Why is there a whining sound when the heat is on in my car?
What is your question?
Hello! For about the past month, I have had a strange noise that occasionally emits from my car. It can be heard both in the cabin as well as from outside the car. It is best described as sounding like a plane taking off. It lasts for about 5-6 seconds, then "winds down" and repeats this cycle every few seconds. It should also be noted that air begins to be sucked rapidly into the grill on the front of the car while the noise is happening. I originally thought this was an engine fan turning on as I was having engine overheating issues, but this was discovered to be a problem with the cooling system that was repaired (new coolant overflow tank), and the noise has continued after the repair. However, yesterday I discovered that the noise only happens while the heater is on. I have a video of the noise from inside the cabin, but the website is not letting me post a link.
What makes this problem better or worse?
Turning on the heat
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Have you had a qualified mechanic check this out ? .. We can post a list of the possibilities - however in reality that's not going to help much at all as it is still going to require *hands-on* inspection to determine the exact cause ..
It certainly 'seems' to be related to the HVAC system blower fan and could possibly be the a/c compressor as it too is operational even when heater is turned on.
Recommend having qualified personnel at least listen the noise.
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For some reason it made me make a new account and will not let me register the email the visitor account is with (I'll deal with that later). Anyway, here's the video of the noise from inside the cabin: https://streamable.com/vq3th
That is the *electric radiator cooling fan* cycling on and off - when certain heater functions are selected - the a/c compressor will also turn on - anytime the a/c compressor turns on - so does the *radiator cooling fan* - which is by design - the premise is so the a/c compressor will get exercised - even during cold temperatures.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Well I don't hear anything that sounds unusual at all - however you may want to have a mechanic took a quick look at it just to be certain - there usually isn't a charge for that .. It will only take a few seconds for a *knowledgeable mechanic* to determine.
Unfortunate news: on my way home from work, the same engine overheating evet happened as before they fixed the coolant tank. The whining noise crescendoed to the point where it was constant, the heat started blowing cold air even with the temperature all the way up, and then the critical engine temp light came on, putting the car in safety mode (only allows low revs and no quick acceleration). I am taking my car to my shop first thing tomorrow morning, as obviously this is some serious issues. Just curious if you had any further hypothesis as to what could be causing it so I could get an idea of cost.
You could post the video on YouTube then post that link here - IF we could hear the noise - it would definitely help! Good luck with it!
For some reason it made me make a new account and will not let me register the email the visitor account is with (I'll deal with that later). Anyway, here's the video of the noise from inside the cabin: https://streamable.com/vq3th
That is the *electric radiator cooling fan* cycling on and off - when certain heater functions are selected - the a/c compressor will also turn on - anytime the a/c compressor turns on - so does the *radiator cooling fan* - which is by design - the premise is so the a/c compressor will get exercised - even during cold temperatures. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Thanks pushrod! So is this likely to cause any serious issues in the future? Or are you saying this noise is totally normal?
Well I don't hear anything that sounds unusual at all - however you may want to have a mechanic took a quick look at it just to be certain - there usually isn't a charge for that .. It will only take a few seconds for a *knowledgeable mechanic* to determine.
Unfortunate news: on my way home from work, the same engine overheating evet happened as before they fixed the coolant tank. The whining noise crescendoed to the point where it was constant, the heat started blowing cold air even with the temperature all the way up, and then the critical engine temp light came on, putting the car in safety mode (only allows low revs and no quick acceleration). I am taking my car to my shop first thing tomorrow morning, as obviously this is some serious issues. Just curious if you had any further hypothesis as to what could be causing it so I could get an idea of cost.
Hey..what ended up happening? I'm now having the same exact issue with my car!!