Constant High Pitched Whining

Hey everyone!

I have a 2012 Prius C and for about a month there has been a constant super high pitched noise coming from the center console area. It’s not a normal hybrid noise, for sure. I have turned off all A/C, heat, and audio and it’s just super loud. Is it some kind of vacuum leak? Anyone else had this problem?

If this problem has been solved before please direct me there? I did a quick search but I’m sure everyone describes things differently!

thanks in advance!

 

Constant, whether moving or not. Whether the gas engine is running or it’s in EV.

 

Oh I misread your reply. It is a 2012 with 67k miles

 

Nope. No lights on the dash. Everything seems normal except the sound.

 

Nope, sorry for the lack of clarity. It seems like it’s coming from behind the AC vents in the center of the dash. Initially I thought it was an AC problem, but it happens constantly, even if the AC is off. I was thinking maybe it’s a vacuum leak somewhere?

 

Nope. Completely stock. Doesn’t sound electronic at all. If it was a vacuum leak, where would I start looking?

 

Does the blower run constantly, whether the HVAC system is on or not?

I will say that since it’s started getting colder (I’m in Michigan) the noise has gotten almost unnoticeable. I still want to get it sorted out, though...