07 Prius now with almost 3K miles. I started noticing a creaking noise (like a door/vent opening) noise which comes on when i am idle (maybe it comes on often when i'm driving but i can't hear it). i normally put fan on LO and set the temp to 71 degrees. when i am at a stop light or when the car is not moving this annoying noise will come on every 15 seconds or so. it's as if the AC is trying to maintain a temp and the vents are opening and closing or something. It's really annoying and I've searched all over the forum for similar posts. Does anyone have this issue? Thanks. Other than that Love my Prius
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(freddyfoxx @ Oct 16 2007, 07:02 PM) [snapback]526606[/snapback]</div> I think I've heard it, but only a few times, and it does seem like it has to do with the operation of the AC. In my car, it tends to happen once...then won't again literally for weeks, if not months. It lasts about a second, and sounds kind of like, [ahem] h-h-h-h-u-u-u-u-u-u-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-p-p-p-p A almost, well, sliding noise, but plastic-y...like some sort of sealing material around the vent flap is sticking to the ductwork... If it's something you can recreate fairly easily, I'd consider taking it back to the dealer; have them take a look at it and fix whatever it is that needs fixing. Oh, and if you do, let us know what they did!
i think its a motorized flapper thing in the a/c fan thing to control the recirculation and / or outside air thing. i hvae the same noise
You could try going into the "Climate" display and manually selecting either fresh air or recirculate. I'd bet that either way the creaking will stop. (I keep mine on recirc continuously, except as needed during defrost, because the cabin air filter does not catch truck and bus exhaust.)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Oct 17 2007, 10:02 AM) [snapback]526846[/snapback]</div> Thanks for all of your suggestions. I did try the recirculate and I didn't notice the noise. But, I haven't tested it long enought (short drives today). You can be sure that I will try every combination possible. I am planning to take it to Toyota for the first oil change so I will ask their mechanics as well. I'm sure they will want to charge me $ for it.
