Sound of a electric motor behind drivers seat.

[Tony Hunt]

New owner needs some help please. My normally smooth quiet running 4wd diesal bongo suddenly has the sound of a very fast electric motor whirring away behind the drivers seat.This starts whirring as soon as I turn the key. I have a full side kitchen conversion fitted and to start with thought it might be the fridge or the water pump. I have eliminated both these by cutting the power to both (I think)
I had to drive 20 miles home and noticed no ill effect whatsoever on the van itself other than listening to the added noise. Anybody got any suggestions please as what to look for. Have I hit a switch thats turned a fan on in the rear of the van or something similar by mistake ?

[bigdaddycain]

Hi Tony and welcome! Is the whirring noise with the engine on/off?

[widdowson2008]

Behind the drivers seat? Does the rear heater have its own fan? cos that's behind the drivers seat. Could you just have accidentally switched the rear heater on.

[Tony Hunt]

Thats what Im wondering but which is the switch, lol. Im having a blonde moment hopefully and its something that simple.
The motor whirrs as soon as I turn the key.

[widdowson2008]

If you have climate control, it can be controlled from either the front panel or the one in the back. Try switching off the one in the back.
On the front panel, there is a button on the bottom right of the panel - think its marked 'back or rear'. If you press and hold this for a couple of seconds, it allows you to control the rear heaters from the front panel.

[Jaws]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. Does your van have aircon fitted? If so the heater control panel at the front may have a series of four buttons marked, L to R with: a fan symbol; A/C; Mode; Rear. If there is a green light above the one marked Rear it indicates the rear A/C system is on and this activates a fan behind the drivers seat. That is most likey what you are hearing. Try pressing this button and most likely the noise will go.

Depending on the convertor, you may or may not have any other controls for the rear heating and a/c.

Ah! beaten to it as usual.

[widdowson2008]

Hi
Ah! beaten to it as usual.

Only by 4 minutes and yours was a far better description than mine.

[bigdaddycain]

Ruling out the heater option for the moment... Is the drivers seat clamped down properly?

[Tony Hunt]

Thanks for the suggestions guys will check it out in the daylight tomorrow. Havent noticed anything on the front heater controls that mention the rear. I have A/Con yes. I usually have the heater control set to Auto. Took me a while to suss out the settings but I take it on Auto it either heats if cold or brings the A/C on if the temp rises outside.
I have another question for you old hands if I may. I have a brand new set of Winter tyres on rims that I bought for a song on this forum. I live in the south. Looking at the weather forecasts for the coming week it seems the north is going to get varying levels of snow. Would you think its a good idea to fit them now before we get any down souf . Ive been told that the winter tyres left on even in a mild winter will suffer no ill effects when used under normal road conditions and that they will wear just like normal tyres but will obviously give a lot better road holding in snow and ice is this true please.

[slow_n_low]

You might have left your Deus switched in the on mode you should fit the tyres from October to March, winter tyres arnt just for snow, the rubber on them is softer to handle in cold road tempratures, there doesnt need to be any snow or frost.

[Tony Hunt]

Boing, Boing, first thing I checked was the deus Neil.

[bigdaddycain]

Yup! I'd stick the winters on sooner rather than later Tony... Nowt worse than messing about with freezing jacks and wheelbraces when it's minus whatever outside!