Noise is one of the most annoying sounds and affects the safe driving psychology of many drivers. The constant noise emitted will make the driver feel tired and distracted.
One of the situations that many drivers often encounter is the whining noise when reversing the car. This noise can be continuously emitted at a high volume, causing many drivers to fear serious damage to a certain part.
Why does your car make a groaning noise when reversing? Let’s find out more detailed information about this condition in the article below.
Why Does Your Car Make A Groaning Noise When Reversing?
There are many causes for the noise emitted when you reverse the car. However, we will mention two main factors that are frequently pointed out by auto repair engineers: the brake system and the transmission.
A malfunctioning brake and transmission system will also cause the car to make noise when reversing, so you need to check each of these factors in detail below.
1. Brake System Problem
Damaged brakes are considered the leading cause of noise when you reverse the car. Cars can also vibrate and make noises when shifting the gearshift into reverse gear. Noise can range from a low creaking sound to a loud and shrill sound. Start checking your brake system for problems.
Car Brake Pads Are Worn
Your car’s brake pads can wear out and rub against the rotor causing noise to be emitted when you’re backing up. The sound often resembles a click or hiss.
Noise can be generated if the brake is jammed and the surface of the pad is subject to a lot of movement. Therefore, when the brake shifts to reverse gear, it will make a loud noise.
In addition, the brake system has an anti-vibration chip to limit the noise emitted. So, if the brakes don’t have this button or they’ve been damaged, you’ll often hear the noise.
To eliminate noise, you must lubricate the disc brake calipers. If the noise continues at a high volume, you should consider replacing it.
During replacement or repair, you should make sure that the anti-vibration chips are installed correctly or the noise will still occur even after you have replaced the brake system with a new one.
Inspecting The Brakes’ Wear Tabs
Alternatively, you can check the brakes’ wear tabs on your car’s brake system. Its job is to ensure that the brake system works effectively to brake suddenly in unexpected situations.
However, if the tabs on the brake begin to rub against the propeller, it will make a constant noise. Therefore, you need to check and repair these tabs on the brake periodically and properly to ensure safety when traveling at high speed and limit annoying noise.
A Small Piece Of Metal Stuck To The Brake
The noise when you’re backing up your car can also come from metal rubbing or something in the brakes or wheels. A small or metal obstruction can get stuck between the rotor and the brake pads, preventing the brake system from operating smoothly.
Check the rotor and gaskets for dirt and small metal pieces to avoid them rubbing against each other and creating annoying noises.
In addition, a situation that many drivers often encounter is that metal or hard objects stuck in the wheel also cause the noise to be emitted continuously when you reverse the car.
The Gaskets Between The Brake Calipers And The Brake Pads Are Dry
Worn or dry grease pads between the brake calipers and the brake pads will also cause parts to rub against each other and cause noise.
Its main job is to block any noise from the brake system and prevent parts from rubbing against each other.
However, many drivers do not pay attention to lubricating these gaskets often resulting in them being too dry and unable to perform their main duties.
The pads have opposite sides, so you have to lubricate them to ensure that the brake pads don’t wear out when working on them. However, you must not lubricate the gaskets too much as this will damage them.
2. Gearbox Problem
Another type of noise you may hear when backing up isn’t caused by the brakes, it could be a problem with your transmission or your constant velocity (CV) joints. The cause of the noise is that the transmission cannot completely disconnect from the engine and the gears are still spinning.
To cut this noise, you can shift into forwarding gear for a moment before shifting into reverse. If this trick doesn’t work, it’s time for the transmission or clutch to be checked and replaced.
In addition, the rattling noise can also be caused by worn motor mounts and the engine is not well protected, leading to frequent noise.
How To Avoid Noise When Reversing?
The noise when reversing the car comes mainly from the brake system, so regular and proper maintenance of the brake system is a decisive factor in eliminating noise when reversing the car.
In general, the life of a high-quality brake system is between 30,000 and 50,000 miles. However, it also depends on many factors as well as the use of the driver.
Some of the basic factors that affect the life of a vehicle include the quality of the brakes, the frequency of use, your driving style, the load, and the condition of the road daily.
If you often have to travel on poor quality roads, stop parking, and brake suddenly, the quality of the brake system will degrade quickly. To check the condition of your brakes, you can watch for signs of wear on your brake pads.
If the surface of the brake pads is worn, the tabs on the brake will rub against the brake rotors. As a result, the gaskets will wear out and make a noise that resembles metal rubbing against each other.
Conclude
The noise you make when you’re backing up is mainly from a problem with the brakes rather than the transmission. Noise can be produced when brake pads are worn, the pads are dry, or when a piece of metal adheres to the brake. Therefore, regular maintenance and proper replacement will help you protect your brake system and avoid annoying noises.
In addition, check the transmission for automatic transmissions and the clutch for manual vehicles to check for connections and problems in your constant speed (CV) joints.