background:
I have a 2004 MCS with about 32.5K miles - only had one dealer oil change! According to my computer, it says that I still have about 1250 miles before my second sceduled maintenance - I think they call it Inspection I.

whinning noise:

Just started today - temps were in the upper 70s here in the Washington, DC area - bit humid. However, didn't run A/C at all. Didn't drive car much today...but driving about 20 miles, AFTER I stopped the engine, a loud High-pitched whinning noise came from under the bonnet. Almost as if a fan where spinning very fast. It seams as if it is coming from the engine oil-filter area, but not sure.

What is troubling is that it isn't stopping! After car is off it seems to begin (although I can't quite be sure if it isn't making the noise while driving). I thought it might be the engine cooling itself. I went to the movies and after about 2.5hours, came back and it was still whinning!

The car drives fine and no engine lights at all...!

Any clues? It is late and don't know if calling roadside assistance will do anything. I'm at home, so no worries there...but any advice would be helpful.

thanks - sorry for length, but hope the details help with the diagnosis...

 

Sounds alot like the Power Steering fan issue Somkey had earlier this week, I'd get it to the dealer ASAP, also if you need to go to a store, movie, work, etc. Consider unplugging the battery so you don't drain it. (be sure to know how to acess the manual boot release.

Also FYI your warranty is void if you go too long without oil service, one year is the time which it needs service if the miles aren't getting raked up quick enough.

 

actually bought an extention on the warranty when I bought the car - so I'm ok for another 10k miles. I'm not sure how to access the manual boot release you describe.

Also, I'm slow when it comes to tinkering with my car - how do you disable the battery?

 

Yup, sounds just like mine. Thread located here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=67926

You need to disconnect the negative side of the battery before it dies. But as motor on said, make sure you drop the back seats and get all the crap out of the way so you can climb in to reconnect it in the morning. Or if you're in a garage, just leave the hatch open.

Good luck, it's a very simple repair and shouldn't take the dealer long to complete it. While you're there have them do the Inspection I and save you another trip.

 

Open the rear hatch, there is a lift up mat - lift it up, have a 10mm wrench ready and unbolt the black cable from the battery. Lift it off the post and coil it out of the way so that it doesn't work back in contact with the post.

You might see a little spark but don't worry, there will be a bigger one when you reconnect it. But don't worry then either, since it's normal.

 

Smokey and Motor On - you guys ROCK.

I'll take that advice.

But to be clear on it... are you saying that after I disconnect the battery, the locks/key won't work? therefore I need to be able to access the inside of the car through the boot hatcH?

or are you saying that I'll need to access the bonnet - release from inside the car by entering the boot hatch?

..or else leave it up..unfortunately, I don't have a garage.

thanks.

 

Smokey - sorry - I didn't refresh my screen, just now reading your further directions.

 

guys - thanks again - disengaged battery and whinning noise stopped - i see what you mean about keeping the trunk ajar - locked all but one door (whew!) and had to reengage battery so i could unlock doors again!

so will take to shop asap.
thanks.

 

No prob...

Just to be clear, the problem is the rear hatch open handle is electrically operated. The 02 and early 03's didn't have an emergency release cable. The newer cars do, it's located under the rear passenger seat. So for me, when the battery is disconnected and the seats aren't down I can't open the hatch without destroying the rear hat rack thing.

There is part of me that wants to say that by hooking up some jumper cables to the battery connection in the engine bay you might be able to open the rear hatch, but I'm not sure since the battery is out of the loop.

 

Even with the key? I mean using the key part in the door handle, not the remote fob.