3-Series (E46, E90)Chat relating to the BMW 3-Series from 1999 to Current. Models include: BMW 316i, BMW 318i, BMW 318Ci, BMW 320i, BMW 323i, BMW 325i, BMW 330i, BMW 328 Ci, BMW 328i, BMW 325i/xi, BMW 330Ci, BMW 320d, BMW 330d, BMW 335d.
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I just bought a 1999 BMW 323i. I noticed a strange sound coming from the engine, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner running in short bursts. When I asked the dealer about it, he said it was a cooling fan and it was supposed to sound like that. It appears to be getting louder. Is it supposed to do this or am I getting hosed ? Any advise would be appreciated !
What would you consider loud? My cooling fan is running all the time. B)
How many miles does the car have and what kind of a dealer did you buy it from? Is it certified pre owned?
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This is like a normal procedure I believe you're talking about. When you turn off your car the fan keeps going until it believes the engine is at a safe temperature. Then it will shut off my it's self. By it getting louder maybe your engine is getting TOO hot? This might not even be the same problem, i'm not sure.
No, fan should not be loud, except under special circumstances. My fan is basically "unhearable" except after the engine gets very hot - then the fan is 'locked' to the engine shaft and turns at much higer speed, according to the rpms, the purpose being cooling off the engine quickly. This should happen only when you're stuck in a traffic jam, or under stop lights and are not moving for some period of time (this is when engine gets hot). In normal speed driving the fan should rotate slowly and be very quiet because the engine does not need extra cooling. So, maybe the problem is with your cooling - maybe you're low on coolant and your engine is constantly hot (and therefore uses higher fan speed). Or maybe your fan is rubbing against something? Shut of the engine and try turning the fan - it should rotate freely, but not rotate by itself when you let it go. Hope this helps.
The noise is not audible from the interior, but I was flagged down in a parking garage by an attendant telling me my car was making a noise, so it must be pretty loud. It has 40,000 miles on it and I purchased it from a reputable used car dealer who several friends recommended me to. Also, the noise is most noticeable for the first minute or so after I start the engine, and it can be heard immediately after I turn the engine off.
Technically I believe your car falls under the BMW 50K mile warranty. If you don't feel comfortable with it you can always go get it checked.
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