Today was the second time this happened. The first time I thought it was a noise from the music I was playing at the time.

I turned on the A/C and got this really loud humming noise - it went away after several seconds.

Anyone heard of this one yet?

Thanks!

 

It's the auxillary cooling fan. It is extremely loud - as in the drive-thu can't hear your order. In addition to AC operation, it will come on after you shut down the car for awhile as well.

 

My 2010 Clubman has the same humming noise. It sounds like it's coming from the dash though.

 

The noise is a loud vibrating/humming noise - louder than the stereo (and I play my music kinda loud).

I'm familiar with the the aux fan - I hear it after I turn the car off, and it's not so loud on my car.

I guess it could possibly be the fan starting up - but wouldn't I hear that every time it starts up?

 

OK i paid more attention today. Seems to be a whirring noise from the A/C blower originating from under the dash on the passenger side - seems to get louder depending on the RPMs. It did it rather consistently today. When it gets totally irritating I'll get the car in the shop.

 

I don't know if it is the same, but often when I first turn the A/C on and rev the engine, it will make a whirring noise from the engine compartment. It's kind of like a mini (as in small) "cold start rattle" sound coming from the compressor. It only lasts 30 sec to a minute. I guess it is another one of those "quirks" I have to explain to passengers that is part of the MINI driving experience.

 

I have the EXACT same issue! My dealer ended up replacing the compressor, which did not fix the problem. It irritates the crap out of me, but they say that they can't figure out what the problem is. I'm going to try another dealer soon.

 

Sure is irritating. I never heard it before the outside temperature warmed up a bit. In February/March I was using the heat quite a bit and I imagine the compressor was engaging then too (my car has the auto a/c climate control).

If I get a resolution (or not) from my service department, I will post it here.

The other issue I have seems to be temperature related as well. When the outside temp is 80+ degrees the shifter feels so smooth. If it's any cooler than that outside, shifting gears is super notchy (esp. shifting from 1st to 2nd). If it's any colder than 40 degrees out, the shifter will not go into 2nd gear at all until the car has warmed up a bit.

 

My AC makes a little noise when I first turn it on as well. It's like a rattle, whirling noise, but it goes away after a few seconds. I can live with it for now, I don't feel like dealing with the dealer right now.....

As for your shifting, I find that before I start driving, whether going into reverse or into 1st...I make sure to shift into 2nd....I don't know why, but it makes shifting into 1st or reverse so much smoother. Try it and let me know if it helps you, just move the shifter into 2nd before moving the vehicle, I feel like that keeps it from sticking.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it out and didn't have any luck. I really have a hard time figuring out why the shift from 1st to 2nd is so harsh at times (more often than not).

Back to the A/C noises, on the way home from work I turned on the A/C while accelerating and it made a loud screeching noise that lasted maybe half a second. And then the usual whirring noise. Ugh.

 

Heh. Don't let the dealer tell you that, if they do. Mine did. This is not a "quirk", this is a genuine problem in our particular cars that I've personally never heard in any other car I've owned, cheap or expensive.

 

The service department replaced the a/c compressor yesterday - still have the same noise and it's actually a bit worse, since it's making even more noise when I turn the a/c off now.

Funny, the loaner they gave me made the same noise, just not so bad. I guess all these cars have the same problem?

 

It seems like most owners are hearing the same noise. I find it annoying, but the noise doesn't last long. As long as it keeps me cool this summer I'm good

 

I could/can hear the noise over my music, which I play loud enough. The noise never really goes away - I hear it more as I rev the engine. I wonder if this happens with only the auto a/c and not the standard a/c. And it's just a hot weather thing - I never heard it in the winter, but I guess the a/c compressor was not on that much in the winter.

 

That depends. I have the auto a/c too. I hear it in first gear when im driving, but once I shift into 2nd and so on, it's not noticeable. But the noise when I first turn it on, usually goes away within 30 seconds.

