Grinding noise and idling issue after hitting a deer

Tiny
TIFFANDERSON1019
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 92,000 MILES
Hi, I hit a deer yesterday coming home from work about forty mph. I slammed on the brakes. Well it obliterated my driver side headlight, bent up my hood just a little on the side but hardly noticeable and that is all I noticed. Well it drove home fine, parked it for about nine hours until I was going to drive it to work tonight. I went out, started it and left. I turned the heat on to about a two but started noticing it idling differently and it making a grinding noise when I stopped and the check engine light came on.
Tuesday, March 27th, 2018 AT 8:09 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Oh deer. Sorry I just had to say that. First things first, go get a scan done and see what the code is, lets get that sorted first.
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 3:36 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,152 POSTS
Hitting a deer can do a lot of hidden damage. The front of the car could look fine but under all the plastic things get damaged. I would look under the hood to see if the engine shifted in the cradle or if the header panel (the part the radiator is on) moved enough that it hits the engine. If you do not go under the hood very often it might be better to take it to a shop and have them look it over and see what they find. Or if you have an automotive friend have them look. I have seen more than a few cars hit a deer, some looked like it never happened, but the parts under the panels were destroyed. Hopefully your issue is something minor.
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 9:35 AM
Tiny
TIFFANDERSON1019
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well we looked under the hood and nothing is really looking different. There are like two radiators and the bottom of one is kind of dented and the fan is pushed in a little but not broken. The axles are not broke, bent anything. I still have coolant in the holder.
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 10:07 AM
Tiny
TIFFANDERSON1019
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
We hooked up a code reader an it is saying running too lean?
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 12:54 PM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
What was the exact code set?
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 4:25 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,152 POSTS
Lean code is probably a knocked loose vacuum line or broken plastic parts as there are a bunch of them on and around the engine. Some seem to break if you just look at them wrong. However, looking at the damage, you may want to pull the front bumper cover and look close as I would bet the impact absorber and support are damaged and likely the header support is bent as well. The grinding noise, did you need to be moving or was it there while setting still with the engine running?
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 7:09 PM
Tiny
TIFFANDERSON1019
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Steve, the grinding noise is only when I am coming to a stop. Otherwise, no grinding. Also, this is what we found, we did a fix on it until we can order a new one today when my boyfriend gets off work. By chance anyone know what it is called, this piece?
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Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 AT 10:42 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,152 POSTS
DUCT-Air Cleaner and Silencer. Best place to get one would be a salvage yard or you-pull-it type place. From a dealer it is around $100.00 to $175.00 depending on the dealer.

Grinding only while stopping- check the brakes over for damage as well as for any low hanging plastic under the car.
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Thursday, March 29th, 2018 AT 7:07 AM
Tiny
TIFFANDERSON1019
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  • 5 POSTS
Thank you so much, I appreciate it.
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Thursday, March 29th, 2018 AT 8:32 AM

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