It’s quite frustrating to step out of your car hoping to see a flat tire because of the disturbing, yet frustrating sounds you heard, and oops, after grumbling out of the car, you realized that none of the four-wheeled tires are flat.
What could be wrong? Was it your imagination playing a trick on you or did you truly hear what you think you heard?
Well, leaving the bubbles aside, this didn’t happen to you alone, it is no mystical power or a possible unfruitful imagination; it happens to every car owner, and it’s happening to you now.
Why Does My Car Sound Like It Has A Flat Tire But Doesn’t?
The reason why your car sounds like there is a tire losing air could be:
1. Your Car Wheel has a Problem
There’s no need to parade your mind with questions about how your car wheel can cause some unpleasant sounds that seem like a deflating tire.
A low-pressured car wheel will always make annoying noises. Now that you know that pressure from your car wheel can cause some depressing sounds, the next move is to find out which of the tire wheels has low pressure.
To make it easy, what you need is a listening ear and a better sight. Have a look at each tire and compare the pressure of each to another so you can tell which one still has its pressure intact and which one doesn’t have its pressure intact.
When you discover this, what you need to do is to fill it until it reaches its normal state. When you’re done with this, there won’t be any disturbing sounds again.
2. A Worn Out Tire
If you notice your wheels still got pressure and yet the car sounds more like that of a flat tire, you could also consider the age of the tire.
Tires also wear out; you will know when you check the tires properly for treads. When you realize the treads are too much and the tire looks nothing next to being attractive, you can get another one.
3. The Car Rim Could Also Be The Culprit
Most times, a little more attention is directed to the wheels having enough pressure or the tires are wearing out but with time, a rusty car rim will cause a sound that seems like that of a flat tire.
Other reasons are manageable unlike this; a rusty rim can cause an accident. It is better you check and have it replaced as soon as you can before things fly out the window and you have yourself to blame for spending more on car repairs when you could have avoided an accident by changing the car rim.
4. Your Car Lug Is Less Screwed Tightly
You just filled your tire with more air or you replaced the old one, most times people unconsciously forget to tighten the lug nuts properly and this is dangerous.
If the lug is not tightened, it will cause the tire to fall off and this will result in an accident. It is best prevented than allowed to happen. Ensure you check this properly before accelerating your car.
5. A misaligned Front Wheel
A misaligned front wheel is a good reason you can have a flat tire sound the moment you speed up your car. When you notice this, you will need a mechanic to have it corrected for you as you can’t do it on your own.
The aforementioned are parts of your car you can check to find the unpleasant sounds bothering you if it isn’t a flat tire. This should save you from the frustrating moments of staring at your car tire hoping to find a leak somewhere.
Should I Panic If My Car Sounds Like It Has A Flat Tire But Doesn’t?
There’s no need to panic. Your car produces sounds like that of a flat tire and yet doesn’t have one isn’t most times a red alert, keep calm and park your car in your garage, then jack up your car to check underneath or the sides of your car for what is causing the noise.
The points stated above are to direct your search and if after checking for the pressure in your tire or other parts that could cause sounds like that of a flat tire and you can’t find the problem, then it could be from the car’s engine.
What Should I Do When Car Sounds Like It Has A Flat Tire But Doesn’t?
When your car seems like there is a flat tire but there isn’t, your best move is to conduct a search yourself, check underneath and all sides of your car to trace out the origin of the sound and if you can’t seem to find the culprit, there is no need to panic, neither should you get yourself excessively bothered, drive carefully to your mechanic and let him have it checked.
It is also important that you get a maintenance plan for yourself to check your car often. It is better not to have the sounds than to have them.
A daily routine check and a planned maintenance check will save you from the trauma that comes with these unpleasant sounds.
Why Does It Sound Like Something Is Hitting My Tire?
When your tire sounds like something is hitting, it will stretch you into a further investigation into why this happens.
Most times these sounds happen during acceleration or a braking moment. If these happen, you can relate the sounds to a few reasons:
- It could be a worn-out control arm or misaligned tires
- It could also be an axle problem losing or not properly tight lug nut can be a problem
- A bad ball joint could also be a problem.
These are relatable reasons why your tire sounds like something is hitting it, producing a kind of knocking sound. You should see your mechanic for proper clarity and solution.
Conclusion
It’s a lot of frustration when your car sounds like a tire is flat but after checking you discover it’s as firm as the rock. This is bound to happen to every car owner and being able to tell what the problem is exactly will save you from the trauma.
If you find yourself in this position and you can’t seem to find the problem by just checking, ensure you reach out to a mechanic because it might and may not be a cause for alarm. To be on the safer end, speak to a mechanic.