Here are a few ways to revise the sentence to make it clearer:
Option 1: Replace "it" with a noun.
* "The car made a terrible noise as it crashed into the tree." (This clarifies that the car is the one making the noise.)
Option 2: Use a possessive pronoun.
* "The car made a terrible noise as its engine crashed into the tree." (This clarifies that the noise is coming from the car's engine.)
Option 3: Rephrase the sentence.
* "A terrible noise erupted from the car as it crashed into the tree." (This avoids the use of "it" entirely.)
Option 4: Add context.
* "John was driving down the road when he heard a terrible noise. The car he was driving crashed into the tree." (This adds context about the car and who was driving it.)
By making these changes, the sentence becomes clearer and easier to understand.