Drove to work this morning, just 8 miles, and when I parked and shut off the car, there was a faint, yet audible whirring sound coming from below the right rear passenger seat. It was even more audible when listening near the right rear wheel well...

Is there some sort of pump mechanism in the gas tank that *stays on* after the car is shut off? I say gas tank because that's where the whirring sound *seems* to be coming from. It turns off after a few minutes.

And no, this sound is NOT the water pump at the front of the car near the turbocharger... matter of fact, that pump was not even on when I turned the car off since I only drove 8 miles and under light throttle the entire way to work.

Odd thing is, I don't hear it every time I park the car and turn off the engine. It happens maybe 50% of the time... it's definitely a whirring sound like a small pump. If it is the gas pump, why would it need to stay on for a few minutes after the car is shut off? Maybe it's not even related to the gas pump but judging by the location of the sound, directly below and maybe a little behind the right rear passenger seat area, that's my guess.

Just want to be sure this is normal for the 2014 Countryman S (automatic, if that matters).


Thanks for your input!

-Joe

 

Are you sure it's not the e-fan blowing on the engine to cool it off?

 

Positive it's not the engine (radiator) fans blowing... those are LOUD and unmistakably at the front of the car...

I may try to record the sound with video, too...

Wish I had access to some sort of 2014 Countryman S schematic... to see what mechanicals are back there... definitely sounds like it's emanating from the fuel tank area...

 

Where you're describing is where the fuel pump is. I don't know why it would stay on after the car was shut off. A lot of times you can hear it in cars when you turn first turn them on, but don't hit the starter.

There are schematics of all systems on realoem.com for BMW's and MINI's. Here's how the fuel pump fits in the fuel tank:


Here are is the top menu for all the parts diagrams and part descriptions for your car:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.d...id=52684&hg=16

 

Thanks for the link, Steve.

Yesterday after work, parked the countryman in the garage and sure enough, it was making the whirring sound. Put my ear up to the right rear wheel well and within 3 minutes, the whirring abruptly stopped along with a what sounded like a solenoid clicking off. Know what it sounds like when you turn the key to close a dead-bolt lock... that's how the whirring sound stops... with a nice solid sound of solenoid clicking shut.