Hi,

Yesterday my car started a strange noise inside the car. It's a high pitch, low squeal sound, that last about 3 seconds and then in about 3 seconds it comes back.

I turned the radio and the A/C off and it still does it. Any idea what else we can check out, before it goes to the dreaded dealer??

It's not in the engine area, but inside the car only. Maybe something in the glove box?

Were just lost at what it could be.

Thank you!

 

i know you said you turned off the AC but does it also happen if the fan is not running? i have had the same type of problem, and this is reported if you search for it, mine was with leaves and trash fallling down through the cowl. The drainage of water from the botom of the windshield actually pass by the vent air intake and there are places where more than water can find its way to your vent intake. if you pull the cabin air filter out, located on the right side under the glove box. you will need to remove a piece of plastic, there is a post that details how to do this w/photos. Be prepared for leaves and other sorts of trash that have collected to be there when you remove the cabin air filter. Be sure to pull your mat out and put a drop cloth or large towel to collect the trash. After removing the filer clean off the debri and reinsert the old filter hold it in place or replace the plastic strip that holds it in and turn the ignition switch to the on positon and turn the fan on high; this will blow out even more leaves and other collected items. Replace with a new cabin air filter and if you still hear the noise you will want to drop the fan blower motor next, in the same area, again there is a post on how to do this as well. There maybe somethting hung up in the fan itself. Good luck!

 

Did you turn the AC fan off? It is right below the glove box. Mine made a noise and I dropped the fan to find some chunks of leaves in there. I have no idea how they got through or around the cabin air filter.

 

Thank you for your replies. My hubby says, after I drove him around, that its a High frequency sound. And it starts for about 3 seconds, stops then starts again. Does not do it when the car is just sitting, only when being driven. Very odd!

I don't think it would be leaves, because of the piercing sound it makes. I thought that maybe playing the radio to loud once, that I wrecked a speaker, but with the radio off it still does it.

 

Interestingly, it may actually be leaves. If you remove the cowl cover and look inside (from outside the car with the hood open) you will see that the blower fan is open to the exterior and all kinds of stuff can fall in there if it's small enough to fit thru the grids in the cowl. As for the cabin filter, it is unfortunately downstream of the blower, which means it will keep stuff out of the cabin, but the blower itself is exposed to whatever can fall in there. Not a very elegant design.

 

Well, after driving my car again, I found what was making the nose. When I turn on the A/C by way of the Fan speed controls, which is the way I always have turned it on, the center dash light comes on for the A/C. I have never turned that off, or used it to turn the A/C on.. But now with this odd noise, if I push it off, the noise stops.

So there must be something wrong with my A/C? Darn I hate to take it to the dealer to have them tear up my car for this