What would cause a car to creak while parked?

Question

About a week ago I noticed that my passenger side wheel/tire was making a loud humming sound when driving along. It sounded like a bad tire so I had a look and that tire was wearing MUCH faster then the other tires. The wear seems to be even along that tire, I didn't notice any cupping for feathering.

Since then I have noticed that it has started to do some weird things. Like if you get in or out of the car, push down on the bumper, push the car forward, etc you can get a distinctive creaking sound. Recently when I am driving their are times the the car feels like it's being held back, almost like the parking break is on, and today I was about to leave a gas station and I forgot to disengage the parking break and when I tried to go I heard a very loud pop and grinding sound from that wheel. The car seemed fine after that but still... Occasionally I think I hear a faint popping, clicking, or ticking sound when idling but it's very faint even with the windows down.

My first thought is that it might be a wheel bearing but it's doesn't make any sounds when turning, there isn't any vibration that I can feel, and the sound of the humming seems to rise and fall with the speed of the car. I also thought about a sticking break pad or caliper but the car isn't pulling in either direction and there isn't a burning smell.

Answer 1

Dry suspension, take the vehicle to your local car wash and spray down the undercarriage using just wax and drive it without rinsing it off.

Answer 2

To tell if the wheel bearing is bad, you have to jack the weight off it, and then check for looseness.

A sticking brake will cause the rotor to be very hot to the touch.

(front brakes tend not to cause pull, only backs do that.)

CV joints tend to rattle the most around tight, slow turns.

The track arm bushing could be bad, allowing the wheel to move out of alignment, and you tend to get a thunk when you hit the brakes and the arm gets pushed backwards.



But it would help to have make, model, and year.



Faint popping, clicking, and ticking is usually catalytic converter heat shield heat movement.

Answer 3

Your suspension is making the noise, rubbing. Leaf springs will do that...coils maybe. Your tires wearing probably is alignment issue. The ticking motor sound, is valves, probably okay. If your oil pressure stays up, you should be fine. Sometimes, oil pressure drops and causes hydraulic lifters to lose pressure, causing the valves to click.

The popping of the wheel with the brake on, was probably your brake shoes releasing.



The humming could just be your tires. Tread design makes noise on some tires, on pavement.

Answer 4

This sounds like either a suspension or brake fluid issue. check to see that the suspension is not leaking. For the brakes if they feel "spongy" then just replace the fluid