While driving my car last night, I noticed a faint squealing noise coming from the engine compartment when the engine speed dropped to idle. I tapped the gas and noticed that it immediately went away. I pulled off and didn't hear the noise return at all during the rest of the drive or the drive back home.

Again today, after driving home, I noticed that this noise returned and was persistent when I pulled into my garage. The noise is a high pitched squeal that's coming from somewhere near the back of the engine. I can't really tell quite where, but it seems to be somewhere nearby or below the idler pulley that lives back there.

I managed to grab a video of it, which can be viewed here:

It sounds remarkably similar to this other video that I stumbled upon:

This car has only ~6k miles, and is a 2013. Could it really be a bad water pump already? Turning on/off the AC doesn't have any impact on the sound, neither does having a large power draw from all accessories being on and at at max. I'm taking it up to the dealership on Friday, so I guess I'll see what they say then.

--Matt

 

I think the water noise is not considered a problem. I think they have made that noise in a lot if cars without any real problems. I could be wrong.

 

I do not have that 'squeal' noise with my n18 mcs

 

Yeah, something is definitely wrong. I guess we'll see how that warranty goes.

--Matt

 

Sounds like the water pump to me. They fail on a pretty regular basis apparently. Mine went all the way to about 60k before it croaked, but there are plenty of people reporting early failures in the water pump DIY thread. I suppose it could be the friction wheel pulley bearings, but ive never heard of those going out. Neither one is a bad repair and certainly would be covered under warranty. Good luck.

 

water pump is failing. not that uncommon to be honest (even for a 2013). I've seen brand new (less then 500 miles) coopers water pumps take a sheit. a good friend of mine Pre Delivery Inspected a new MCS (5 miles on it) and it had a bad water pump installed on it from the factory.

its still under warranty so just take it in, have it replaced, bet yours is still a plastic if its an early production 2013. they will replace it with the updated aluminum version.

 

I had a similar noise and it turned out to be the serpentine belt, they replaced it under warranty and have had no other problems.

 

This sound is definitely coming directly from the water pump. It doesn't sound at all like belt squeal, more like failed bearing. The dealer never called me back on Friday, so it looks like I'll be dropping it off Monday instead.

--Matt

 

Oh mine didn't sound like belt squeal at all, the techs even thought for sure it was the water pump or the tensioner but in the end it was just the belt... Hope for the best...

 

Had the exact same symptoms on a 2009 Clubman at about 20,000km. It's the waterpump. The TSB for the 2009 issue is below. See if that describes the squealing you get. Get it repaired under warranty.

M 11 03 09
December 2009
Technical Service
This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M11 03 09 dated December 2009.
New : designates changes to this revision
SUBJECT
Whistling Noise from the Water Pump Area
MODEL
R55, R56, R57 produced up to June 2009
SITUATION
A whistling or squealing noise is heard from the engine at idle and/or at higher engine
speeds.
CAUSE
1. Noise is caused by the water pump.
1. Noise is caused by the friction wheel of the belt tensioner.
PROCEDURE
1. Run the engine up to the operating temperature. Confirm that the noise is coming
from the area around the water pump during engine idle speed.
2. Increase the engine speed up to 1,000 rpm.
3. If a noise disappears at 1,000 rpm or higher, replace the water pump. Refer to
Repair Instruction RA11 51 00, found in MINI TIS.
4. If a noise is still present at 1,000 rpm or higher, replace the friction wheel of the
belt tensioner with the improved part, P/N 11 28 7 571 833. Refer to Repair
Instruction RA11 28 035.

 

Well, seems I had good luck so far. I pulled into the service bay, they had a tech come out to take a listen, and he said "that's a water pump" followed by "we do quite a bit of these". Hopefully that means it'll all be sorted out without much fuss.

--Matt

 

Yeah, good luck with that. I'm on pump #3.

 

I'll take sorted out for now too Were all of those replacements the revised aluminum pump?

--Matt

 

Pump #3 still makes a "weeeeuuuuuhhhhhh" noise when I shut off the engine (been doing it for 50,000km).

Apparently all replacements were the uprated pump. Wondering if it's maybe the tensioner, but I gave up caring a long time ago.

 

New pump went in today. I don't hear the squeal that I recorded, or the rhythmic chirping sound that it made during the times when it wasn't squealing constantly. I guess we'll see how it goes. They confirmed that an "old design" plastic pump was removed and that a "revised design" aluminum pump was installed. Hopefully this one will last more than 6600 miles.

--Matt

 

Now that you have the new pump watch and make sure a puddle doesn't appear under the passenger headlight. I'm on pump #3 because the 2nd one leaked when replaced by the tech.