There’s nothing more nerve-racking than cruising down the highway and suddenly hearing an unusual sound coming from your car. Vehicles can make a lot of unusual sounds, and each one might mean a different problem. If you’re able to narrow down what’s wrong—or at least the source of the issue—it’s much easier to fix. Stay calm and keep a careful ear out for these common engine sounds and what they mean.

Screeching Beneath the Hood

A screeching or squealing car is deeply unpleasant to listen to, so you’ll want to find the source of the problem as soon as possible. If you hear a screeching sound beneath the hood, there’s a good chance the problem lies in your serpentine belt. It’s normal for the belt to loosen over time, but when it does, the rubber teeth underneath the belt start to drag, creating the squealing sound you notice.

Several crucial pieces of your vehicle—including the alternator, radiator fan, and water pump—rely on your serpentine belt. If you hear screeching from your car, check the problem quickly to see if you need to simply tighten the belt or make a full replacement.

Clicking or Tapping

Clicking, tapping, or ticking can be an indicator of low oil levels. If you hear ticking while idling, or if the sound increases when you accelerate, check your oil pressure. The solution might be as simple as buying motor oil online and topping off your engine. However, you should keep an eye out for further issues. There’s a chance that something more serious is the cause of your low oil in the first place.

If low oil isn’t the cause of your car’s clicking sounds, it might be a problem with the valvetrain. Check for worn parts around the upper valvetrain to find the source of the issue.

Grinding Around the Engine

When it comes to common engine sounds and what they mean, grinding noises are unfortunately common. It could mean several different things—the problem might not even be in your engine. If you hear the grinding when you brake, for example, it likely means your brake pads are wearing down.

If the grinding occurs when you’re driving and when you’re idling, the problem might lie in worn-out bearings. Alternatively, if shifting gears causes the noise, the issue likely has to do with a damaged clutch. Pay close attention to when the noise occurs so that you can better diagnose the problem.