Imagine cruising along the highway while listening to your favorite music, but all you can hear is a rhythmic “womping” noise from the tires. This noise is not only irritating but can also be a sign of some serious damage. Ignoring the defect may lead to a loss of control, a tire blowout, or a fatal accident.
So, what causes the womp womp tire noise, and what can you do about it?
I detail the reasons behind the tires making womp womp noises. I’ll also include ways you can put an end to these annoying noises.
Answer: Causes of Car Tires Womp Womp Noise
The most common causes of this noise are bad wheel alignment, tire belt separation, sidewall bulges, bent rims, and improper tire inflation. Some of these issues will cause a womp womp tire noise at low speed. To prevent further damage or an accident, pull over at a safe place and examine the tires.
Let’s detail the causes of the womping tire noise and possible solutions:
Bad Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment improves the quality of driving. It prevents issues like uneven tire wear, excessive wear on the suspension components, and loss of control while driving. That’s why your car requires wheel alignment once every year (depending on how or where you drive).
Unfortunately, wheels are likely to fall out of alignment earlier than expected. For example, driving fast over speed bumps, hitting potholes, or bumping into other cars can trigger improper wheel alignment. When this happens, you may hear the tires making womp womp noises while driving.
This womping noise stems from the tires bouncing on the road. You’ll also experience bumpy rides that may lead to losing control at higher speeds.
If your car is still drivable, take it to the nearest repair shop for a proper wheel inspection and adjustment. A certified mechanic will use wheel alignment machines to align your car wheels. The mechanic will also examine and replace worn tires and suspension components.
Bent Rim
Car rims link the tires to the axles. They are sturdy components made of steel, aluminum, or chrome to withstand impact while driving. Unfortunately, car rims don’t retain their shape forever. Heavy impact from hitting potholes and other road hazards can bend the rims.
Bent rims can lead to several issues, including the tires making repetitive “womping” sounds. If not addressed early, a bent rim can trigger improper alignment, flat tire, tire blowout, and wheels wobbling at high speeds.
A bent rim that has lost its round shape is easy to spot. You’ll see a substantial bend on the outer portion of the rim that holds the tire.
If the womp womp tire noise results from bent rims, a tire expert will help restore their shape. However, if the rims appear bent or damaged, the tire professional will know whether to repair or replace them.
Tire Belt Separation
Tire belts are the layers of rubber-coated fabric or steel cords located between the plies and treads. They enhance tire stiffness while providing resistance to punctures. If the tire belts are in good shape, they help the treads to stay flat, ensuring contact with the road.
Tire belts will ensure your car tires last longer despite the harsh conditions. However, issues like worn tires, improper wheel alignment, extreme heat, and oversteering can cause the tire belts to separate. When this happens, the tire shape may change, causing womp womp noises when spinning.
With time, the separated tire belts will break and disfigure the affected tires. One of the early signs of tire belt separation is sidewall bulges. These bulges are easy to notice on the outer sidewall. They may cause a womp womp tire noise at low speed.
Tire belt separation or breakage is dangerous and can result in a tire outburst or failure to maintain traction. You should avoid driving further if you spot a sidewall bulge or exposed tire belts.
Replacing a tire with separated or broken belts is the only solution to this issue. Remember that a damaged tire can intensify wheel alignment problems. So, take your car to an expert for wheel balancing and alignment.
Uneven Tire Treads
Tire manufacturers make tires with different tread sizes and designs. And thanks to the tread size and design, your tires will create some noise when driving. In most cases, this noise is normal as the tires contact the road.
However, if you hear womp womp noises from the tires, the cause could be uneven treads. If your car has large treads, they may wear out unevenly, creating inconsistent contact with the road. Driving with uneven tire treads can also increase the risk of hydroplaning.
Before you fix this problem, determine what caused uneven tire treads. The leading cause of this issue is unbalanced wheels. Failing to balance the wheels during repair or replacement will increase uneven tire wear. Also, a damaged or bent rim can cause the tire treads to wear out unevenly.
A certified mechanic will help with wheel balancing and alignment. If any rim looks damaged beyond repair, replacing it can be helpful. Replace the worn tires with new ones. You may want to look for tires with a better tread design that won’t make much noise while spinning.
Foreign Object Embedded in Your Tire
The womp womp tire noise at low speed can also come from a foreign object embedded in the tire. It might be a larger rock or object trapped between the treads. These stones or objects usually come out when driving at higher speeds.
You’ll hear a “womping” sound at low speed if the objects remain embedded between the treads. The good news is that you can remove these objects with a wooden Popsicle stick without damaging the tires.
In unfortunate situations, larger bolts, screws, or metal objects might puncture and remain embedded in your tires. You’ll hear the womp womp tire noise gradually getting louder as the tire becomes deflated.
A tire expert can patch the tire if the object that caused the puncture is small. Unfortunately, many foreign objects that puncture tires to create womping noises will cause serious damage. The tire expert will assess the damage and decide whether to patch the puncture or replace the tire.
Improper Tire Inflation
One of the leading causes of tire problems is improper tire inflation. Whether under or over-inflated, your car tires will likely cause many tire issues.
A common sign of tire inflation is the womping sound while driving. This sound is prevalent when driving with low tire pressure. In this case, the tire sidewalls flex more than normal, creating a womp womp noise when driving.
Under-inflation causes a larger portion of the tire surface to contact the road. When this happens, issues such as increased friction, tire overheating, excessive tire wear, and tire blowout might occur.
Similarly, over-inflation puts too much pressure on the center of your tires. As a result, the tires wear out quickly at the center. Worn-out tires can expose the tire belts, leading to womping noises as you drive.
You can remedy this tire problem by inflating or deflating the affected tires. For better results, check the manufacturer-recommended PSI when inflating or deflating them. If the tires look worn, consider replacing them.
Final Thoughts
A womp womp tire noise is one of the worst experiences a driver can encounter. If it’s long since you examined your tires, issues like improper alignment, bent rim, tire belt separation, and improper tire inflation might trigger this noise.
A foreign object might get stuck in the tire treads as you drive, creating womping noises. So, start by examining your tires and rims to determine the cause. You’ll need to resolve this problem to avoid further damage to the tires or losing control of your car.