I've just noticed this evening that my car is making what I can only decribe as a sort of flapping noise when I'm driving at a low speed. I thought I might have something caught in the wheel but I can't see anything. I did consider never driving at low speed but came to the conclusion that it wouldn't be a good idea!
Any experts got any ideas?

Too vague a description really, where is the sound coming from? Is it the wheel area? Does it always occur at low speed? Or only when turning or accelerating/decelerating?

It sounds like it's coming from the front, passenger side wheel. I hear it mainly when I'm decelerating.

Its your make-up bag leaving the dashboard when you go over a bump and hitting the vanity mirror --- er i mean rear view mirror, combined with your pashmina oscillating in the wind when you have the window down.

Driving at higher speeds i fear will not reduce the flapping sound, indeed it would add to it because it would cause all of your fluffy toys to leave the dashboard & get caught up in your ear-rings.

Helpful? Thought it might be.....

Ha bloody ha!! Anybody got any sensible suggestions.

Rachel, you really need to take it to a garage, no way can anyone here give accurate advice without seeing it or driving it.
Good luck.
Go to an independant garage if money is a problem, main dealers can be £80 an hour.

That's what I'm going to do. I just thought I'd see first if anybody knew of something really obvious that it could be as I'm not terribly technical!!

Good idea, but see what the garage says.

At the risk of being sexist, but for all the right reasons, take a bloke with you and make sure you know exactly what they are telling you.

Women are often ripped off if a garage thinks you only know where the petrol and key goes.

Seriously. Don't be taken for a mug and pay £XXXXX for a new giggling pin.

Have you checked round the whole circumference of the tyre? That sounds like you've a stone or something similar caught in the tread. It doesn't have to be big to cause that noise.

Buckled rim?

Check your tyre pressures! Very low pressures would make that kind of noise.

Roma, you have mail, as the film goes.

have you got a flat tyre :P... they make flapping noises... but then again driving fast would be an issue, im going to take a guess and say it 'COULD' be your brearings that are going... but i wouldnt hold me to that...

What's the car?

Rachel, can't be sure, but my gut instinct says it's probably a worn driveshaft (if your car is front wheel drive, most are) or wheel bearing.

quote:

Originally posted by pantherd90:
What's the car?

Citroen 2cv Van.

(Probably not!)

It's stopped! Thanks Boig - it was just a stone caught in thr thread. Got it out and no more flapping. Thanks for the suggestions folks.

Now must just adjust my pashmina and rearrange my cuddly toys!

quote:

Now must just adjust my pashmina and rearrange my cuddly toys!

I on the other hand have been adjusting my coilovers and rearranging my internal organs.

Pleased for you that it was nothing expensive.

Thanks Bamford - you've been an angel with proper sugestions with no daft ideas like pashminas (which I've never owned), and earrings, (which I don't wear) and make up bags, (which I do own but not in my car). My car goes in for a service annually and I don't make any pretence that I know anything about cars but I do object to being spoken to like an idiot. I can do a lot more with my car than a lot of blokes I could mention, but I'm quite happy to admit that they're all little bits that I've been taught and I'm more than happy to seek advice before paying out good money when there's something I don't understand,

Originally posted by Bamford:

quote:

Rachel, you really need to take it to a garage, no way can anyone here give accurate advice without seeing it or driving it.

....oh yeah ....

quote:

It's stopped! Thanks Boig - it was just a stone caught in thr thread. Got it out and no more flapping.

.... They don't call me "The Car Whisperer" for nothing!