1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

07 with strange noise on dashboard when starting up

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Cibelly Aguiar, Sep 24, 2019.

  1. Cibelly Aguiar

    Cibelly Aguiar Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2018
    59
    15
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Hello everybody,

    I've looked at other posts about this subject and none of them seemed to have/sound like what I am experiencing with my car. This started probably a month ago and I've taken it to many mechanics and they don't seem to hear it or see it. Maybe because of the circumstances in which the noise shows up.

    It happens mostly when I am starting up the car after awhile stopped. It is not every single time that it starts up, but in the morning it usually happens when I am starting it the first time. And when it doesn't happen the first time, it happens after a couple hours parked when I start it again.

    I've been really concerned about this because the AC is not on, not even the radio, and after some time driving it, it goes away and it doesn't come back until the other day when I start it up again. Any thoughts?

    I uploaded a video of it on this link to my Google Drive, all the noise on the video comes from the dashboard.

    Thank you!
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,525
    8,429
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The next time you start your car and hear the sound, pop open the hood and go see if it's louder in the engine compartment
     
  3. Cibelly Aguiar

    Cibelly Aguiar Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2018
    59
    15
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Update: Found out what is the noise and from where it's coming from

    It has been a while since I hadn't heard the noise and coincidently it was because it's been almost 3 weeks since I don't use the A/C or heater in the car. The last time I used it, I left it off, but the air direction was selected as the straight-arrow (air coming through the up vents). The other day, it was a cold morning here and I decided to turn on the heat, so I turned it on and changed the option to the use both the straight-arrow and the down arrow (air would also come out the bottom vents), and as soon as I did that, the noise started.

    I kept switching the options, and when bottom vents weren't selected, the noise wouldn't come. And I noticed that the noise would come on even with the A/C turned off, and having just the option selected.
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,166
    50,060
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    damper door?