.
We answer texts the same day we get them.
Start here
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Car Won't Start
When a car won't start, the sound it makes as you turn the key tells you most of the story: silence, a click, a slow crank, or a normal crank that never catches.
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Cranks But Will Not Start
If the engine turns over at a normal speed but never fires, the battery is probably fine and the engine is missing fuel, spark or the security system's go-ahead.
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Clicking When I Turn the Key
Rapid clicking when you turn the key usually means a battery too weak to spin the starter, while one loud click usually points at the starter or a bad connection.
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Starts Then Dies
A car that starts and then dies within seconds is usually being cut off by fuel delivery, an air leak, a faulty sensor or the anti-theft system.
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Slow Cranking
An engine that cranks slowly before it starts usually has a battery near the end of its life, and the next cold morning may be the one it does not start.
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Needs a Jump Start
If your car needs a jump more than once, the jump is only treating the symptom, and something is either wearing out the battery, draining it or failing to recharge it.
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Battery Keeps Dying
When a battery keeps dying, even a new one, it is usually the victim, and the real culprit is a charging problem, a hidden drain or lots of short trips.
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Check Engine Light Is On
A check engine light that stays on steady means the engine computer has spotted a fault that needs checking soon, but it is usually not an emergency.
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Check Engine Light Is Flashing
A flashing check engine light means the engine is misfiring badly right now, so pull over safely, turn it off and stop driving.
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Rough Idle
A rough idle is an engine that shakes, stumbles or surges while you are stopped, and it is usually a spark, air or fuel problem that shows up at idle first.
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Engine Shaking
An engine that shakes the whole vehicle is usually misfiring or sitting on a worn engine mount, and the first job is to tell those apart from a wheel or tire problem.
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Misfire
A misfire means one of the engine's cylinders is not burning its fuel properly, and it is most often a worn spark plug, a failing ignition coil or a clogged injector.
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Loss of Power
A car or truck that has lost power is usually short of fuel, short of air, misfiring, or in a protective limp mode that the computer switched on to save the engine.
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Hesitation
Hesitation is a stumble or a pause right after you press the gas, and it usually means the engine is not getting enough fuel, air or spark for that split second.
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Stalling
An engine that stalls usually has a problem with fuel, air, spark or the idle control, or a charging fault that lets the electrical system run down.
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Knocking
A deep, heavy knock that speeds up with the engine usually means worn internal parts or low oil, and it is one of the few noises where you should stop driving soon.
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Ticking
A light, fast tick from the engine is often low oil, a noisy valve lifter or a small exhaust leak, and it is usually less urgent than a deep knock.
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Burning Oil
If you keep adding oil but never see a drip, your engine is probably burning it inside, often past worn piston rings, valve seals or a clogged breather valve.
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Oil Leak
Dark brown or black spots where you park almost always mean engine oil is getting past a gasket or seal, and most leaks are slow and fixable before they cause damage.
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Engine Overheating
If the temperature gauge climbs into the red or steam comes from under the hood, pull over safely, turn the engine off and do not drive it any further.
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Coolant Leak
A green, orange or pink puddle with a sweet smell is almost always coolant, which means the cooling system is losing the fluid that keeps your engine cool.
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Grinding Brakes
A grinding noise when you press the brake pedal is almost always metal touching metal, which usually means the brake pads have worn through and what is left is cutting into the rotor.
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Squealing Brakes
Squealing brakes usually mean the pads are getting thin and a small metal wear tab is warning you, so it is an early heads-up rather than an emergency.
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Soft Brake Pedal
A soft or spongy brake pedal usually means air or water in the brake fluid, or a leak somewhere in the lines, so stop driving it and call us today.
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Brake Pedal Goes to the Floor
A brake pedal that goes to the floor means the brakes have lost hydraulic pressure, usually from a leak or a failed master cylinder, so stop driving it now and call us.
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Pulls When Braking
A car that pulls to one side only when you brake usually has a sticking caliper, or a brake on one side that is not gripping as hard as the other.
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Steering Wheel Shakes When Braking
A steering wheel that shakes when you brake usually means the front brake rotors have worn unevenly or warped, so the pads grab and release as the wheel turns.
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ABS Light Is On
An amber ABS light means the anti-lock system has found a fault and switched itself off, so your normal brakes still work but the safety net is gone.
