2002 Solara convertible V6 3.0 engine. On initial cold start the engine has a loud vibrating rumble that last 4 or five seconds. Then it goes away and is fine. Only happens when vehicle sits for an extended period. Sounds like something is not getting oil or an exhaust leak that seals after start up. Car ha 98000 miles.got the car 2 years ago and did not notice it till second year. Colder it is and the longer it sits the louder and longer the rumble but quickly goes away. Any Ideas?? Al, Peabody,Mas.
The engine may have a small vibration until the sensors smooth it out. Could be a loose heat shield on your exhaust.
Just buy a new car. That’s what I’m about to do if the next mechanic I go to says it will cost me over $1000 to fix the problems with my car
A 2019 ford edge sounds nice, you deserve it! You only live once, treat yourself. And if you have good credit your note will probably only be around 400 and you won’t have to deal with repairs.
Do you work as a salesman? That answer isn’t helpful.
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Unlikely to be an exhaust leak as it would probably take more than 5 seconds to heat up enough to seal. But the lack of oil idea after the car sits for an extended period has merit. Make sure the oil is in good shape and is at the full mark on the dipstick, that’s top priority. My guess is this is some sort of timing chain or valve train noise. It could also be something more simple, like something on the drive belt path that’s acting up after sitting unused. You’ll need to get a shop tech to listen under the hood, possibly using a mechanic’s stethoscope, to narrow down where the noise is coming from.
neighbor had a red solara convt for 10yrs. drove it yr round. just got a newer red audi convt. i would have asked him about rumbles but its too late
If you’re tired of your car, or if it’s become a total piece of s***, fine, buy something else, but don’t go telling everyone that’s the “solution” to their car problems. Not everyone is willing or able to spend a lot of money and possibly go into debt just because their car is old, and starting to show problems. Also, a person who is happily driving a 17-year old car with less than 100,000 miles on it probably does not need or want a new SUV–or the monthly payment!
BTW, few repairs at a professional mechanic are likely to cost much less than $1000 these days. Heck, around here, a timing belt job, or fuel pump replacement costs that much. Even having front and rear brakes done can set you back $700 or more. However, it doesn’t take very much mathematical ability to see that the annual cost of maintenance and repairs for an old car are much cheaper than even a few months of the proposed $400 monthly payment for a new model.
my 05 equinox feels ok on smooth roads. but i think the shock mounts are worn. has newer struts though. i drove our 16’ work nox yesterday. super smooth. zero suspension noise. and it has 95k miles. but, it weighs 400lbs more than my 05. has the 290hp vs while mine has the weak 160hp 3.4. though i would swap it in a minute
Could be getting a small crack in the exhaust manifold which seals up as the exhaust gets hotter . If you have to replace that you are looking at $700-1000 .