Behind-Dash Noise (Heater/HVAC Maybe?)
 

Hello All:

My warranty expires in a month, so I hope I can get this issue fixed (09 FEH). I am not interested in the extended warranty, so let's not have that discussion :)

Anyhow, I have noticed 2 things, which may be related because it comes from a similar area.

1) When I am driving, especially below 40 or so, and I let off the gas or start to apply the brakes, a lot of times I hear this higher-pitched rattle (the best I could describe is like having a spoon in an empty class and vibrating the glass a little...about that pitch/similar sound). Maybe a rattle like a baby rattle. I have been hearing that for a few months (so back into warmer weather, too).

2) Last winter and now just starting here in the fall, sometimes, I hear the noise above especially more. When it's that clear, I have had it where I will get home/work (or whereever I am going), put the car in park and it sounds like a computer processor running. I would say it sounds like a computer running a scan or like it's trying to read a CD/DVD. A couple of times while that has happened, the HV battery vent has been very loud in blowing air. So yesterday, it was going (I didnt hear anything with the HV vent this time) and I got down and put my head by the passenger side floor, like under the glove box. It sounds like that noise is coming from the area near this little black box behind the center dash console (where the air vents are and the "ambient light" is).

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on, so I can hopefully help direct the service guy? Noises are so hard to get fixed, because if they dont replicate, you are out of luck...

Re: Behind-Dash Noise (Heater/HVAC Maybe?)
 

They found out the heater blower was faulty. That fixed some of it.

However, the other noise is still there. Basically, when I punch the gas and let off (lower speeds, like less than 40mph) it sounds like a rattlesnake rattle behind the dash--a clicking. I have noticed it too when not using the accelerator heading downhill. Those are all times when it would go to charging the HV battery.

What could be making that clicking? Is there a computer there that controls when the HV battery gets charged?