allroadCole

My allroad started making a loud super annoying whine a while back, first I feared it was the turbo lady. However, when the whine is occurring for long enough, like when climbing a mountain pass the whine will continue when I come to a stop. So, as soon as it made the noise while it was idling I popped the hood and it became pretty clear that the noise is coming from the small electric fan in front of the radiator (few).

I have read on the forums that this fan only comes on with the A/C, but the econ switch makes no difference here.... The only things that make a difference are driving speed and amount work the engine is doing (more noise when I'm pushing it, or climbing)...

I have read this write up by RMcQ:
https://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng65.shtml

But my large fan behind the radiator is moving freely and there is no gasket caught in it that I could see...

I have replaced the fan and that did not help. The only other thing I can think of is to replace the control module, but I don't know if that will help. Any ideas??

TIA

Oh yeah, no VAG codes.



And if you want to hear a related rant -

I have a warranty, so I took the car to the local dealer and described the problem, that it only does it when warm and at highway speeds. They took it on a test drive, 2-3 miles, (I checked the mileage) not at freeway speed. Of course this failed to reproduce the problem. So, I took the tech on a test drive, on the freeway, he heard the whine and took my word for it that it was the fan in front of the radiator.

They replaced the auxiliary fan, didn't help the whine... The new fan still whines??? I dropped it back off at the dealer, they started it up, listened to it, said it is normal (they didn't drive it at highway speeds). Now the service rep accuses me of making up issues about my car... He pretty much refused to work on it any more... What a dork, he should see the warranty as an open bank roll to fix this. I don't get it at all, but I guess I'm on my own to fix this one now.

And it is NOT normal. The whine is annoying as HELL and anyone that rides in my car comments and complains about it....

So, I'll keep searching, probably order a Bently, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

tazerproof

in the parking garage and it "winds down" when i shut off the car.

I also read Ryan's tech article and found nothing rubbing....no codes, either..

paulroad

A faulty temp sensor.

When the coolant get to a predetermined temp, the aux fan will come on. If this sensor or wires are faulty the fan will run.

I would find another dealer, who isn't a dork and check it out.

allroadCole

Becuase mine was like yours for a while, in a garage during the summer you could hear it whine.

But now this is different, it's all you can hear at highway speeds... really annoying.

allroadCole

read COLD.

Now the temp sensor seems to be working ok... but maybe not? Do you know of any way to test this?

I really don't know WTF it could be...

I will try and find another dealer, but it will be a journey, I live in a pretty small town and there are not many places around.

tazerproof

and the road is really smoothand quiet

The S

I know you said the other fan moves freely, but is it actually running when the other fan is whining? They should both be on, if one fan craps out, the other fan tries to make up for it and runs faster, this faster rotation is what is making the loud whining sound. You can make it make the sound by unpluging one fan and the other will compensate for it.

paulroad

there are sensors for the thermometer on the dash. This is not the same as the sensor for the fan.

I believe you can trace the power lines from this fan back to the engine and you may find the culprit.

allroadCole

The other fan is spinning, all though it is silient and MUCH slower.

allroadCole

When I suggested it might be the fan's control module to the service rep, he said that the fans module is just an on/off switch and could not be at fault.

However, it seems to me that there are at least three speeds. Sometimes the small fan is spinning fast and super loud, other times it's moving but relativley quite and other times it is stopped... sooo, that looks like more than an on/off switch to me...

Any comments on this?

Also, anyone know where this control module is located? Or how much it cost? Or how to test it?

I belive that the control module RMcQ replaced in his right up was the module for the larger fan, is that correct? If so is it the same module.

I'm ordering a Bently now... I wish there was somewhere to DOWNLOAD it from - I mean mailing a CD in 2007! c'mon