Hi All,

please forgive if this is already answered. I did search for it but it is a tough one to think of an appropriate search string for!

We have a 2.2 new shape. On power off it emits a high pitched whine (continous noise) for quite a long time. I've not noticed it before but the mrs says it's ben happening for a while.

Any clues much appreciated. Thanks.

OUrs has always done that.
I think it's either the Aux heater under the passenger seat or it's the aircon unit also mounted under there.
Sounds like a plane coming into land!

It is almost certainly the aux heater, does it happen all the time or only in cold weather? If it's running all the time disconnect it. Have a look under the car and see what you have, better still take a pic and post it here. The whine is usually accompanied by a smell of burning fuel not dissimilar to aviation spirit. Could not be air con as this needs the engine running for compressor to work!

Had mine just two days and noticed it does this! My wife was concerned about it, especially with the smell of fuel. However, it doesn't do it if the car has been driving for a while, as we went for a drive out for around 45 mins, came home and it didn't do it. However, I went out to the car later on that day, switched the engine on for around a minute, switched it off and heard the whining underneath the car. It went off after a couple of minutes.

Should I be concerned???

Thanks chaps. I really love this forum. Really appreciate your helpful comments.

I reckon the cold weather and short runs are definately a factor.

It does turn off after a while.

There is something on the floor under the driver's seat which I guess is supposed to be nested up inside it somewhere... I's assumed it was part of the heated seat. It dropped out about 2 years ago, and I've been pretending to myself I haven't noticed... pretty sure the whine comes from inside the bonnet though...

I'll take a closer look next time I drive it.

fyi

Whine stopped almost immediately today (before I had time to get back to it after opening the front door to the house - i.e. less than 60 seconds).

Today it is +7 degrees (rather than the 0 to -3 it's been recently).

Thats it, the unit is governed by temperature naturally, it is an auxillary heater!
In cold weather it will be on for longer especially on short runs. You can get kits for this to remotely switch it on so the car is up to operating temp before you venture out, all with engine off.

digger58 said:

Thats it, the unit is governed by temperature naturally, it is an auxillary heater!
In cold weather it will be on for longer especially on short runs. You can get kits for this to remotely switch it on so the car is up to operating temp before you venture out, all with engine off.

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Mine does this, is it actually a fault or by design?

It does smell of something not sure what though!

James

XB23 said:

Mine does this, is it actually a fault or by design?

It does smell of something not sure what though!

James

Click to expand...

Perfectly normal. You should see some smoke too.

Does this mean the 2nd garage was right and my car is not chuffing? The smoke coming into the cabin is from the Aux Heater??

I actually read this yesterday and on parking up after driving a mere 1 mile, turned the car off, heard the usual jet engine noise but..... saw a very faint puff of smoke from the front passenger wheel arch area.

Well bugger me!

Now annoyed at the 1st garage for wanted a 2k bill! Happy that the chuffing might actually not be happening but now a very smokey aux heater. I will be replacing the abused pollen filter as planned for a better fitting one with 'extra' sealing foam this weekend but will interesting to see if this continues in the warmer weather.

Cheers Guys

As I said before, the housing is usually the culprit for smells in the cabin, if it is not clamped up properly it will suck air from the engine bay and not fresh air from the grille above the bonnet. The small rubber pipe at the bottom of the housing may be off too.