strange cabin whirring noise during E90 start up - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

climkt · 04-17-2006, 10:26 PM

Since , i bought my e90 manual 5 months ago, i have had no major problems ,thankfully. just getting use to hypersensitive indicator stalk. No loud rattles so far.
I have noticed a peculiar noise- a soft strange whirring noise during start up for 10 sec coming from the centre console. the noise is only present during start up and not on the move. i am 100% sure my ears are not playing tricks and i do not have tinnitus.( medical condition-hearing persistent humming noise). any e90 drivers heard this queer noise during start up as well?

visor · 04-17-2006, 11:10 PM

I hear it too.
I think it's the air vent flaps initializing.

climkt · 04-17-2006, 11:18 PM

thanks for your reply. thought my thread was so boring that nobody was bothered to give feedback. funny how i never heard this mechanical noise in my e36 and e46 previously. cheers

visor · 04-17-2006, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by climkt

funny how i never heard this mechanical noise in my e36 and e46 previously. cheers

I didn't hear it on my E46 previously either.
I think it's because the E90 is so much more insulated from the outside that any little noise inside the cabin is that much more noticeable.

rikuF10 · 04-17-2006, 11:24 PM

My E90 also have some rattling noise from the centre console....ever since the day I took my car. It sounds like something losing inside....
It is not major....just some noise whenever the car go over some bumps.

Just thinking whether or not to get this fix.......any comment?

RD Sport · 04-17-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RikuE90

My E90 also have some rattling noise from the centre console....ever since the day I took my car. It sounds like something losing inside....
It is not major....just some noise whenever the car go over some bumps.

Just thinking whether or not to get this fix.......any comment?

of coz get it fixed.

climkt · 04-17-2006, 11:29 PM

i only hear this noise during start up. maybe when car is on the move, it masks the noise? it actually sounds like a creaking door- very soft. not a loud rattling noise. tolerable actually.

zamboni · 04-18-2006, 02:18 AM

I could hear it but could not pin point what is the root cause either.

climkt · 04-18-2006, 02:39 AM

Exactly, zamboni! it is a vague creaking noise especially during start up, as soon as your finger is off the button and the car starts! i doubt it is the console creaking as the car has not moved yet!

spanna2000 · 04-18-2006, 01:31 PM

The vent adjusting was certainly present on the e36 - I remember being impressed at the time - it was even in the manual as a feature (to paraphrase - whenever the car is switched off the vent system is automatically adjusted to fresh air to ensure the car is ventilated, even if the system should fail the windows will still demist and the car will still be driveable)

BzsBimmer · 04-18-2006, 06:34 PM

I hear it too!
Also a few times when I've been in the car after I turn off my engine it makes the same weird noises after about 3 minutes or so...
I just like to think it's my car thanking me for driving it like it was meant to

SteveMD · 04-18-2006, 07:31 PM

Do you have Idrive? It takes about 20 secs to boot up and the nav dvd will be spinning and initialising. I can usually hear it if I jump in the car quick enough (it starts to boot when you unlock the door).

climkt · 04-18-2006, 08:46 PM

i don't notice the whirring noise at idle or after switching off the engine. wonder whether noise will be there if i start the car without the air con. thankfully, noise is not very irritating to make me go to the dealership to fix it. just very curious about its origin.

climkt · 04-19-2006, 07:19 PM

noticed that noise is not present during repeated start ups. wonder whether it is caused by air con air going through the vents to the rear. seems to be coming from under the front arm rest?

BzsBimmer · 04-20-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMD

Do you have Idrive? It takes about 20 secs to boot up and the nav dvd will be spinning and initialising. I can usually hear it if I jump in the car quick enough (it starts to boot when you unlock the door).

I don't know if you were directing the question to me but I do have idrive...
The sound is sorta like the cuff of a pressurized blood pressure monitor deflating

climkt · 04-20-2006, 01:27 AM

hi bzsbimmer, good description of the 'deflating noise'. do u get it only during start up too. always there at morning start up. when i reached my work place this morning, i tried to start up the car again- no noise. must be the gush of air going through the rear vents at first start up. e36 and 46 had no rear vents, maybe that is why i did not hear this peculiar noise.

BzsBimmer · 04-20-2006, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by climkt

hi bzsbimmer, good description of the 'deflating noise'. do u get it only during start up too. always there at morning start up. when i reached my work place this morning, i tried to start up the car again- no noise. must be the gush of air going through the rear vents at first start up. e36 and 46 had no rear vents, maybe that is why i did not hear this peculiar noise.

