A car mechanic has revealed that a strange knocking noise from your car could be much more serious than you may think.
Simon Cheatle, mechanic at Walsall Wood Tyre and Service, said the noise could actually put your life at risk.
While drivers might not bother to fix the annoying knocking noise, he said: ‘It’s always worth getting it checked out.’
Sharing to his company TikTok @walsallwood_tyre, he said the noise could be caused by the bottom joint in the wheel and could damage other parts in your car.
A mechanic has claimed the knocking noise in your car could be more serious than you think and could potentially put your life at risk
The bottom ball joint connects the control arm to the steering knuckles, when they fail they can cause unsafe steering and handling and may even lead to loss of control, according to car experts at thedrive.com.
Demonstrating on a Renault, Simon explains: ‘So often people come in to us and say ‘I’ve got a slight knocking noise, I don’t think it’s anything serious, but can you have a look at it?
‘It is very slight, and it isn’t there all the time so that you would think ah, something slight, something little.
‘Unfortunately, it’s the bottom ball joint and if you look, just how much free play there is in that wheel. Look, it is literally hanging off now.
‘If I can get into this bottom ball there, as I actuate, it is actually jumping around as well as wearing the tire more. That’s gonna cause the steering to be all over the road and increase wear and tear on all other components connected to it.’
Simon Cheatle attributed the noise to the bottom joint in the wheel and could damage other parts in your car
Simon has urged drivers to bring their cars into the nearest garage as soon as they hear any knocking noises
According to experts at thedrive.com, you should not drive with a faulty ball joint, and continuing to ignore could prove very costly.
‘Continuing to drive can cause damage to other vehicle components and if the joint fails completely you could lose control of the vehicle, leading to a crash and injuries,’ they said.
For this reason, Simon has urged drivers to bring their cars into the nearest garage as soon as they spot any peculiar noises.
Since it was posted, the video has gained over 32,000 views and hundreds of likes.
Users jumped to the comment section, some asking the experienced mechanic their burning questions, one said: ‘Can you help me please I have a knocking noise on my Astra it happens when I press to clutch down.’
Others were not as worried to have their car’s looked at, one user said: ‘Mine knocking for three years when coasting LOL.’
Another said: ‘I have a metallic pinging coming from the rear near side corner when I hit a rather large speed bump.’
The mechanic frequently posts videos educating his followers on car parts and potential dangers.
He has posted videos from home to change your gearbox to how to pass your MOT.
