Troubleshooting swishing, knocking, and whining sounds coming from behind center dash

[SpookyMulder]

Hey everyone! I’ve been having this noise issue come up with my 3rd gen for the last six months and I’m finally getting around to take care of it. It’s a very odd sound that I can only explain as mechanical swishing, rumbling, and knocking. It’s a bit more rare but there has also been some whining sounds coming from the same area.The source of it is definitely somewhere behind the center console. It seems to start a little bit after I start driving and then continues until I turn the car off. I suspect it’s something to do with the AC but not really sure where to start with narrowing it down. Any ideas or tips would be super helpful!

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Hey everyone! I’ve been having this noise issue come up with my 3rd gen for the last six months and I’m finally getting around to take care of it. It’s a very odd sound that I can only explain as mechanical swishing, rumbling, and knocking. It’s a bit more rare but there has also been some whining sounds coming from the same area.The source of it is definitely somewhere behind the center console. It seems to start a little bit after I start driving and then continues until I turn the car off. I suspect it’s something to do with the AC but not really sure where to start with narrowing it down. Any ideas or tips would be super helpful!

Dumb question…..it’s only there when you run the AC that you think it’s AC related?


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[phattyduck]

Year and trim would be helpful - there are a few different HVAC setups.

-Charlie

 

[SpookyMulder]

Year and trim would be helpful - there are a few different HVAC setups.

-Charlie

Good point, it's a 2001 SR5. It has the three dials instead of the fader or digital setup.

 

[SpookyMulder]

Dumb question…..it’s only there when you run the AC that you think it’s AC related?


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So it doesn't go away if I turn off the AC so it may be something else going on behind the center console. Just given the proximity of the noise the AC is my first guess. The noise appears after a few minutes of driving once everything's heated up. I'll see if I can get a good video demonstrating the sound to upload.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

So it doesn't go away if I turn off the AC so it may be something else going on behind the center console. Just given the proximity of the noise the AC is my first guess. The noise appears after a few minutes of driving once everything's heated up. I'll see if I can get a good video demonstrating the sound to upload.

With a cold engine, when you remove the rad cap where is the coolant level?


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[spartacus]

Cleaning out the blower motor wouldn't hurt.

 

[brillo_76]

I think the late models all have servos and actuators on the heater and AC boxes. Which can make all kinds of interesting noises. I have one where the heater blower motor sounds that will slightly squeal from time to time.

The center dash would be your heater box. Behind the Glove box would be the AC box. So I am suspecting a few servos and actuators are not working properly on on your heater box. Thus the knocking, swishing and whining sounds coming from behind center dash