Annoying Sounds Will Haunt Me Forever

[RUAOK]

Hi All,

I had a post a couple months back about a mysterious and annoying pumping sound and got some good feedback that it might be the result of having not enough engine coolant fluid. I added some and it seemed to resolve some of the sounds I was hearing. However, I've recently noticed another very annoying sound that seems to be coming from just behind the glove box. The best that I can describe, it sounds like an electrical pump. There is some clicking, pumping, and churning going on. It doesn't happen ALL the time but a lot of the time. I can't seem to associate it with any specific driving behavior. Can anyone help? This pump sound is haunting me!

Thanks.

[bartkat]

The air conditioning fan is behind the glovebox.

[smooth1]

Yeah, I think you may have frightingly dirty a/c filter. LOL!!!

Look at the hinges of the door to the glove box. there is a tab on each side that you pull inward. -----> <----- The glove box itself will then come right out of there. You'll see a black plastic carrier and the a/c filter slides out of there. You probably have leaves and a bunch of junk in there. Put a new filter in, ( about 12 bucks) and see if that solves your sound issue. You'll probably also notice a blast of air coing out of you vents again also.

[RUAOK]

Hey Bartkat and Smooth,

Thanks for the replies. Your help in diagnosing this problem is much appreciated. I have actually already replaced the cabin air filter that is located behind the glovebox (and yes it was really dirty with leaves and everything). And now that I think of it, the sound may have began to appear sometime after that filter was replaced. But the sound that I'm hearing sounds more like a fluid being pumped through some mechanical device. The sounds can be best described as winding and clicking. Are there any fluids or anything that I can check the levels of?

Thanks

[bartkat]

The only fluid (noise) might be coolant going through the heater core that's on the firewall behind the dash. Sometimes air can get in the coolant and cause some sound. We fixed that on the IS300 by putting the front of the car on jackstands, then running the engine and heater while adding some coolant to the fill tank on the radiator. Somehow that circulation and gravity gets rid of the air bubbles. Maybe the bubbles get out through the fill hole while the coolant circulates. Anyhow, most of the time it works.

[smooth1]

Hey Bartkat and Smooth,

Thanks for the replies. Your help in diagnosing this problem is much appreciated. I have actually already replaced the cabin air filter that is located behind the glovebox (and yes it was really dirty with leaves and everything). And now that I think of it, the sound may have began to appear sometime after that filter was replaced. But the sound that I'm hearing sounds more like a fluid being pumped through some mechanical device. The sounds can be best described as winding and clicking. Are there any fluids or anything that I can check the levels of?

Thanks

When you say it sounds like some fluid being pumped thru a mechanical device, do you mean it sounds like when you use the windsheild washer motors? Like that sound? If it's like a bubbling gurgling noise, then what Bartkat talked about the air in the heater core or trapped is probably right on.

[kavehghazi]

I have the same exact problem,

for the past 6-8 months, I hear this noise coming from the back of the glove box, and it is not the cabin filter. It does sound like a pumping noise or as I would describe the noise as some sort of electromechanical relay switch turning on and off. Lately the sound has changed a bit and sounds more like a pump squicky noise. I have taken the glove box out and looked at the components in there but could not figure it out.

I ran the AC on and off but I didn't think it was unrelated to that. And just in the past 2 weeks, the sound is gone and my heater is not working, but the AC works.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[kavehghazi]

I have the same exact problem,

for the past 6-8 months, I hear this noise coming from the back of the glove box, and it is not the cabin filter. It does sound like a pumping noise or as I would describe the noise as some sort of electromechanical relay switch turning on and off. Lately the sound has changed a bit and sounds more like a pump squicky noise. I have taken the glove box out and looked at the components in there but could not figure it out.

I ran the AC on and off but I didn't think it was unrelated to that. And just in the past 2 weeks, the sound is gone and my heater is not working, but the AC works.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

In my case, the coolant level was down to nothing in my reserve, so I added in coolant to the reserve and nothing happened at first, but after about 2 days the heater started to kick in and I have not heard any noises as of yet. I'm pretty sure the noise comes from the heater core or a pump or switch the controls the core and it is trying to flow the coolant through and since its not available, it makes that noise.

Thanks for all the help guys

[aycy]

hi all LOC member, my car also got those annoying sound near dashboard there. the sound is like VVVvvvVVvv something like air sound, it will only appear when the weather is cold especial night time, when the sound come out i try to switch off the aircond but also the same. the sound will become louder when i throttle my engine and only got sound when the car is moving. any idea what is the problem? any member here facing this problem before? thanks......