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Brake Warning Light Is On
A red brake warning light usually means the parking brake is still on, the brake fluid is low, or the hydraulic system has a problem, so check it right away.
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Parking Brake Problem
A parking brake that will not hold, will not let go or drags usually has a stretched or seized cable, worn rear brakes or a faulty electric motor.
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Clunk Over Bumps
A clunk over bumps usually means something in the suspension has worn loose, most often a sway bar link, a ball joint, a strut mount or a rubber bushing.
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Car Pulls Left or Right
A car that pulls to one side usually has a low tire, an alignment that has been knocked out, or a brake that is not letting go, and all three are fixable.
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Steering Wheel Is Crooked
A steering wheel that sits crooked while you drive straight almost always means the wheel alignment has shifted, often after a pothole, a curb or work on the steering.
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Loose Steering
Loose or sloppy steering usually means worn tie rod ends, ball joints or a worn steering gear, and it is worth checking soon because it can get worse quickly.
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Hard Steering
Heavy or stiff steering usually points to the power steering, such as low fluid, a slipping belt, a failing pump or a fault in the electric assist.
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Car Wanders
A car that wanders, drifting one way and then the other so you keep correcting, usually has worn steering parts, an alignment problem or tires that need attention.
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Uneven Tire Wear
Tires that wear unevenly are telling you something on the vehicle is off, usually the alignment, the air pressure or a worn suspension part.
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Vehicle Sits Low
A vehicle that sits low at one corner or at the back usually has a broken coil spring, a sagging leaf spring, worn shocks or struts, or a leaking air suspension.
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Bouncy Ride
A bouncy, floaty ride usually means the shocks or struts are worn out, so the springs keep bouncing after every bump instead of settling.
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Clicking While Turning
A clicking or popping noise when you turn, especially in a tight parking-lot turn, is usually a worn CV joint on a front axle, and it gets louder as it wears.
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Vibration at 60-70 mph
A vibration that only shows up at highway speed is usually a wheel or tire problem, most often a tire out of balance, and it is normally a straightforward fix once someone finds which one.
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Tire Losing Air
A tire that keeps losing air almost always has a small puncture, a leaky valve stem or a bad seal where the tire meets the wheel, and many of those can be repaired.
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TPMS Light Is On
A steady TPMS light means at least one tire is low on air, while a light that flashes first and then stays on usually means a sensor has a problem rather than a tire.
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Cupped Tires
Cupped tires, with dips worn around the tread, usually mean worn shocks, a tire out of balance or a bad alignment is letting the tire bounce as it rolls.
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Tire Noise
Tire noise is most often uneven wear, such as cupping or tread worn at an angle, though a worn wheel bearing can sound almost exactly like a noisy tire.
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Bent Wheel
A bent wheel usually shows up as a new vibration, or a tire that slowly loses air, right after you hit a pothole, a curb or a hidden washout.
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Needs an Alignment
You probably need an alignment if the car drifts, the steering wheel sits crooked when you drive straight, or a tire is wearing faster on one edge.
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Flat Tire
If a tire is flat, stop driving on it, because even a short distance on a flat can ruin a tire that could otherwise have been repaired.
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Transmission Slipping
A slipping transmission means the engine revs but the vehicle does not speed up to match, and the cause ranges from low fluid to worn parts inside.
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Hard Shifting
Hard shifting, where gear changes feel harsh, late or like a shove, is often low or worn fluid, a sensor or software rather than a failing transmission.
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Delayed Engagement
A pause before the vehicle moves after you shift into drive or reverse usually means the transmission is slow to build pressure, most often because of low or worn fluid.
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Will Not Shift
A transmission that will not shift is usually stuck in one gear to protect itself, or the shifter is stuck in park, and neither always means a big repair.
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Transmission Fluid Leak
Red or brown fluid under the middle or front of your vehicle is often transmission fluid, and fixing the leak early costs far less than the damage low fluid causes.
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Shudder While Accelerating
A shudder while accelerating usually comes from the transmission, an engine misfire, or a worn axle or driveshaft joint, and each one feels a little different.
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Transmission Warning Light
A transmission warning light means the transmission computer has found a fault or the fluid is running too hot, and a temperature light means pull over soon.
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Battery Light Is On
A battery light that comes on while driving usually means the car has stopped charging, often from a failing alternator or belt, and is running on the battery alone.
