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Car Talk

IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
edited January 2011 in Help / Advice Forum
Hey H&A.

My wife's car, a 2001 Pontiac Aztec just started making these crazy squeeling noises. It only happens when we turn left, and are moving. It sounds like a balloon loosing air when you squeeze the rubber together at the top, nice and high-pitched.

Any ideas? We're bringing it in tomorrow, but we'd like to get a basic idea of what we could be dealing with.

Icemopper on

Posts

  • MalkorMalkor Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Maybe the axle needs to be lubed or is slightly crooked. Got lots of potholes where you live?

    Malkor on
    14271f3c-c765-4e74-92b1-49d7612675f2.jpg
  • JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Cars are creations of the devil. German cars are creations of the devil that feed on money.

    At least, that's my opinion.

    JihadJesus on
  • THEPAIN73THEPAIN73 Shiny. Real shiny.Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    WOW. Oh man it could be any number of things.

    You are doing the right thing by bringing it in though.

    THEPAIN73 on
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  • tofutofu Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Does the sound vary with speed? If it does it's probably a wheel bearing

    If not it might be the CV joint, check the boot to see if it's damaged or cracked

    tofu on
  • SpudgeSpudge Witty comments go next to this blue dot thingyRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Squealing when turning? IIRC the Aztek shares the same faulty steering ass'y as the Impala, Grand Prix et al. Have them check the intermediate steering shaft. They tend to lose their lubrication, at which time you'll get all kinds of awkward noises and such, and ultimately it will shatter

    Spudge on
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  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    CV joints don't squeal, they make knocking noises. This is almost certainly a power steering problem like Spudge said.

    Lord Yod on
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  • MalkorMalkor Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Well if it needs to be lubed then I am at least partially right and should win some of the prize.

    Malkor on
    14271f3c-c765-4e74-92b1-49d7612675f2.jpg
  • MushroomStickMushroomStick Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Is it low on power steering fluid?

    MushroomStick on
  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I didn't notice any difference in power steering, at least there wasn't a change in how hard I had to turn the wheel, either right or left... is it something I would notice right away?

    And yes, holy crap we have lots of potholes! One in particular that only hits the left wheel.

    Thanks for the help so far... is this stuff expensive?

    EDIT: As far as changing with speed/acceleration... I'm not sure. I guess you could say yes, but it wasn't nearly as correlated as turning left and getting the squealing noise. It was pretty much every single time I even slightly turned left, it started squealing, and the further left I turned, the louder/more obnoxious it got.

    Icemopper on
  • MushroomStickMushroomStick Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    When your fluid starts getting low, the car starts making noise when you turn the wheel before it actually gets hard to steer.

    MushroomStick on
  • FeatherBladeFeatherBlade Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    My car (1997 Plymouth Breeze) was making a similar sound.
    Check the power steering fluid.
    If it's low, top it off. If the car still makes the noise after that, then take it in for a check up.

    FeatherBlade on
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  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Oh, well, we already brought it in this morning. We trust our mechanics a lot so I'm not worried they'll scam us or anything. Now we just wait to find out what happens next.

    Icemopper on
  • THEPAIN73THEPAIN73 Shiny. Real shiny.Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    I wouldn't mind hearing an update.

    Hopefully it's nothing too crazy.

    THEPAIN73 on
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  • FiggyFiggy Fighter of the night man Champion of the sunRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    Regarding power steering fluid, if you are taking the car anywhere for oil changes, they should be checking/topping up your fluid every time.

    Figgy on
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  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    It was the brakes. They were really worn down, and we would have noticed if we drove on the highway at all, but we don't do that much. Some number was down to 1123 and the lowest it can go is 1063 or something. I'm not great at car talk at all.

    So they "resurfaced" the "rotor" and fixed up the brake pads. Total of 169 bucks, which is more than expected, but not awful; we can afford it.

    So thanks for all the help folks! It is driving muuuuch better now, there is a noticeable difference in driving, not just in noise!

    Icemopper on
  • AiouaAioua Ora Occidens Ora OptimaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    The rotor is the disk part in disk brakes:
    Disc-Brake-System.gif

    It sounds like whatever was going on was probably scratching up the rotor, resurfacing means they grind it down until it's smooth again.

    I just had to have all four of my rotors/pads replaced, and two of the calipers!

    Aioua on
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  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    edited January 2011
    The rotor being glazed/pads being worn would normally only make a noise upon brake application. Now I'm really intrigued!

    Donovan Puppyfucker on
  • InkSplatInkSplat 100%ed Bad Rats. Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    chrishallett83 wrote: »
    The rotor being glazed/pads being worn would normally only make a noise upon brake application. Now I'm really intrigued!

    Maybe he's one of those people who applies brakes through a turn?

    InkSplat on
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  • IcemopperIcemopper Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    No, I definitely was not hitting the brakes through turns. I'm really not sure why it was making the noise, but the squealing is 100% gone. Yay for the knowledge of others!

    Icemopper on
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    edited January 2011
    chrishallett83 wrote: »
    The rotor being glazed/pads being worn would normally only make a noise upon brake application. Now I'm really intrigued!

    No, if the pads are down to the wear bars (metal), it will squeek/grind on turns as the pads move around with g forces.

    schuss on
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