Noises
Lifter tick or ticking engine noise: what it could be
A metallic ticking that speeds up with the revs usually comes from the top of the engine: hydraulic lifters, rocker arms or the cam phaser. If you only hear it for a few seconds at a cold start it can be normal; if it lasts, oil pressure or oil quality is usually lacking.
Check without hurryNoises
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Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Usually not urgent, but do not ignore it. If the noise comes with the oil light or keeps getting louder, stop and switch the engine off. If it is a light, steady tick with the right oil level, you can drive gently to a shop without working the engine hard.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- Oil level or quality: low oil, old oil or a viscosity other than the recommended one.
- Hydraulic lifters: they drain while the car is parked or wear with mileage.
- Cam phaser: rattles for a few seconds at start-up until it fills with oil.
- Injectors: on direct injection engines, a soft ticking is normal.
- Exhaust manifold leak: sounds similar and is more noticeable when cold.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: What do the crankshaft and camshaft sensors do and what happens when they fail? What are engine misfires (P0300)?
Car system: Engine and lubrication
What you can check yourself
Check the oil level and when it was last changed.
Notice whether the noise goes away as the engine warms up or stays.
Record the noise on your phone at idle and while revving gently, for the shop.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
Related fault codes
- P0011A camshaft position: timing over-advanced or system performance (bank 1)
- P0014B camshaft position: timing over-advanced or system performance (bank 1)
- P0016Correlation fault between crankshaft position and camshaft position (bank 1, sensor A)
- P0520Engine oil pressure sensor/switch A, circuit: malfunction
- P0300Random or multiple cylinder misfire detected
Generic codes that often come with this symptom. Seeing one does not confirm the cause: it is where the diagnosis starts.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: oil pressure if the car reports it, actual and target camshaft position and misfires.
Frequently asked questions
Is lifter noise normal at a cold start?
For a few seconds, yes, on many engines. If it lasts minutes or you hear it when warm, have it checked.
Will an oil change get rid of the noise?
Sometimes, if the oil was old or the wrong type. If it stays, there is wear.
Is it the same as knocking?
No: knocking or pinging is a sharp rattle when accelerating under load and has other causes.
Keep reading
- Engine and lubrication: how they work and what fails
- Knocking or pinking from the engine: what it means and what to do
- Oil warning light on: what it means and what to do
- Car using oil: when it is normal and what to do
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means