Just recently I have been hearing a high pitch noise in the front end of my 2001 Durango. I opened the hood and noticed that it was a part on the passenger side near the firewall. I'm not too good with vehicles so I have no idea what part it is.
Does anyone know what part this is and what might be wrong? (I wish I had even just a diagram of the engine bay to point to part out...)

 

Take it to a shop.

 

are you running the heat or is it in off position=if on maybe the blower motor?
is it more like a whistle=vaccum leak--take an UNLIT propane torch and wave around the area=if the idle on the truck goes up it's a vaccum or intake gasket keak...
If your not at all comfirtable with working on a vehicle definetly take it to a shop..

 

I attached a couple of pics of the part. Can anyone tell me what this is?

Thanks.

 

Looks like a coolant afterun pump... But I dont' know if the D's have that...

 

Doesn't sound like a vaccum leak. More like a mechanical sound. It seems to go on when I brake and then stay on the rest of the time. Then when I turn the ignition off it stops...

I'm comfortable working on the vehicle but what would really help is if I knew what that part was that's making all the noise...

 

You didn't forget to unstrap you girl friend from the front the last time she ticked you off did ya? Sorry I had to say that, reminded me of that preview on real T.V where it says strap your girl to the front of the car and there was some chick just riding along on the hood..

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH=Shuster-dang----Okay does it make this noise with the ventilation system off ie the climate **** turned to off=if so it maybe a leak in the a.c. system since it runs even with the heater **** turned to hot and the climate turned on to any position=the a.c. clutch engages and pressurizes the system=may cause a whistle if there's a leak.you can also pull off the power lead to the compressor and see if the noise goes away..