What are the causes of abnormal noise during cold start?
3 Answers
The causes of abnormal noise during cold start are: 1. The internal gears of the starter lose lubrication, causing stiffness and jamming symptoms, which affect the timely retraction of the gears; 2. The starter is dirty inside, and the lubricating oil has failed; 3. Due to low temperatures, the rubber components of the suspension become hard, and the surfaces of the brake disc and brake pads change, resulting in abnormal noise during start; 4. Excessive wear of the brake disc and brake pads. The solutions to abnormal noise during cold start are: 1. Add lubricating oil to the internal gears of the starter in time; 2. Clean the inside of the starter; 3. Regularly inspect and replace the brake disc and brake pads; 4. The abnormal noise disappears as the engine temperature rises.
I've encountered the issue of the car making creaking noises during cold starts several times. When I first bought the used car, it was also winter mornings when I released the brake and heard a clunking sound from the chassis, which scared me into rushing to the repair shop. The mechanic said there are mainly two reasons: brake discs and suspension rubber components. After parking outdoors overnight, the surface of the brake discs rusts, causing noise from friction during the initial start, which disappears after driving a few dozen meters. If the rubber bushings connecting the chassis have aged, they become hard and lose elasticity in low temperatures, leading to abnormal noises when turning. After that repair, replacing a steering tie rod bushing cost me three hundred, and it hasn't made any noise for the past three years. It's recommended not to park the car immediately after washing it and to regularly check the wear of suspension bushings.
I often encountered cars with cold-start noises during my repair work. The most common issue is actually belt-related, especially in winter mornings when the belt hardens and slips, producing a squeaking sound. Additionally, poor brake caliper retraction can cause a metallic scraping noise when starting, which can be resolved by disassembling and cleaning off the rust. One of my customer's cars had an aging exhaust pipe ball joint gasket, where the large thermal expansion gap during cold starts caused exhaust vibrations and noise. Remember: continuous metal clanking sounds require immediate bearing inspection, while brief friction noises should first prompt a brake pad check. It's recommended to inspect chassis suspension components every 30,000 kilometers, and replacing rubber bushings in advance can prevent noise issues.
