zibby43

I appreciate that advice. I was wondering if the situation would be intriguing enough to where I wouldn’t be taking an equity bath, and your comments have nudged me to investigate.

Very helpful. Especially in the context that this happened less than a month after I had my oil changed at the dealer (which included a cabin filter change).

I’ve driven it about 4 times now since I observed, but I haven’t heard it sense. Do you think it settled back into place on its own?

Thank you!

W205C43PFL

Good to hear.

W205C43PFL

I see... so that is a possible cause... Thanks for sharing!

W205C43PFL

That is true, even the CPO market average went up, although that was mainly due to the pandemic. Not having a car is probably not convenient at all even though 99% you are working at home not going anywhere. As long as there is 1% that you needed the car, you would appreciate having it. Having something and not need it is better than not having something but need it.

Plus, if you do sell, I don't know what car will you be looking at, the options are scarce. Every car out there seems to be a compromise compared to my C43 (to me at least. might not be to you)

zibby43

My fiancée is an RN and she has about 12 months left in school to become an acute care nurse practitioner. Right now, she’s only working about 2 days per week, so I could definitely get away with only 1 car and utilizing her GLC.

That said, I’d say it’s unlikely I get rid of my C43. I am truly starting to enjoy this car now that I’m finally getting the opportunity to drive it more. The little things popping up are things I would’ve discovered a year ago, but everything has either sorted itself out or is something I could troubleshoot with no service required.

Battery issue was solved with a replacement and then subsequently utilizing the keyless go “sleep” feature. The lack of power was solved by re-adapting the transmission after the battery fault was cleared during replacement.

The mice issue was solved with a detail and some mouse traps, and should this noise come back, I’ll check out the cabin filter placement.

W205C43PFL

I see, glad you had a GLC to drive in the meantime when you had battery problems a few months ago.
It is a relief that you finally start to enjoy your car a little bit more, I felt bad that you kept having issues on your older one and now this newer one. Glad it is all settled now. The mice issue sure was an interesting one but either way it is all dealt with now.

jhpmbusa

i too also have that fan noise but not as loud (or might be a different noise like a hissing), but for some very odd reason - i think it only makes that noise when i have my cell phone in the wireless charger? comes and goes so cant really pinpoint it. plus dont want to be bothered with it by making it a reality haha

W205C43PFL

Interesting. If it went away don't bother trying to reproduce it xD and just enjoy your car without the noise.
Edit: I believe that our cars have a mechanical HDD, it might also be that too. Although it wouldn't be a hissing noise though.

zibby43

Appreciate you sharing your experience. The bit about it being intermittent was very helpful. Fortunately, I have only experienced it that one time.

Great info. The only day I noticed the noise I recorded, I also heard a noise that sounded like an external HD straining/clicking (the type of noise you hear when initially firing an external HD up to do a computer backup) intermittently in the background.

I'm just very thankful it hasn't occurred again, but it's been helpful to investigate the possible causes. Have a better understanding of some of the car's systems now.

zibby43

Haven’t driven in a few days and when I went for a short trip today, the noise was back.

Most prominent at about 34-36 mph and goes away above that. It’s coming from the outermost vent on the passenger side, or at least that’s what it seems.

I parked at home, programmed my garage door homelink in the car, and then shut off the car. I popped the cabin air filter cover and then kind of jostled the filter housing itself (per a recommendation in the thread), but it all seemed squared away.

Went for another drive, and with all the transmission and oil temperatures warmed up, the noise could not be replicated under any circumstances.

Like the first day I noticed it, it was fairly mild outside (65 F). And like the first time, the noise isn’t present when the car is “warm.”

W205C43PFL

Ah so it was the filter as how the other forum member stated. Let's hope this fix worked.

W205C43PFL

Weird that I never heard it in my car. Service tech that worked on my vehicle were anything but gentle. Well, at least I am servicing my vehicle myself now, kind of relieved my warranty expired and I don't have to go to the dealership anymore lol.

zibby43

Can’t be 100% sure until I’ve let the car sit for a few days and then drive it again. That’s when I noticed it the first time (driving at slow speeds on a mild (i.e., not too hot) day after not having driven it in a few days). And those are the conditions that triggered it again.

After the car warms up, it goes away. And when I drove it daily for 4 days this past week in very warm weather, it was all good.

The cabin filter didn’t seem jammed in when I checked it, and I don’t see where it could have actually accidentally contacted anything. That plus the circumstances that trigger the noise make me think it’s something else.

And amen to your post above. I’m definitely going to do my next oil change myself. Fortunately it’s very straightforward on the C43 with a few simple tools!

