I've owned my 2004 Mini Cooper for one month with only 500 miles on the odometer. Today, for the first time, I noticed a whirling sound that seems to come from the back (surprisingly not from the front where the engine is) of my Mini. The best I can describe the sound is that it is similar to the sound you hear during a NASCAR race (as the cars circle the track) or a motorcycle reving--"errrrrrrrrr, errrrrrrrrr".

The sound begins when I shift into gear and drive. Shifting to higher gears does stop the sound. The sound continues until I come to a full stop, even if I coast while in neutral before braking (or coast to a halt). I cannot replicate the sound by hitting the gas while in neutral.

Any clues as to what the problem may be? If I need to have the car serviced, is it as simple as calling and making an appointment with any Mini dealer?

 

Ok there are some vents in the boot,my back seats are always down,60 lbs of
black lab nav unit are almost always loaded in the rear,now I notice
sounds from the rear when the lab nav ,is not back there
I think what I'm hearing is outside noise,from those vents in the boot.
Why are they thereThe vents that is.So air leaves the cockpit

 

so exhaust can come in??

hehe