Anyone else hear a high pitched whistle sound from AC when starting?

khnovak10

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Every time I start my civic x after a few hour period, the ac makes a slight whistle like sound that is coming from the cabin air filter/fan area. It really gets on my nerves! Left it at dealer over night and they couldn't replicate it! I even replaced air filter to see if it would fix it, nope!
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inv4zn

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This question is asked a million times.
The consensus is that it's the compressor kicking up, depending on how you have your HVAC set up, and to an extent, if you're in ECON or not.

If you ignore it for a week, you'll never notice it again.
 
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khnovak10

khnovak10

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This question is asked a million times.
The consensus is that it's the compressor kicking up, depending on how you have your HVAC set up, and to an extent, if you're in ECON or not.

If you ignore it for a week, you'll never notice it again.
I always have it on auto... is there a fix for it?
 

JS2000

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It's the fans kicking in, so it is normal not a defect. These fans move a lot of air. It is a turbine sound most noticeable when the fans start up and when they shut down. It is not the compressor, if I run the engine at idle with the hood open and the defrost or a/c engaged the sound is evident on start up, if I then shut down the engine you can hear the fans wind down when the compressor is fully stopped and the fans are the only parts still moving. Easy test. Mine does this every morning on remote start as the defrost is automatically selected due to cold weather, the sound is very evident even from 20 feet away from the vehicle. Personally I actually like the sound, it has a turbine sound to it, if it was a defect I would not want it fixed as I like to hear it lol.
 


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khnovak10

khnovak10

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I know what your talking about, but this sound I'm talking about continues throughout driving the car for about 5 minutes. It's an on and off sound
 

elykoj

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I made a post about similar noise. I just noticed it as the weather got colder and started using my heater. When I am coming to a stop a hear a high pitched whistle noise all the time..its very annoying. when I turn the heater off it goes away completely
 

JS2000

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I know what your talking about, but this sound I'm talking about continues throughout driving the car for about 5 minutes. It's an on and off sound
It is on and off because the fans cycle on and off with the HVAC system, if your front defrost is engaged manually or automatically the defrost system uses the a/c compressor and the fans will cycle longer and more frequently whenever the a/c compressor is in use. Do a test , start the car then select front defrost manually with the hood open, you will see the fans start as soon as you press defrost. Then shut down the engine and you will hear the fans wind down when no other engine part is moving.
 
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JS2000

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I made a post about similar noise. I just noticed it as the weather got colder and started using my heater. When I am coming to a stop a hear a high pitched whistle noise all the time..its very annoying. when I turn the heater off it goes away completely
In cold weather the a/c compressor is engaged automatically during front defrost mode , when that occurs the fans engage as the a/c cycles on and off frequently. When you turn off the heater system the sound goes away as the under hood fans are not being used . When I start my car in -10 degree weather with remote start the ecu chooses to select front defrost mode as default automatically and I can hear the turbine wine sound from 50 feet away inside my front door. Defrost mode uses the a/c compressor, and the a/c engages the fans to come on and cycle frequently while in defrost mode. In summer heat weather it will do the same with a/c operating either automatically or manually.
 
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Kane666

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i dont have that but i have a noist at low rpms. only goes away with ac off.
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