 

This noise is normal. It's the design of the compressor by the supplier MINI uses. It isn't a quirk. Mine does it too and it is extremely loud, however I'm not taking it in because there isn't anything MINI can do. Besides, I don't want them fixing something that isn't broke. It just causes more problems.

My first experience with a loud compressor was a 2001 Lexus IS300 I had. I had the compressor replaced twice, but was still noisy. I know there is no mechanical problem with my MINI's compressor, just the design flaw of the n oise. MINI probably got great pricing for this noisy compressor.

 

Maybe someone needs to tell the MINI service department this noise is "normal", so they don't waste any more time and money replacing compressors. My service department didn't think it was normal. I supposed some are louder than others. At this point I don't want them messing with it anymore, so I will live with it.

 

I guess we get air conditioners that sound like a cheap toy...and it comes standard!

 

Hi everyone, I have been lurking around here for over two years since getting my MINI Cooper S, but never posted.

I am here now as I have some real annoying problem and by the sounds of this thread I am not the only one. Last week I started hearing that whirring noise that seems to get louder as I speed up... only seems to be there at low RPM's, up to 2200-2500 about and lower gears (goes away once I am in 4th). the noise stops when I turn off the AC and comes back when I turn it on.

Anyway, I brought the car to the dealer and at first they said it's the AC compressor - this would have been under warranty as I only had it changed 2 years ago - then they call me up and say it's not the compressor but the harmonic balancer or vibration damper. Reading up on this in this forum I got a bit panicky as I often drive around in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone reception. So I coughed up the dough to get that fixed. And now on the way home that obnoxious whirring noise is still there...

I feel totally ripped off and am a bit at a loss... shall I ignore it and just blast the radio even louder or go back to the dealer or is anyone here from the Miami area and can recommend a mechanic?

Oops... I just noticed this is a thread for 2nd gen MINI's, mine's a 2004 (so 1st gen)... sorry.

 

Sounds like the same cheap A/C parts in the 1st Gen, then, because that's exactly the same noise that we're all talking about.

 

Does anybody have a sound clip of this noise. I don't hear it in mine, or at least I do not notice it. Maybe it is just not there or maybe i just don't know what sound you are talking about.

 

Here's a video featuring the noise. It gets louder as the RPM's go up and eventually settles out into a constant whirring noise. (Please, no comments on my MINIs dirty floor mats)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zQFsfH9xKY

 

Thanks for the video. It captured the noise perfectly. A while back in another post I basically said "it's just a compressor noise nothing to worry about." Since then I've change my mind. Now that it's summer and the a/c is on more it drives me crazy. The good news is that I can replicate the issue 100% of the time, so if I decide to take it in I know they'll hear it.

What I know:
1) The a/c kicks a**! It's ice cold and I couldn't be happier with it. I can't imagine that it's a compressor issue.
2) The sound definitely comes on and goes off with the compressor and is loudest when just turning on the a/c and acclerating between 2,000 to 2,800 rpms.

What I guess:
I'm starting to think that it's something to do with a pulley/tensioner that when under more load (like the a/c) sounds worse. If it's the a/c compressor that sounds like it's eating rocks/a turbine with bad bearings then how could it be sooo ice cold?

I'm considering taking it in, but... I've had the car about 9 months now and it has been bullet proof. I just don't want them hacking something up. I keep thinking maybe if MINI spends enough money on compressors they might research it a bit and release a TSB that pinpoints the problem.

 

Hmmm. I can hear the noise in the video, but I think I'm with "Schatzy" on this: I don't think I would have really noticed the sound (if it even happens on mine), nor would I have interpreted it as a problem. It does not sound like a bad compressor to me either, but that being said, I can't state unequivocally that there isn't a problem... "typ17vw" may have it, though: might be just a pulley or tensioner "whirring..."

 

I posted here before (by accident as my car is 1st gen), but just wanted to chime in that I in my humble opinion think or would hope that the noise in the video is normal.

I am currently driving a 2010 Cooper S from the dealer while they check out mine and I can hear that noise in the new one (less than 3K miles on it).

The noise my car made was way louder, more annoying (higher pitch) and definitely only started recently.