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

Mystery air hissing sound when driving (like door air seals broken) - can't locate?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Jeff63, Oct 13, 2014.

  1. Jeff63

    Jeff63 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2014
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Just yesterday, we noticed a new sound we've never heard before.

    There sounds like a 'seal leak' on the passenger side, near the rear seat.

    Can only hear it when driving (air passing thru from outside/past a seal perhaps).

    Any suggestions for how to locate this?

    Walked around car to check anything obvious but couldn't see anything even after opening & closing doors & windows.

    Really a mystery...and very loud and annoying to me and passengers while driving.

    Almost sounds like it's coming from the battery vent on that side of the back seats.
     
    #1 Jeff63, Oct 13, 2014
  2. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Then it probably was. The battery vent fan blows if the battery gets hot. Was it a hot day or were you doing a lot of hard driving with the a/c on? And importantly, was there a passenger or item that could have blocked the rear vent by any chance? (was a passenger actually sat there, regardless of whether they denied blocking the vent).
     
    #2 GrumpyCabbie, Oct 13, 2014
  3. Jeff63

    Jeff63 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2014
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It was not a hot day (cooler than normal here). Only drove a couple of miles. Just had the AC compressor replaced but wasn't even running the AC at all. There was nothing blocking the vent, I did check that, too. No passenger in back of car. I actually thought maybe a pc of clothing was stuck in the door but there was nothing. Still have found nothing at all to explain it.
     
    #3 Jeff63, Oct 14, 2014
  4. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Compressor replaced? On a 2012? What miles you at?
     
    #4 GrumpyCabbie, Oct 14, 2014
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,688
    48,943
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    this is all very odd.
     
    #5 bisco, Oct 14, 2014
    Rebound likes this.
  6. GrumpyCabbie

    GrumpyCabbie Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2009
    6,722
    2,121
    45
    Location:
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    There seems to be a trend of wild goose chase threads of late. Not so long again it was new female members who had a rather attractive picture asking weird and wonderful questions. I'll abstain from commenting on them for the foreseeable or until I get bored. Some people might be genuine, some may be pulling my wire. I take part on here in my spare time and don't appreciate my spare time being wasted on the non genuine threads.
     
    #6 GrumpyCabbie, Oct 14, 2014
  7. lester williams

    lester williams Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2014
    227
    68
    0
    Location:
    mississippi
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I like attractive females that are weird and wonderful......... No help for OP though,, [ try ''greasing'' or ArmourAll on rubber seals in door sills ? ]
     
    #7 lester williams, Oct 14, 2014
    GrumpyCabbie likes this.
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,688
    48,943
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    agreed, the info so parse and reply's almost non existent.
     
    #8 bisco, Oct 14, 2014
  9. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    3,961
    2,609
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Does the sound go away if you turn the radio off? You could have blown a speaker in the right rear door.
     
    #9 Rebound, Oct 16, 2014
  10. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2013
    495
    156
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    It's the air vent by the right rear passenger seat. It occasionally turns on to cool the battery in the trunk. Don't worry it's normal. Most Prius owners don't even notice it, depends on your hearing :p

    If you pop up the trunk compartment, you'll see a black vent that is suppose to cool the trunk/battery area. But the hissing/air suction noise is from the vent.
     
    #10 nicoj36, Oct 20, 2014
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)