Aircon compressor: Should it make a whirring sound?

[dmjw01]

For a few months, my engine (Ibiza FR, remapped PD130) has been making an intermittent "whirring" sound that rises and falls with the engine revs. It's not a loud noise, but I'm definitely not imagining it. Also, it seems to come and go fairly randomly every couple of minutes.

Today, whilst stuck in a traffic queue, I tried holding the revs at about 1500 rpm and pushing the "ECON" button on the climate control. The whirring noise instantly stopped. When I pushed the button again the whirring started again after a few seconds. I don't know why I haven't thought of trying this before.

On my way home from work today, I tried running it in "ECON" mode all the way, and the fuel economy was massively better. Previously, I've only ever noticed a tiny difference.

So I'm beginning to think there might be something wrong with my aircon compressor. Should the aircon compressor be silent, or is it normal for it to make a slight "whirring" noise?

Also, what sort of percentage difference do you find "ECON" mode makes to your fuel economy? In the past, I'm sure it's made no more than about 5% difference, but the drive I've just done was about 20% better than it has recently been.


(I'll be away watching fast, loud pointy things at Fairford over the weekend, so apologies if I don't respond to any replies until Sunday!)

 

[Leigh15]

My aircon compressor never made any noise and it made next to no difference to my fuel economy, so it does sound like you've got a problem there

 

[rashcupra]

sure its not a pulley or a pretentioner or maybe a water pump fault?

as revs ect will differ when aircon is switched on and off.

does your aircon work good? may just need recharging or some more oil in the compressor!

 

[nickibizaCUPRA]

i wouls defo say a/c compressor, my old mk4 cupra 1.8t did this and it was soooooooo f*****g annoying! mine was quite loud though, just did the same as you and ran it with econ mode on! also if u turn the heater on then off u can hear it start and stop! seen this on a few mk ibiza's and the new polo gti too!

 

[rashcupra]

wont a recharge and more compressor oil sort this out??

hey nick will have to go for a beer soon matey

 

[Seat_Stu]

oh my god im not the only person with this!!! ive taken it to the garage 3 times with the noise, 2 times they have inspected it and the first i paid £100 or somin for an aircon service and its still bloody there, im taking it back with the noise again to get them to rip it out and put a new bloody compressor in under warranty im sick of it!!!

 

[Seat_Stu]

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=119829 !!!

 

[Dario]

i have the same problem,but the AC works so i just turn the music up

 

[Seat_Stu]

yeh me 2 although it does sound like there is a problem so why not get it covered under warranty?! i just need to take it to the garage when its at its worst noise level! lol

 

[rashcupra]

think darios warranty is a little void ^^^^

 

[dmjw01]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll get it booked in for them to take a look at it (and I'd better be quick - I think my warranty runs out in a few weeks' time...)

 

[dsrr]

I would get it sorted, had the Aircon compressor changed on my last octy vrs under warranty at 58K of a 60 k warranty along with a couple of other bits, apparently the clutch unit was about to explode into a million tiny pieces.....cost would have been £1500+vat if it had happened 2k later!!!!! so the service manager told me

 

[Seat_Stu]

I didnt think the clutch and things like that are covered under warranty?

 

[dsrr]

Clutch

Sorry not the clutch you are thinking of, the Aircon has an electronic clutch to enable it to engage and disengage the aircon compressor when this is going it first starts to whirr or screech on startup depending on which bit is about to fail...this unit IS covered by warranty.

 

[Nath.]

mine makes a little noise but it has done it from new and has not got any louder in 2 yrs/10k miles

 

[Dario]

think darios warranty is a little void ^^^^

hm







NOT

i know a guy who knows a guy,and that guy works in Seat service

 

[Seat_Stu]

I may just go for a drive now, get the noise and take it to the garage and make them tell me where is a problem and they MUST sort it!

 

[Seat_Stu]

Right... DONE!

Drove around, got the noise, left the engine running at the garage....Went and got service man (who already knows there is a problem but couldn't prove it last time) who went and got the Head Engineer who said there IS A PROBLEM!! woo!

I've booked it in on the 1st as that's the earliest and they are going to replace the compressor! Although he said they won’t give the car back with the new compressor until they know it’s that, that has fixed the noise!

Bloody hope it is!!

Just have to wait now!!

 

[Seat_Stu]

Right well i had the car back and it was still makin the noise even with a brand new compressor put in under warranty, now they are certain its some heater motor which is located in the dashboard somewhere so they are going to take all of that out and replace that! Hopefully that will solve the probelm!!

Anyone know what they are replacing? Im just letting them get rid of the noise, also isit normal to take out the entire dashboard? haha cos he said they have to pull out the whole lot to get to it.

 

[RichieRich]

at least its free be thank full of that lol