////AMG_C43

The cabin filter didn’t seem jammed in when I checked it, and I don’t see where it could have actually accidentally contacted anything. That plus the circumstances that trigger the noise make me think it’s something else.

Just to be sure, did you check the cabin filter that is located behind the glove compartment? Nothing to see or feel there other than the access door itself. Your comment leads me to believe that you are referring to the filter that is accessible from under the hood instead.

zibby43

You would be correct! That's the first time I had opened up that area myself. I wasn't sure how deep the access went from that side once the cover + housing was removed.

How did you gain access to the filter behind the glove compartment? Are there any existing tutorials out there, or is it pretty self-explanatory once I open it? Thanks in advance.

Edit: I'm guessing this one would work? Looks like a chore to access though! Is this filter replaced as well during the Service A?

Edit #2: After seeing the blower motor location relative to where the noise is coming from, I'm guessing that if it isn't filter-related that there may be some debris in the blower, or a bearing is going bad or something. I guess a dealer trip is imminent after all.

jhpmbusa

just a thought - how come you decided to open up your air filter with only 1800 miles on the car?

W205C43PFL

My tranny oil is due soon and I think a diff oil is due shortly after. I wonder if that is DIYable, guess I got to research a bit. If you have any thoughts please do let me know, I am sure everyone else will benefit from that information here as well. If I figure it out I will post here as well. I think I can do the brake fluid myself.
As for changing engine oil yourself, hmmm I thought you purchased PPM so you would had paid for the service anyways? Otherwise it is super easy to change oil on the C43, just need the proper socket. I still get my oil filters from the dealership while getting oil from FCPeuro (It comes with a filter but I don't use it)

Oh no, it can't be. : (

W205C43PFL

Not op but it was based on the recommendation of another forum member a few post up.

W205C43PFL

here are the list of items required based on interval:
https://www.mbusa.com/content/dam/mb...e_Warranty.pdf
Edit 1: My bad this isn't exactly it....
Edit 2: This should be it:
https://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/Digital...e_brochure.pdf
Edit 3: This as well
https://www.mbusa.com/content/dam/mb...rage_Chart.pdf
Edit 4: and this
https://www.mbusa.com/content/dam/mb...aintenance.pdf

Alternatively, you could look at the paper booklet that came with the car.

zibby43

That’s a component that gets replaced during Service A regardless of whether there are 1,800 miles or 1 year of driving. Mileage may be low, but I’ve had the car since February ‘20.

Also, I had mice nest in my engine bay a few months ago. I was trying to explore every possibility to ascertain what was causing this flapping/clicking noise.

No PPM for me. I paid for my Service A out of pocket. It’s about $100-150 more expensive than it was a few years ago for an oil change.

Previously, the difference between the dealership and DIY was so slim, it was more cost-effective to save the time. Now, not so much lol.

And yep, I think there’s something stuck in the blower motor. I don’t have the driver to get the two screws on the underside of the glove compartment panel to access either that filter or the blower.

How many miles on your car?

W205C43PFL

I see. Unfortunately to hear that prices went towards a direction not in your favour.

Speaking of blower motor, that reminds me. I had mines replaced 2 years ago because it was vibrating the whole car when fan was set to max, it was most definitely defective. I doubt yours is broken though (and I rather it isn't defective, you had been dealing with enough already)

My car is at 61,205 KMs so about 38,031 miles.

stockbmw

I don't want to say this, but you got a dead mouse stuck there,..

W205C43PFL

zibby43

Oh wow! Seems that blower is a popular item on this car haha! Glad that it got resolved for you my friend!

You’ve been able to give your car the mileage it deserves. Well done. Mine has been depressed in the garage lol. To be fair, I’d be at about 8-10k if I still had my PFL.

lol I pray that’s not the case. The nest was abandoned when I found it. But they had put so much pink insulation on the heat sink on top of my ECU . . . who knows what else they used to build.

I had the engine bay professionally detailed though after I discovered it. Noise didn’t appear until after Service A.

Good news is - zero bad smells. But I’m definitely going to the dealer and will report back as to what was wrong.

W205C43PFL

The car is four years old, I got it in 2017 with 87 KMs (approximately 54 miles) when I picked it up (which is less than what was listed as anticipated (90KMs or approx. 55.9 miles) during delivery, which I should be thankful for, still very likely people took it for test drives hence how it was managed to accumulate 87 KMs)

I think I drove it less than I should be if the average annual mileage Canadians drive according to a report is 20,000 KMs which is approximately 12,427 miles.

Don't worry about the possibilities of a defective blower motor in your car. I think my car was the only one that had a defective blower motor, it is uncommon and therefore unlikely on your facelift.

Hmmm and if noise appeared after service A, probably really have to do with the filter being inserted incorrectly.