Q: I drove through high water and now my car makes a grinding noise when I start it, drive it or go over any bump in the road.

asked by on June 25, 2017

I unintentionally went through high water. I did not brake at all I just accelerated through the flooded area. And my car drove just fine the rest of the way home. I start the car the next day and I heard a loud grinding/rattling sound and it got even louder when I put the car in reverse. And it continues to rattle and grind when I brake, coast, hit a bump in the road, turn off the car, anything. And it stops occasionally then starts back up again. What is causing this sound?

My car has 63000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi there. The grinding sound could be coming from multiple sources, ranging from the serpentine belt drive system, to cooling fan motor, wheel bearings or even driveshaft or transaxle. The best way to determine the source of the noise is to have a professional mechanic complete a car is making a noise inspection. Grinding noises are an indication of metal-to-metal wear, so it’s a good idea to have this completed sooner than later.

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