Weird Noise When Parked And Engine Off

[Guthy]

HI Guys and Gals

Got a weird one here. Not long bought a 2005 1.6 TDCI estate, everything is fine but for one weird and unpredictable noise that's confused the heck out of both me and our tame mechanic. I've done the usual google and forums searches but haven't as yet found anything matching and hoped somebody on here had literally heard something similar.

Basically the when the car is parked with the engine off at random intervals it will emit a loud high pitched electronicy whine which gradually tales off over a period of about 15-20 seconds at which point its silent for 20 mins maybe an hour or two definitely random seeming times at which point it will do it again. I thought i was going mad and that i was hearing things it does sound a little like tinnitus or it was the neighbours car, however both mates and wife have also heard the noise and confirmed my sanity.

I can't think of anything that might be relieving pressure whilst the engine is off and the car doesn't have an alarm that might be going off. I'm stumped especially since our previous mk1 was fine.

Any ideas?

Cheers

Guthy

[Stoney871]

Your car should have a factory fitted alarm.

To test it try unlocking your car manually (key in door lock) and open the door but do not put the key in the ignition.

The car should beep and then an alarm should activate if fitted.

If an alarm does activate then put your key in the ignition and turn to II to deactivate.

The sound you hear while the car is parked may be the alarm horn malfunctioning.

Sent from my S5

[Guthy]

Hmm The car is an LX model which I thought didn't come with an Alarm just the immobilizer, Thank you non the less I'll check that one in the morning, now might not be the best time :D.

Cheers

Guthy

[mecmark]

a common problem is with the siren battery going duff it creates problems in the system and the alarm siren starts to sound or wail intermittently and at varying levels

[Johan72]

Hi there,

My Focus 1.6tdci, 2007 saloon with no factory alarm, has exactly the same noise, it drives me crazy.

There are days there is no sound at all, some days the sound comes up several times.

I've tried logging to see any intervals or other similarities, but it does not make sense.

- sometimes right away after parking, sometimes after a few hours,.

- At night but also during office hours

-sometmies just once and after a few hours again.

-there are also nights/evenings i counted over 10 times.

again and again with no regular interval.

Tried to cause it manually, but no success.

The sound is high pitched, goes on for 20 to 30 secs and fades off.

When standing next to car, you can clearly hear it coming from the back.

The car has no alarm, have replaced the radio, with an oem pioneer dab unit and antenna.

Changed nothing else, car has no modifications.

Please does any one have an idea about this?

TIA

johan

[Guthy]

Hi Johan

Glad to know I'm not the only one. Just double checked both on the paperwork and using Stoney871's advice. There is no alarm fitted. Symptoms are exactly the same as Johans and after having another listen it does appear to be coming for the back of the car. So still stumped. Although it doesn't seem to be affecting the car in anyway that's dangerous it would be really good to know what the hell this is :).

Guthy

[sonic113]

I have the same noise on my 1.6 zetec 2009 model. Its like a low electric whine for a about 20 secs at random times when the car is parked. You can't hear it inside but only outside when very close to car For example I was painting rear drums last week and I heard this very very low electric whine. Trying to locate it, it does seems to come from around the fuel tank area I just thought it was the carbon cannistor or fuel pump priming or something. I think its normal though because a few other I know has the same thing.

It has no pattern to it just anytime when the car is parked up. The whine is very very low and you really have to listen to hear it.

[Johan72]

In my case the sound/noise cannot be described as a very very low electric whine.

Its loud and clear, you can here it clearly over an distance of 20mtrs.

Good neighbours, are already joking about my car whining.

Upon now they can joke about it... soon they will be annoyed like me.

Especially with this hot summernights, peope living outdoors and hear my car whining.

If anyone has an idea, please let me know, will try anything.

[Stoney871]

Reversing sensors?

Sent from my S5

[sonic113]

lol! johan mine is no where near that loud. like stoney says maybe the parking sensors or something? the speaker of the sensors maybe but I would not of thought it would be loud enough to hear over 20 meters lol!

can you record the sound maybe?

also when the sound happens and you turn on your ignition does it stop the sound right away?

are you sure there is not a cat stuck somewhere under it lol! :)

[Johan72]

Car has no reversing sensors or any other kind of parking assist.

The sound only lasts 20-30 sec, gives me just enough time to get to the car. Tried recording it, but no luck.

For example the last time I heard it was last Friday evening around 22:00 PM and in the same night around 00:30 AM.

The rest of this weekend it was silent, am feeling stupid sitting/waiting in my garden with carkeys and phone at hand.

And no cats, they don't like my dog

[Guthy]

No parking sensors here either, just heard the car make the sound twice in two minutes yet now it's silent.

