Name That Noise

Have you ever tried to describe a particular noise your vehicle is making to your mechanic? Many times the way in which you describe the sounds you hear can lead a well trained auto repair tech to a quicker and more accurate diagnosis of the problem. Unfortunately, when the way you describe the noise and the way your tech translates your description don't match, time and money can be wasted searching for the real issue. Believe it or not, the modern auto repair man has an official listing of names of common noises that they use when diagnosing your vehicle's problems. Please refer to the list below to best match the noise you hear with the official "noise name" before you call and we will be better suited to make the proper diagnosis the first time.

Noise Name	Sounds Like...
Banging	Slamming a wooden screen door
Bonging	Striking a large gong
Booming	Distant thunder
Buzzing	A swarm of bees
Chafing	Rubbing dry hands together
Chattering	Windshield wipers sweeping a dry windshield
Chirping	A cricket calling
Clacking	a railroad car rolling down a track
Clanging	A cow bell or dinner bell ringing
Clanking	Dropping a heavy wrench on a concrete floor
Clapping	Patting your hands together
Clashing	Striking a pair of cymbals together
Clattering	Dropping wood blocks on a concrete floor
Clicking	Flipping a light switch on and off
Clinking	Empty bottles hitting each other
Clunking	Slamming a heavy wooden door
Cracking	A tree branch snapping loose
Crackling	Logs burning in a fireplace
Creaking	Swinging open a rusty-hinged gate
Croaking	A bullfrog calling
Crunching	Walking on gravel
Droning	A small plane flying in the distance
Drumming	Nervous fingers tapping on a desk
Fluttering	A flag flapping in the wind
Grating	Raking a shovel over pavement
Grinding	A garbage disposal running
Groaning	Stepping on old floorboards
Growling	A guard dog ready to attack
Gurgling	Water going down a bathtub drain
Hissing	Air leaking from a tire
Hooting	An owl calling
Howling	Wind blowing through a cracked open door
Humming	A high-voltage transformer at work
Jingling	Loose coins in your pocket
Knocking	Rapping your knuckles on a wooden door
Moaning	Blowing across the mouth of an empty jug
Oil-canning	Flexing a metal gasoline can
Pattering	Rain drops hitting a window pane
Pinging	Marbles rolling around in a can
Popping	Opening a champagne bottle
Pounding	Slamming your fist on a desk top
Rapping	A gavel striking a sound block
Rattling	Shaking a box of loose candy
Roaring	A raging river
Rumbling	Clothes tumbling in a dryer
Scratching	Rubbing two pieces of sandpaper together
Screeching	Running your fingernails across a chalkboard
Slapping	Hitting the water with the flat side of an oar
Squeaking	Walking across a hardwood floor with wet shoes
Squealing	Tires making a hard, fast turn
Ticking	A mechanical clock keeping time
Whining	A distant siren
Whistling	A tea kettle at full boil
Zapping	A short, quick buzz