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Weird noise from passenger side dash

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by jefe, Jun 28, 2013.

  1. jefe

    jefe Member

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    Tonight I left my wife in the car as I ran inside a store, when I returned she said the car was making a weird noise. I didn't hear it until later after we were moving, but she was hearing it sitting still, no engine idle (battery at 5 bars) but A/C was running. I am suspecting maybe it has something to do with A/C.

    The noise sounds like a low grumble rubbing. She said at first she thought someone was rubbing something against the car. But it seems to be coming from the passenger side dash, like behind the top glove box.

    Any ideas what this phantom noise is? It only makes the sound about every 4 minutes or so, j ust one rrrrrrrrrrr and then done.
     
    #1 jefe, Jun 28, 2013
  2. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    That noise sounds like the movable baffles run by servo motors, which are used to control the airflow and keep the temperature regulated when the A/C is running. Totally normal. If you press the recirculate button on the steering wheel, you will hear the baffle move right away, and see the recirculate icon appear on the dash.
     
    #2 nh7o, Jun 29, 2013
  3. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Hi Jeff!

    I agree with nh70 that I think it is the baffle thing that moves back and forth to control the air flow and the recirc. If I power down the A/C completely and then bring it back online in full auto after the car has set in the hot outdoors (95 plus), I hear it every time. It sounds like a soft groan that changes pitch towards the end of the groan. If it is what I think it is, I believe it is normal.

    Ron
     
    #3 dorunron, Jun 29, 2013
  4. jefe

    jefe Member

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    Thank you sirs. I believe that sounds right (soft groan). I was thinking it had to be tied to A/C since at the time, that was the only thing operating
     
    #4 jefe, Jun 29, 2013
    dorunron likes this.
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