Now that you ask... I don't know.
I have to check it out again.
Maybe I can get a sound clip with my cell phone

04-17-2006, 10:26 PM	#1
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	strange cabin whirring noise during E90 start up Since , i bought my e90 manual 5 months ago, i have had no major problems ,thankfully. just getting use to hypersensitive indicator stalk. No loud rattles so far. I have noticed a peculiar noise- a soft strange whirring noise during start up for 10 sec coming from the centre console. the noise is only present during start up and not on the move. i am 100% sure my ears are not playing tricks and i do not have tinnitus.( medical condition-hearing persistent humming noise). any e90 drivers heard this queer noise during start up as well? Last edited by climkt; 04-18-2006 at 02:53 AM.
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04-17-2006, 11:10 PM	#2
visor BMW, can I have some LSD please? Drives: '08 E90 335i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,492 iTrader: (0)	I hear it too. I think it's the air vent flaps initializing. __________________ 2006 330i \| TiAg \| Black \| Al \| 6MT \| Sports Package \| Logic 7 retired 2008 335i \| AW \| Black \| Al \| 6MT \| Sports Package \| Logic 7 picked up Aug 23, 2008

04-18-2006, 02:18 AM	#8
zamboni I want to drive a Zamboni Drives: 09 E82 128i 13 E93 M3 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Monte Sereno, CA Posts: 2,476 iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00] 2006 325i [0.00]	I could hear it but could not pin point what is the root cause either. __________________ 13 E93 M3 Melbourne Red DCT/Premium/EDC/NAV/220M wheel 12 E93 Space Gray ( Retired BMW buy back ) 09 E82 Space Gray/Black int/Steps/Sport/Nav/Premium/Xenon/Phone Int/Hifi/269 wheel 2006 E90 ( sold ) My next vehicle would be a Zamboni

04-18-2006, 01:31 PM	#10
spanna2000 Private Drives: 330D M Auto Individual Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: BHX Posts: 57 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330d M Sport I ... [0.00]	The vent adjusting was certainly present on the e36 - I remember being impressed at the time - it was even in the manual as a feature (to paraphrase - whenever the car is switched off the vent system is automatically adjusted to fresh air to ensure the car is ventilated, even if the system should fail the windows will still demist and the car will still be driveable) __________________ Individual - Onyx Blue with M Sport and Xenons

04-18-2006, 07:31 PM	#12
SteveMD Colonel Drives: '09 335i, '11 GTI DSG Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Raventown! Posts: 2,252 iTrader: (3) Garage List 2009 BMW 335i [0.00] 2006 330i [0.00]	Do you have Idrive? It takes about 20 secs to boot up and the nav dvd will be spinning and initialising. I can usually hear it if I jump in the car quick enough (it starts to boot when you unlock the door). __________________ 2009 E90 335i One mod: JB4 - Best 1/4: 12.782@108.54mph 2011 VW GTI/DSG See me for Industrial Electronic Repair.

04-17-2006, 11:18 PM	#3
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	thanks for your reply. thought my thread was so boring that nobody was bothered to give feedback. funny how i never heard this mechanical noise in my e36 and e46 previously. cheers

04-17-2006, 11:24 PM	#5
rikuF10 Major Drives: F10 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,370 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW 528i [4.25] 2006 BMW 325i [0.00]	My E90 also have some rattling noise from the centre console....ever since the day I took my car. It sounds like something losing inside.... It is not major....just some noise whenever the car go over some bumps. Just thinking whether or not to get this fix.......any comment?

04-17-2006, 11:29 PM	#7
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	i only hear this noise during start up. maybe when car is on the move, it masks the noise? it actually sounds like a creaking door- very soft. not a loud rattling noise. tolerable actually.

04-18-2006, 02:39 AM	#9
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	Exactly, zamboni! it is a vague creaking noise especially during start up, as soon as your finger is off the button and the car starts! i doubt it is the console creaking as the car has not moved yet!

04-18-2006, 06:34 PM	#11
BzsBimmer 2-4-6-8 My car and house depreciate Drives: 2008 C300S Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mount. Fookyew Posts: 1,625 iTrader: (12)	I hear it too! Also a few times when I've been in the car after I turn off my engine it makes the same weird noises after about 3 minutes or so... I just like to think it's my car thanking me for driving it like it was meant to

04-18-2006, 08:46 PM	#13
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	i don't notice the whirring noise at idle or after switching off the engine. wonder whether noise will be there if i start the car without the air con. thankfully, noise is not very irritating to make me go to the dealership to fix it. just very curious about its origin.

04-19-2006, 07:19 PM	#14
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	noticed that noise is not present during repeated start ups. wonder whether it is caused by air con air going through the vents to the rear. seems to be coming from under the front arm rest?

04-20-2006, 01:27 AM	#16
climkt Bimmer Manual all the way Drives: e90 320i manual Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: singapore Posts: 1,811 iTrader: (0)	hi bzsbimmer, good description of the 'deflating noise'. do u get it only during start up too. always there at morning start up. when i reached my work place this morning, i tried to start up the car again- no noise. must be the gush of air going through the rear vents at first start up. e36 and 46 had no rear vents, maybe that is why i did not hear this peculiar noise.

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