Customer Interview

Interview the customer, if possible, to determine the conditions that exist when the noise occurs. Use the Diagnostic Worksheet during the interview to document the facts and conditions when the noise occurs and any customer's comments; refer to DIAGNOSTIC WORKSHEET . This information is necessary to duplicate the conditions that exist when the noise occurs.

• The customer may not be able to provide a detailed description or the location of the noise. Attempt to obtain all the facts and conditions that exist when the noise occurs (or does not occur).
• If there is more than one noise in the vehicle, be sure to diagnose and repair the noise that the customer is concerned about. This can be accomplished by test driving the vehicle with the customer.
• After identifying the type of noise, isolate the noise in terms of its characteristics. The noise characteristics are provided so the customer, service adviser and technician are all speaking the same language when defining the noise.
  • Squeak - (Like tennis shoes on a clean floor)

    Squeak characteristics include the light contact/fast movement/brought on by road conditions/hard surfaces = higher pitch noise/softer surfaces = lower pitch noises/edge to surface = chirping.

  • Creak - (Like walking on an old wooden floor)

    Creak characteristics include firm contact/slow movement/twisting with a rotational movement/pitch dependent on materials/often brought on by activity.

  • Rattle - (Like shaking a baby rattle)

    Rattle characteristics include the fast repeated contact/vibration or similar movement/loose parts/missing clip or fastener/incorrect clearance.

  • Knock - (Like a knock on a door)

    Knock characteristics include hollow sounding/sometimes repeating/often brought on by driver action.

  • Tick - (Like a clock second hand)

    Tick characteristics include gentle contacting of light materials/loose components/can be caused by driver action or road conditions.

  • Thump - (Heavy, muffled knock noise)

    Thump characteristics include softer knock/dead sound often brought on by activity.

  • Buzz - (Like a bumblebee)

    Buzz characteristics include high frequency rattle/firm contact.

• Often the degree of acceptable noise level will vary depending upon the person. A noise that you may judge as acceptable may be very irritating to the customer.
• Weather conditions, especially humidity and temperature, may have a great effect on noise level.