“Rhythmic metallic tick”
A description of evidence in the recording, including when it appears and how it changes.
How CarWhisper works
A clearer path from strange sound to useful next step.
CarWhisper does not listen for one magic match. It checks the recording, describes the audible evidence, compares that evidence with relevant sound patterns, and keeps uncertainty visible.
The method
Four checks before a useful result.
The operating moment matters as much as the sound. A squeal during braking is different evidence from a squeal at cold startup.
- 01
Guide the recording
You choose where and when the noise happens. The app gives placement and safety guidance for that situation.
Context: engine bay, exhaust, road, or braking - 02
Check sound quality
Wind, speech, clipping, silence, and an incomplete event can make a recording misleading. Poor evidence should be recorded again.
Output: usable, limited, or retry - 03
Describe what is heard
The observation comes first: rhythm, pitch, repetition, location, and how the sound changes with the vehicle.
Evidence: sound before suspected part - 04
Compare and hand off
Relevant patterns become a short list of possibilities, each paired with limits, urgency, and a practical next check.
Result: possibilities, not a diagnosis
Reading a result
Three layers, kept deliberately separate.
This separation makes it easier to challenge a result and gives a mechanic a useful description even when the cause remains uncertain.
Several possible causes
Patterns consistent with the evidence, narrowed by recording location and vehicle context.
Safety and a useful check
What to inspect, what to record again, and when the safest answer is professional help.
What sound cannot establish
A phone microphone is evidence, not an inspection.
- It cannot confirm the failed component or the exact repair.
- It cannot measure fluid pressure, temperature, voltage, wear, or fault codes.
- It cannot establish that a vehicle is safe to drive.
- It may return no useful pattern when the sound is weak, masked, or absent.
Continue exploring
See which sound patterns are in the catalog.
Browse the conditions CarWhisper can consider, the clues associated with each one, and where sound alone reaches its limit.
Open the fault catalogTechnical research details
Our longer research record includes the evaluated embedding models, dimensions, retrieval benchmarks, storage calculations, and known transfer limitations. It is retained as a working research page rather than part of the main user journey.
Read the embedding research record