Buzzing sound by driver's ear
 

I swear I saw this described in a thread a few weeks ago but I'm not finding it after searching the forum...

I've noticed a slight buzzing sound coming from the area by my left ear. It does not happen 100% of the time but it is enough that it is driving me crazy, especially since I just cracked 700 miles since purchase :sad:

My guess is it is something with the seatbelt but I have not poked around much yet.

The interesting part is that my car was at the dealer for service this week for a different issue and the loaner they gave me had the EXACT same problem. I asked the service tech about it to see if they had heard of other complaints but this was a new one for him.

Anyone else? I'm hesitant to have the dealer start taking things apart to troubleshoot a noise since that typically only leads to more noises but if this is a common issue, maybe there is a quick fix.

Thanks- Blake

sounds like you got yerself a moskeeter in there

Buzzing sound or wind noise? There are some threads about wind noise coming through the door seal right at the back edge, up near the window/door junction. Mine does this depending on wind conditions. It's not really a buzzing though. It's louder in the rain as well, not that I can remember back that far (been a while since any rain).

When you hear it next time, push the rear window a bit and see if it goes away. As Minidrivr said, it could be something with the door seal. To me, it sounds like it's not mated properly and is vibrating... kind of like a high speed squeak.

Wind noise around the door seals is usually a higher pitched whistling sound. Had it on my Porsche and it drove me nuts. Started to get quite loud around 45 mph and was drowned out by other car noises around 55 mph.

Check the door lock thingy (whatever it's called... the little thing that pops up when the doors are unlocked). I remember a thread where someone mentioned that his was buzzing, and since reading that thread I have noticied that mine buzzes occasionally as well. The poster said that his would go away if the car was locked, so he turned on the auto lock function. Mine doesn't bother me enough to give that a try.

I wonder if that was me...all I know is I had that buzz and its super annoying and I found when its locked it doesn't do it so I just turned the auto lock on...give it a try :thumbsup:

I have noticed a buzzing soundon the drivers side also. I believe I have traked mine down to the extreme left side of the dash, where the left vent thingie is. When I hear the buzz I push on the vent and the buzz goes away.

Josh

^^^^ yep, had that one too haha Actually I may still have it, but I think it only comes about on mine during colder weather. Will see this winter :lol:

My door lock knob was buzzing (vibrating) at me yesterday while on the highway. Just enough to be annoying. 08 MC

Noticed this a few times too- I can't remember if it was with the roof and windows closed or open, but I thought it was a speaker. Maybe I just had the volume too high!

Doorlock thingy here too. Driver and passenger sides and my buddy has an '07 and his does it too. Noise is reduced when locked, but still there.

I get a sound at hwy speeds only that seems to be coming in around the door (like it's right in my ear, just like the OP), but it's clearly road/tire noise. It varies depending on the type of pavement, and it changes as I go from one cr***y road surface to another. In another thread, it was suggested that the door bottom seal eliminated around July '07 could help this noise, but I'm too lazy (and not bothered enough) to try it :wink: Not sure if this is the same noise the OP gets, though.

That is the sound I was referring to in post #3.

I would suggest that you get someone with good hearing to ride in the rear seat , to help you identify the source of the noise.

Thanks for the replies. It is the door lock thingie as a few of you suggested. It does get better if I lock the door but I can still hear it (barely) when I am listening for it. At the very least, I'm glad to know there is a workaround (sorta).

I have this same exact issue. Buzzing from what sounds like the door lock, a little quieter when doors are locked. Drives me crazy while driving with no music going, and sometimes WITH! I was going to ask the dealer when I take mine in for it's first service.

Okay, so I just fixed the buzzing door lock pin. What I did was pull off the door panel (just the part that can be popped off from around the top and bottom of the door.

So what I did was line the door lock "pin" with an extra piece of thin felt tape I found inside my door panel the dealer installed to quiet down the rattles in my door panel. I wrapped the felt tape around the pin just below the level of the exposed portion of the pin when it is in the up position. Now the pin is nice and tight, no more rattle and no more buzzing!!

Sounds like MINI needs to make 'noise dampening headphones' standard equipment! :lol:

Also, provide each new Mini buyer with a $5,000 credit toward felt, adhesives, weather stripping and the like! :nod:

One of my buzzes came from the red plastic piece on top of the tach. Its the clear plastic that would show up red if you had the alarm installed.

I put my fingers on it and it was slightly loose, I used super glue very lightly and the buzz went away.

Other rattles have come from the sunroof panes. See if the rattle goes away with the sunroof open.

My sunglasses make a buzz when i have them in the hidden compartment.

Just some suggestions on places that have annoyed me.

fn problem is so annoying they reaglighned door twice still as bad

I heard a similar buzz on my driver's side too, but it's wasn't right by my ear. I tracked it down to the dash up near the window almost directly behind the steering wheel. I'd read somewhere on the forum that the process of making the dash for the MINI sometimes leaves some small pieces of plastic sticking out up underneath that can vibrate at certain speeds. Eventually, those errant pieces of plastic wear out and fall off. Mine did after a few months. Now, no more buzz...

Dunno about the door lock issue... I've had my auto-locks turned on from day 1.