Winding noise coming from the engine bay

Mohmoh said:

If I take the climate control off auto and click ac off the noise goes away even when I stop. To my limited knowledge, sounds like a compressor sound.

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Confirmed. I parked the car in the garage and turned the AC on and off. The spinning-up, winding sound is definitely happening when the AC comes on. I'm just wondering why is makes that sound when I am coming to a stop with the AC on...

PS3 said:

I'm just wondering why is makes that sound when I am coming to a stop with the AC on...

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Not hot enough here to do anything but guess; my AC has not kicked on yet, but based on my previous car... when you're driving, you're getting some nice headwind to cool your radiator. When you stop, the radiator fans kick on to keep a breeze blowing over the fins. Could that be what's happening?

david1pro said:

Not hot enough here to do anything but guess; my AC has not kicked on yet, but based on my previous car... when you're driving, you're getting some nice headwind to cool your radiator. When you stop, the radiator fans kick on to keep a breeze blowing over the fins. Could that be what's happening?

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Maybe, but it only does it when the AC is on. Strange...

I found with my Jetta that this was the case. I think the compressor running for the AC required more cooling on the radiator, thus the fans would kick in higher - notably at stops when there was no breeze (headwind) flowing over the radiator to cool it.

Yea, this seems to happen to my car on cold mornings. I don't really mind it actually as it sounds kind of cool lol.

I exactly have the same problem, I created a new thread about this and somebody directed me here.
I bought 2016 civic just 10 days ago and have ~300KM on it and I hear this winding sound when car stops, what is annoying is that after the car has stopped rolling, it sounds almost like some fan kicks in or shuts down. I also hear the same noise when I start or shut off the car.

When I turned off all climate control (auto and manual both, no heating or cooling), then the noise go away.

(It was weird that I had also test-drove 2016 subaru impreza and had the exact same noise, that kind of put me off; but other 3-4 civics I test drove I didn't hear anything and It had to be on the one I bought!)

I don't know that this is a problem. My 2016 Civic Touring has done this from the very beginning. I was weirded out at first, but it seems pretty normal to me. I notice it when I come to a stop at a red light after driving or when the car first starts or idles for awhile.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I always assumed it was just the turbo. Let us know if you hear anything else from Honda.

mno86 said:

I don't know that this is a problem. My 2016 Civic Touring has done this from the very beginning. I was weirded out at first, but it seems pretty normal to me. I notice it when I come to a stop at a red light after driving or when the car first starts or idles for awhile.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I always assumed it was just the turbo. Let us know if you hear anything else from Honda.

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I will definitely let you all know Honda's response when I take it in for service. No appointment booked yet as the oil indicator is still at 40% remaining.

Curious as well. Mine has done the same thing from day one, but I assumed it was always just the radiator fan.

Add me to the list as well, noticed it right away while driving off the lot. I'm not too concerned though.

Add me to the list also. I drive with my AC "on" all the time, even when heating the car, as it acts as a de-humidifier. I hear the noise when sitting at idle, and when I come to a stop. It might be happening as I drive too, but the noise is so faint, road noise probably would drown it out. My 2006 Civic was very obvious when its compressor kicked on.

Anyone ever figure this out?

To be perfectly honest I can't even tell when the AC compressor turns on

timcole421 said:

Anyone ever figure this out?

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Yes. It is the AC compressor spooling up and down.

Here's my take.

My 2016 blue Touring has The wail of a far-off siren when I am at rest with the heating system on automatic.

If I turn the system off and on with the button the Wailing goes away and then comes back on when the button is on; it stops when the button is off.

Leave it on and get out of the car and go listen to the front of the car and you'll see that it is the cooling fan which is built in such a way as to whine too much. It is a flaw in the manufacturing and should be taken care of. It is a nuisance.

That said, good luck getting Honda to take care of it