What Causes the Abnormal Noises in Camry?
3 Answers
Camry abnormal noises are caused by the following reasons: Body noise: This issue usually occurs due to insufficient body rigidity, causing deformation during driving, resulting in friction or shaking between doors and frames, or friction between steel plates due to welding failures. Applying adhesive strips on windows or placing rubber pads at friction points may alleviate or eliminate the noise, but these are temporary fixes. Additionally, poorly fixed body components can also cause noise, which can generally be resolved by tightening screws. Engine compartment noise: There are various possibilities for noise here. A high-pitched belt squeal is typically caused by belt slippage. If there's a metal friction sound while the engine is running, it usually indicates damage to the generator, water pump, or power steering pump bearings. A hissing sound during engine operation may suggest a blocked exhaust system, vacuum tube leakage, or breakage. It's important to note that if the noise originates from inside the engine, it's best to take the vehicle to a professional for inspection, as most owners cannot resolve it themselves. Transmission noise: If there's a "rustling" sound from the transmission while driving, which disappears when the clutch is depressed, it indicates a transmission issue, possibly due to worn bearings or gears, or bearing spots. Tire noise: Tire noise has a certain rhythm, increasing in frequency with speed. A dull "thud" sound often indicates tire tread deformation, bulging, severe wear, or insufficient pressure. A "ticking" sound may be caused by small stones stuck in the tread. If the tire produces a "whooshing" sound accompanied by noticeable body shaking or steering deviation, it's likely a tire blowout, requiring immediate replacement. Suspension noise: If "thumping" or "clicking" sounds occur near the wheels when encountering bumps, it's usually due to shock absorber issues or loose suspension components. It's crucial to have these checked at a reputable repair shop, as suspension components affect both ride comfort and driving safety and should not be overlooked. Engine guard noise: Screws on moving vehicles often shift position. If you frequently hear a "rattling" noise near the grille area, aside from actual grille looseness, check if the engine guard screws are loose or if the guard is rubbing against the underbody. Besides tightening screws, placing cardboard-like materials at the noise source can easily eliminate the noise.
My old Camry also acted up, always making creaking noises near the center console when going over speed bumps. The mechanic said there are mainly three scenarios: first, aging plastic parts—hard plastics like the dashboard and door panels expand and contract with temperature changes over time, causing friction noises; second, rubber components failing—for example, when door seals age and harden, they make a clunking sound when closing the door, especially noticeable on rainy days; third, suspension issues—if the stabilizer bar bushings crack, you'll hear clunking noises over bumps, and loose ball joints can produce metallic clanging sounds. Oh, and if you hear a water-flowing sound when the AC is on in summer, it's likely the heater core is clogged. Don't rush to dismantle everything when you hear strange noises—sometimes pressing on the noisy spot or adding some soft padding can fix it.
Hearing strange noises from your beloved car can be really frustrating. Just last week, I helped my neighbor check his hybrid Camry. That humming sound at low speeds is usually caused by worn-out axle bearings, which turns into a whooshing noise at highway speeds. If the brake pad wear indicator is bent, it can produce a sharp scraping sound, especially noticeable on rainy days. Some weird noises even come from the trunk: loose tools rolling around or water sloshing in the spare tire well. Actually, many noises don't require major repairs - spraying WD-40 on a dusty sunroof track or reinforcing loose interior trim clips with 3M adhesive can often solve the problem. If you hear a clicking sound from the engine bay, check the tensioner pulley belt first.
