1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Buzz from climate control system - What is it?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by mightyyam, May 26, 2011.

  1. mightyyam

    mightyyam New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2009
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Austin
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    II
    There is an intermittent buzz coming from the center console of my 2010 Prius trim level 2. It seems to be coming from the climate control system. It lasts for about three seconds, and it sounds like a fan with a bad bearing or rubbing against something else.

    The buzz occurs when starting the vehicle after it has been off for several hours, and intermittently while driving (maybe once every couple of days), and exactly one minute after powering off. It began occurring a few months ago.

    I asked my dealer to fix it but I was unable to duplicate the problem at their service bay. Very frustrating!

    So what's wrong with my vehicle?
     
    #1 mightyyam, May 26, 2011
  2. Corwyn

    Corwyn Energy Curmudgeon

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2011
    2,171
    659
    23
    Location:
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Leaf in the vent duct?
     
    #2 Corwyn, May 26, 2011
  3. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2011
    290
    135
    0
    Location:
    Orlando
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Are you sure it's coming from the climate control system? I wouldn't expect the climate control system to be doing anything at all once you shut the car off and the fact that it happens consistantly after you shut the car off leads me to believe that it may be something else. Of course... I don't know what else.

    Have you tried driving with the climate control system off to see if the problem still happens?
     
    #3 BrettS, May 26, 2011
  4. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Yes. It seems like the system is shutting down about a minute after turning off the car.
     
    #4 yam, May 26, 2011
  5. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Or maybe something else that is behind the climate control console??
     
    #5 yam, May 26, 2011
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,762
    48,974
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    are you no longer mighty?
     
    #6 bisco, May 26, 2011
  7. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Mighty is as mighty does. I'm on a different pc right now, not sure how I ended up on a different login.
     
    #7 yam, May 26, 2011
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,762
    48,974
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    gotcha, sorry i don't have any idea.
     
    #8 bisco, May 26, 2011
  9. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    anyone???
     
    #9 yam, May 31, 2011
  10. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    last bump.helloooooooo?????
     
    #10 yam, Jun 2, 2011
  11. DaYooper

    DaYooper Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2011
    106
    19
    1
    Location:
    Sout of da UP eh!
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It its hard to diagnose from your description. I know that in my tundra, after I changed the cabin air filter, a little piece of leaf got stuck in the blower fan. It was an easy fix. I haven't looked at the schematics for the HVAC system on the prius so I am not even sure where the blower is at.
     
    #11 DaYooper, Jun 2, 2011
  12. yam

    yam Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2009
    64
    3
    0
    Location:
    Austin TX
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Nope, definitely not a leaf in the fan. The noise comes from near the climate system, not from the vent. It occurs at certain times, including exactly one minute after powering down the vehicle (with no air movement), and the noise is always the same. It seems to be something in the climate system buzzing as it shuts off, then buzzing again as it powers back on.
     
    #12 yam, Jun 2, 2011
  13. Slovewell

    Slovewell New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2009
    95
    9
    0
    Location:
    Va
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV

    You aren't hearing the brake booster, are you? Does it do it with everything off (radio,climate control)or in accessory mode? The AC compressor buzzes but that is more of an outdoor noise.
     
    #13 Slovewell, Jun 3, 2011
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)