When Alex Nevarez of New York City started hearing a mysterious crackling noise in her car, she feared the worst. She had owned the car for two years, but the sound first caught her attention this year after a 5-hour drive. Already concerned after a previous mechanic found signs of rodent activity in her engine, she worried that it might be a full-blown infestation. When online searches suggested that the culprit could be low coolant levels, Nevarez decided to take the car in for service. Since she was already due for an oil change and a 60,000-mile check, she asked the mechanic to investigate the odd noise as well. During the oil change, the mechanic didn’t hear any unusual sounds, so Nevarez was left stumped. It wasn’t until she was sitting in her parked car, frustrated by the continued crackling, that she noticed the source on her infotainment screen: a fireplace soundscape playing via the car’s speakers. The audio feature — part of a “Sounds of Nature” app, was imitating a cozy fire — complete with the sound of crackling and popping wood!
