creaking sounds after a car is stopped

[Smiling]

I noticed that even if I drive for just a 10 mins and after I turn off the engine, got out of the car - my Toyota starts making creaking noises.

Don't know how long does i last - I haven't been listening to that for more than a couple of minutes - but the sounds resemble either a sounds of cooling of metal or sounds of slooowly stretching springs/coils. The noises were coming out along the whole body car not just from under the hood - so I don't think its a engine related (this is my ignorance saying)

Any ideas what it could be?

Thank you.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Smiling

[danja]

Don't know how long does i last - I haven't been listening to that for more than a couple of minutes - but the sounds resemble either a sounds of cooling of metal or sounds of slooowly stretching springs/coils. The noises were coming out along the whole body car not just from under the hood - so I don't think its a engine related (this is my ignorance saying)

Any ideas what it could be?

You answered your own question there. When your car is running, the engine heats up obviously, 10 minutes is enough to get it up to full operating temperature. When it stops, it cools down and pretty much any car will make sounds (to varying degrees) as hot metal contracts. The exhaust system runs the full length of the car and has several sections which join together, this could explain why the sounds seem to come from all over - also sound bounces off hard surfaces like the road and through metal, which can often make it hard to tell exactly where a noise is really coming from.

It's perfectly normal and nothing at all to be worried about :)

[Smiling]

You answered your own question there. When your car is running, the engine heats up obviously, 10 minutes is enough to get it up to full operating temperature. When it stops, it cools down and pretty much any car will make sounds (to varying degrees) as hot metal contracts. The exhaust system runs the full length of the car and has several sections which join together, this could explain why the sounds seem to come from all over - also sound bounces off hard surfaces like the road and through metal, which can often make it hard to tell exactly where a noise is really coming from.

It's perfectly normal and nothing at all to be worried about :)

I see now ... Thanks mate, I am back to my normal unworried state =)