What Causes the Sound of a Sticky Plastic Bag When the Car is Running?
3 Answers
It might be a stone stuck in the tire. Check for foreign objects in the tires before driving. Here are some tire maintenance tips: 1. Regularly check tire pressure: Inflate underinflated tires promptly to maintain consistent tire pressure. Otherwise, it can lead to rapid wear of low-pressure tires, increased driving resistance, higher fuel consumption, and may cause issues like directional deviation. 2. Avoid hitting obstacles: When driving at high speeds, hitting obstacles like potholes can cause severe compression deformation between the obstacle and the tire at the rim flange. This may result in damage to the tire's inner fabric, leading to air leakage and the formation of bulges. In severe cases, it can cause sidewall rupture and sudden tire deflation. 3. Regular wheel alignment: Proper wheel alignment ensures normal vehicle handling and improves tire performance. Poor wheel alignment can lead to irregular tread wear and shorten the tire's lifespan.
I've also experienced that annoying plastic bag flapping noise while driving. It's usually caused by a plastic sheet stuck to the undercarriage or something wrapped around the wheel. Last time I checked after parking, there was a large piece of packaging bag stuck to the exhaust pipe - when the engine heated up, the material melted and started slapping against the chassis as the wheels turned. If the noise gets louder when going over speed bumps, there's an 80% chance it's caused by loose wheel liners or improperly installed underbody panels. Don't delay fixing this - having plastic sheets get tangled in the brake discs can be dangerous. Best to immediately stop and poke around with a stick to check, or just drive straight to a repair shop to have them lift the car for inspection.
Last week when I was driving my child to school, I heard this noise that sounded like a plastic bag stuck on the wheel. I asked a car-savvy friend to take a look, and he found a takeout bag wedged in the tire tread. He explained that when driving, the airflow can make plastic bags under the chassis flap noisily, with rear wheels being particularly prone to picking up debris. The high temperature of the exhaust pipe can melt the plastic, causing it to stick and produce this kind of unusual noise. He suggested parking the car safely and walking around to inspect all four wheels and the undercarriage, using a phone flashlight to check. If you spot any plastic bag fragments, carefully remove them with a screwdriver. If the noise persists for several days in a row, it might be necessary to check if the underbody panel screws are loose.