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Lights Flicker
When your headlights or dash lights flicker or dim, the cause is usually a struggling charging system or a loose or corroded connection, not the bulbs.
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Power Windows Stopped Working
When a power window stops working, one dead window usually means a switch, motor or regulator, while all of them at once usually means a fuse, lock button or wiring.
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Alternator Problems
A failing alternator usually shows up as dimming lights, a battery warning light, a whine under the hood or a battery that keeps going flat.
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Electrical Drain
An electrical drain means something in the vehicle keeps using power after you switch it off and lock up, and over a night or a few days it quietly flattens the battery.
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Blown Fuses
A fuse that keeps blowing is protecting you from a real fault, usually a wire rubbing through, a failing motor or an accessory asking for too much power.
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Dashboard Warning Lights
A warning light's color is your first clue: red means stop soon and safely, amber or yellow means get it checked soon, and green or blue is just information.
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Electrical Smell
A burning plastic or hot electrical smell usually means a wire, connector or motor is overheating, so pull over and switch off right away.
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AC Blowing Warm
An A/C that blows warm from the moment you switch it on is usually low on refrigerant from a leak, or its compressor is not switching on, and both are fixable.
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AC Cold Then Warm
An A/C that starts cold and turns warm partway through a drive is usually icing up inside the dash, or its compressor is cutting out once things get hot.
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AC Only Cold While Moving
An A/C that is cold on the highway but warm at stop lights is usually short of airflow at the front of the vehicle, most often because a cooling fan is not running.
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Weak Airflow
When the fan runs but only a trickle comes out of the vents, something is usually blocking the air, and a cabin air filter packed with dust is the most common culprit.
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Heater Not Hot
A heater that blows cold or only lukewarm is usually low on coolant, has a thermostat stuck open, or has a clogged heater core, and low coolant is the one to check first.
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Fan Not Working
When no air comes out of the vents on any setting, the blower fan has usually lost power from a fuse, a relay or its speed control, or the fan motor itself has worn out.
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Bad Smell From the Vents
A smell from your car vents usually points in a clear direction: musty means mildew, sweet means coolant, and gasoline, burning plastic or hot wiring mean you should stop and call.
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Defroster Not Working
A front defroster that will not clear the glass usually has a fan, heat or A/C fault, while a dead rear one usually has a broken line or a lost connection in the glass.
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Clicking
A clicking noise usually means a worn front axle joint if it happens when you turn, or the battery or starter if it happens when you turn the key.
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Clunking
A clunk is almost always something with a little too much play in it, most often a worn suspension or steering part, and when it happens tells you which one.
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Grinding
A grinding noise is almost always two metal parts rubbing that should not be, and the most common cause is brake pads worn down to the metal.
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Humming
A hum that rises and falls with your speed is usually a worn wheel bearing or tires that have worn unevenly, and both are straightforward to track down.
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Whining
A whine that rises with engine speed usually comes from the power steering pump or alternator, while one that rises with road speed points to the axle or transmission.
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Squealing
A squeal at startup is usually a worn or loose engine belt, and a squeal when you brake is usually the pads' warning tab telling you they are thin.
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Screeching
A loud screech usually means something is slipping or worn badly, most often an engine belt, a seizing pulley or AC compressor, or brakes down to metal.
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Knocking
A knock that speeds up when you rev the engine needs looking at quickly, while a knock that only happens over bumps is usually a worn suspension part.
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Ticking
A tick that follows your road speed is usually a nail or stone in a tire, while a tick that follows the engine points to low oil or a noisy valve.
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Rattling
A rattle from underneath is most often a loose exhaust heat shield, and a rattle over bumps usually means a worn suspension link.
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Chirping
A steady chirp from under the hood is usually a belt or pulley starting to wear, and a chirp from the wheels is often the brakes or a dry suspension joint.
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Roaring
A roar that grows with road speed is usually a worn wheel bearing or tires, while a roar that grows when you press the gas usually means an exhaust leak.
Everything we do
If you do not see a page for it yet, we still do the work. Call or text and ask.
It will not start
Engine
Brakes
Steering & suspension
Tires & wheels
Transmission
Electrical
Heating & air conditioning
We have the moxie to get the job done
Ready when you are
Not sure which of these you need? Call the shop and describe what the vehicle is doing. Working that out is our job, not yours.
Call or text (620) 416-0008. Describe the noise. We'll do the rest.
We answer texts the same day we get them.