Guthy

[jeebowhite]

is this any particular timeframe afer the car has been used? it could be something to do with the electronics shutting down and might help to pin which one is being a pain?

I would suggest lock the car and pop the bonnet, and leave it open see if the issue occurs.

[Johan72]

Nope, found no recurring time frame after usage. Also tried parking car with or without handbrake.

Parking car with opened bonnet, is not something I can try everyday, have to wait till comming weekend though.

At this point the last time I heard it, was last saturday around 00:30 AM. Last weekend I used the car every day.

Filled up the fueltank last sundag evening. On working days I drive around 150Km (aprox 90Miles) daily.

Havent heard the car yet....

[jeebowhite]

definately keep an eye on it and definately try the bonnet up, it gives two benefits:

1) if its related to the CAN system, it should stay awake longer and so it might not set it off

2) if it does still sound, you can stick your head in there and check where the noise is coming from specifically.

[Johan72]

Holidays and lots of other reasons, busy and busy.....

Anyway the Whine is still there haven't found the origin of it yet, but may be close.

Some weeks ago, I went for my groceries, parked the car took the shoppingbags out the back.

Closed the trunk, the "whine" was there, cloased the trunk a bit hard I suppose.

Opened the trunk immediately, stuck my head inside, the sound is not comming from inside the car!!

Then holidays and so...

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the occurences of the "Wine" were decreasing.

Somehow I made the relation to the weather/temperatures.

And yes on hot/sunny days my car almost always "Whines" of colder/cloudy days it almost never occures.

I related this to the Fuell Tank as an possibility.

When I release the gas cap on hot/sunny days I hear a clear vacuum airflush.

After doing that the "whine" is gone for the rest of the evening/night.

So I think the problem with my Focus is that somehow the vacuum is building up and causes the "Whine" when venting.

But what is causing the vacuum being build up, how can I resolve that?

[Dee_82]

i have a whine as well, it sounds like an electrical device is powered up and the delay is almost as if its powering down slowly. much like the fan will remain on if hot. in fact I just fitted fog lamp DRLs and now I sometimes get a wee clunk when it turns off. Focuses are vey noisy aren't they!

[artscot79]

There should be a module behind the carpet left hand side of the boot easy to pull the carpet away and see it if water was leaking in from the tail light grommets it can run down onto that unit which may cause the issues thetes nothing else in that location bar the unit

[madmole]

Fuel pump topping up intermediate fuel pressure? Would fit with location of noise, of fuel pressure relief valve opening to let excess pressure escape

Maybe you have a very fine leak in the fuel line letting the pressure drop, check the fuel lines for damp patches

Seen similar with my old landrover

[sonic113]

i have a whine as well, it sounds like an electrical device is powered up and the delay is almost as if its powering down slowly. much like the fan will remain on if hot. in fact I just fitted fog lamp DRLs and now I sometimes get a wee clunk when it turns off. Focuses are vey noisy aren't they!

Fuel pump topping up intermediate fuel pressure? Would fit with location of noise, of fuel pressure relief valve opening to let excess pressure escape

Maybe you have a very fine leak in the fuel line letting the pressure drop, check the fuel lines for damp patches

Seen similar with my old landrover

I have to agree here as I get this on my 1.6 zetec model and trace it to the fuel tank area (partially the canister on the tank I think??). It seems happen when the car has been switched of for a while , its only a small whizzing sound for a few minutes then stops. I do only notice it if I am very close to the car though.

[Fuzz]

What if its a sound to keep the cats or dogs from peeing on the car...lol just a thought, what do ford say about it, has anyone asked?

[Johan72]

@Fuzz

No havent asked Ford about it, do not know wehre to address it!

Have been to my local Ford dealer, but they had no clue too.

They offered taking in my car to investigate, but with their hour-rate would chase up the bill fast.

Am looking for an solution or pointers to it, so it can be fixed without "epxensive investigation by my ford dealder"

[Oisin]

Hi all, 2007 tdci Ford Fiesta making a constant noise, kinda siren type not very loud but on permanent you can hear it when standing beside the car. It is coming from the boot of the car on the right hand side of the boot under the carpet area. What could this be? 

[Twest1129]

I did the whole use my key to unlock the door and let the alarm go off and put the key into the ignition and turned it to II ... seemed to reset my alarm and have no other issues 

[Dean1964]

Hi peeps, my 1.4 tdci fiesta makes a noise if left unlocked I can only describe it as when you press the fob to lock or open the car but without the definitive click at the end it makes this noise sometimes every couple of minutes and sometimes a few minutes it only lasts a second as if you just pressed the fob and only if left unlocked, I don't know if it's connected but boor button doesn't always work and also central locking is temperamental too.

Regards Dean