E60 Discussion Anything and everything to do with the E60 5 Series. All are welcome!

Chirping fan noice inside dashboard

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-15-2008, 06:21 AM
  #1  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

I have searched the forum for old posts about similar problem, but all seems to be connected to slip stick problems.
Plastic creaking between two parts.

My problem seems to be connected to some single mechanical component making the odd noice.

I have noticed, after about 1h drive, a chirping fan noice starts inside the instrument panel.
Sounds like a small rotating fan with a pine tree needle in it, constantly warying in speed.
From a high pitched tick....tick....tick..tick.tick.tick tick, to frrrrrr Not that loud but noticable and annoying. And probably not mentioned to be.

The noice is located inside the dash, somewhere behind the glove compartment.
Funny thing is that it doesn?t start until about 1h drive.

I?ve tried to switch off the klima, change settings, turn on/off the AC = No effect.
My guess is that it is not connected to the ventilation system!?

Could it be some cooling fan for cd changer, amplifier or similar that is located inside the panel?

Anyway, it?s damn anoying and will probably not occur if I leave my car at the shop (As allways when you shall demonstrate something for the mecanics)

So, my hope is set to you
Old 01-15-2008, 10:13 AM
  #2  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

Forgot to mention, this concerns my 545i built in aug 04
Old 01-15-2008, 12:13 PM
  #3  
Members
 
fünf dreißig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Bitburg Germany
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2007 530i
Default

I had a similar problem a couple weeks back. It was really cold out and the fan was chirping. I manually cranked up the fan to high for little while, and I haven't heard it again.
Old 01-15-2008, 11:10 PM
  #4  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

Originally Posted by f?nf drei?ig' post='518347' date='Jan 15 2008, 10:13 PM
I had a similar problem a couple weeks back. It was really cold out and the fan was chirping. I manually cranked up the fan to high for little while, and I haven't heard it again.
My problem doesn?t seem to connect to the ventilation fan.
If I crank up the fan speed, nothing changes in pitch. And if I turn off the klima system completely, the noise is still there. (But then all of a sudden it can disappear)
Old 01-16-2008, 02:44 AM
  #5  
Members
 
jonno_'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 535d Sport Saloon / Carbon Black / E-maps re-map / 20" Vortex R alloys - carbon black / Pro-Nav / Vis pack / heated leather / enough for now /
Default

Could it be related to the CD changer?
Have you tired to get it to make the noise with all cds and magazine removed?
Failing that, maybe take a look on realOEM for whats behind there?
Old 01-16-2008, 11:16 AM
  #6  
Senior Members
 
timewa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Enschede, Holland
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

My guess would be it's the small fan for the A/C temperature sensor.

You have a small air intake on your dashboard (in my case it's on the A/C panel underneath the "auto" button) where it sucks in air to determine the interiour temperature. This fan is always-on when your car is running. After a while, it can become more noisy.

It's not so difficult to replace. The other day I opened my A/C panel (don't ask why) and here you can see the PCB with the NTC on it. The NTC is the actual temperature sensor, but it needs airflow to do a decent interiour measurement (otherwise you'd only be measuring the heat generated in your dashboard).

On the backside, the small fan is mounted (maybe 3cm in diameter), you can't see it on this picture but you can see the 4 pin fan-connector on the left side of the air intake.

Just listen closely to the fan to check if it's indeed causing the noise. Good luck.
Attached Thumbnails Chirping fan noice inside dashboard-e60_cd_changer_inbouw_5.jpg  
Old 01-24-2008, 10:24 AM
  #7  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

I?ve tried the "remove the magazine" trick = No luck

I?ve put my ear next to the ac/fan, and no, it is not that fan making the noise.

Still, tanks for your ideas!
Old 01-25-2008, 03:29 PM
  #8  
Senior Members
 
CVTBenhogan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 977
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 BMW 550i "Ben Hogan's 5 Iron" SilverGrey/Black Sport, L7, NAV, CW, AS, Split FR 2003 Audi A4 3.0 CVT "Part of the Moniker" Silver/Ebony, Prem, CW, Star 17s
Default

Originally Posted by NPe' post='518166' date='Jan 15 2008, 11:21 AM
I have searched the forum for old posts about similar problem, but all seems to be connected to slip stick problems.
Plastic creaking between two parts.

My problem seems to be connected to some single mechanical component making the odd noice.

I have noticed, after about 1h drive, a chirping fan noice starts inside the instrument panel.
Sounds like a small rotating fan with a pine tree needle in it, constantly warying in speed.
From a high pitched tick....tick....tick..tick.tick.tick tick, to frrrrrr Not that loud but noticable and annoying. And probably not mentioned to be.

The noice is located inside the dash, somewhere behind the glove compartment.
Funny thing is that it doesn?t start until about 1h drive.

I?ve tried to switch off the klima, change settings, turn on/off the AC = No effect.
My guess is that it is not connected to the ventilation system!?

Could it be some cooling fan for cd changer, amplifier or similar that is located inside the panel?

Anyway, it?s damn anoying and will probably not occur if I leave my car at the shop (As allways when you shall demonstrate something for the mecanics)

So, my hope is set to you

I posted about this. It might be some bolts that need to be tightened in the engine bay. This was my issue and BMW SA said there is a new service bulletin on this. I'd bring it in and reference the service bulletin.
Old 01-26-2008, 01:20 AM
  #9  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

CVTBenhogan>>

Thanks.

If you refer to this?
http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/bullet...mp/B511304g.htm
I will try that as soon as the bloody rain stops

I do not fancy pulling out my Z3 racer from the garage into the swedish winter, aka "rain season"
No idea bringing the 545 to the notorious "it?s supose to be like this" or "we do not hear any unusual with this car" BMW shop, for a operation like this.
Old 01-26-2008, 06:02 AM
  #10  
NPe
Members
Thread Starter
 
NPe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sweden
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: M6 E63 Sapphire black Z3 Coupe R4Turbo Hellrot, semi race. (670bhp) Z3 Coupe V8Turbo design work ongoing, full race. Sold: 545i Titanium Silver
Default

OT:

Well.... the rain seemed to have stopped for a while.
Pulled the Red rocket out of the garage, to breath some cold January air
Chirping fan noice inside dashboard-z3_rain.jpg

Will return with some pictures after the bulletin operation.


Quick Reply: Chirping fan noice inside dashboard



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:31 PM.