[4th Gen : 01-07]: Help! Humming noise from Dash W/ AC on
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Help! Humming noise from Dash W/ AC on
Okay, I have a 2004 Dodge Caravan, 4 cyl., no fancy stuff (AC & heat only in the front).
Last year I had my mechanic replace the blower motor. Luckily (if indeed this turns out to be the problem), it's on a two-year warranty.
So anyway, as I was driving home today from the local fast food joint, I hear a loudish "pop" from the front of my vehicle and I "feel" some friction like something is stuck (like a wheel or the brakes), so I pull over onto the side of the road, stop, and turn the engine off. Now, I live in South Florida and it's a hot day but I'm driving with the one good window down and the AC is off.
I get outside and check the tires and wheels, underneath the van, etc., everything looks Kosher. I walk back down the road to about where I first heard the pop and I don't see anything--no fluids, no car parts or fragments, nothing.
I go back to the van, pop the hood, everything looks okay, hoses, belts, etc., at least as far as my only slightly mechanically inclined self can tell. I start the engine with the hood open, I don't hear anything weird, everything looks to be running fine, so I get back into the van and keep driving home with the window down. After a few blocks, I decided I should test the AC as I'm idling at a red light. I turn the AC on (including recirc) full blast. After about 20-30 seconds, I hear a loud hum and feel some vibration coming from the front of the van but I can't pinpoint exactly from where. I turn off the AC, shut off the engine, restart, and everything is okay again.
I make it home okay with the AC off. Once I'm home and parked, I pop open the hood, start the engine, and turn on the AC (again, on high with recirc on). Again, after 20-30 seconds, I hear the humming but now I can tell it's not coming from the engine compartment but appears to be coming from the dash.
Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Could it be the blower motor? Please help, we just blew what little money we have fixing my wife's car and can't afford more repairs!
Last year I had my mechanic replace the blower motor. Luckily (if indeed this turns out to be the problem), it's on a two-year warranty.
So anyway, as I was driving home today from the local fast food joint, I hear a loudish "pop" from the front of my vehicle and I "feel" some friction like something is stuck (like a wheel or the brakes), so I pull over onto the side of the road, stop, and turn the engine off. Now, I live in South Florida and it's a hot day but I'm driving with the one good window down and the AC is off.
I get outside and check the tires and wheels, underneath the van, etc., everything looks Kosher. I walk back down the road to about where I first heard the pop and I don't see anything--no fluids, no car parts or fragments, nothing.
I go back to the van, pop the hood, everything looks okay, hoses, belts, etc., at least as far as my only slightly mechanically inclined self can tell. I start the engine with the hood open, I don't hear anything weird, everything looks to be running fine, so I get back into the van and keep driving home with the window down. After a few blocks, I decided I should test the AC as I'm idling at a red light. I turn the AC on (including recirc) full blast. After about 20-30 seconds, I hear a loud hum and feel some vibration coming from the front of the van but I can't pinpoint exactly from where. I turn off the AC, shut off the engine, restart, and everything is okay again.
I make it home okay with the AC off. Once I'm home and parked, I pop open the hood, start the engine, and turn on the AC (again, on high with recirc on). Again, after 20-30 seconds, I hear the humming but now I can tell it's not coming from the engine compartment but appears to be coming from the dash.
Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Could it be the blower motor? Please help, we just blew what little money we have fixing my wife's car and can't afford more repairs!
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Joined: Apr 2015
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UPDATE 04/14/15
Well, I finally broke down (me, not the van!) and took it to my mechanic's shop. The shop called me and what they told me, I never would've guessed in a million years.
Apparently, one of the fan blades broke off (the popping sound) and lodged itself into my radiator (I didn't notice any leaking coolant, but then again I like to coast a lot at moderate speeds so I don't have to idle too long at traffic signals).
So the imbalance from the blade that broke off was the most likely culprit regarding the buzzing and vibration, but the shop will know more after the new radiator and new fans ($911) are put in tomorrow.
Well, I finally broke down (me, not the van!) and took it to my mechanic's shop. The shop called me and what they told me, I never would've guessed in a million years.
Apparently, one of the fan blades broke off (the popping sound) and lodged itself into my radiator (I didn't notice any leaking coolant, but then again I like to coast a lot at moderate speeds so I don't have to idle too long at traffic signals).
So the imbalance from the blade that broke off was the most likely culprit regarding the buzzing and vibration, but the shop will know more after the new radiator and new fans ($911) are put in tomorrow.