I've heard this 3 or 4 times now. When I unlock the car with the remote, I hear this buzzing/sizzling/whirring sound from around the gas cap. I wonder if it's the solenoid unlatching the locking mechanism. Anyone with an mcs experience this interesting phenomena? At first I thought it was a window motor or something. Car seems ok though.

 

I hear it.

 

hey, so I'm not going crazy! I told my MA and he's looking into it... to see if it's normal.

 

I thought that the sound is a servo lock on the steering wheel engaging and disengaging. Since you don't mechanically turn a key to unlock the steering column, there must be some way to do it.

But then I went out to the car to confirm it, and heard it from the outside, toward the rear. I locked and unlock the car several times, but it never made the sound again.

So I am going to guess and say that it is an electric fuel pump that pressurizes the fuel line before starting the car.

Just a guess. Curious what the MA sez.

 

I've noticed it too, just sounds like the electric motor on the locks doing their thing though...


It is probably OK

 

It is probably the fuel pump. The GTI my wife has makes a sound too when you open/unlock the door. The fuel system in modern cars is pressurized. It's probably just priming the system so the car can start. The reason why it only does it once is because the system is already pressurized/primed.

 

the fuel pump won't make any sounds till there is current to it. IE key fob clicked into the slot...

 

Doesn't the fuel filler door, lock and unlock with the doors?

 

My folks 06 3 Series makes the same funny noises.

I suspect it is normal.

 

I was told by my MA that the gas door is locked when the car is locked and unlocked when the car is unlocked. I would assume this sound is the gas door locking/unlocking.

 

I'd wonder if there wasn't something they could do about it though, I've had cars (BMWs among them) that have this feature and never heard a noise relating to the gas door unlocking/locking with the key.

 

This is right and this is the sound you all hear.

 

I really don't think it can be, because I only hear it the first time after the car has sat awhile. If I unlock/lock the doors repeatedly, I do not hear the sound, only after the first unlock.

If it was the gas door, I would hear it every time I locked or unlocked the doors.

 

I could be that it locks with the door locks but does not unlock until the fob in in the ignition. That would explain why you only hear it once and not when you repeatedly press the fob outside the car. It's locked and going to stay that way until it is released by the fob in the ignition position.

 

Pretty sure it's the fuel pump...In newer cars, the fuel pump activates when you open the door so that it's ready to go start once you go for it...

 

I've been having fun reading the posts. I got my new '07 MCS last friday. What a joy to drive.... anyways, I understand that noise to be the windows going down a teenie bit for the pressure change when opening the doors. Same thing happend when you clost the door.

 

It's killer bees living in the gas tank. They are startled when the gas cap unlocks. If you do it repeatedly, they get used to it and stop buzzing around.

Ain't the net wonderful for speculation? I'll go with the window theory.

 

Its the gas door, Check other threads.!!