What is that whirring / humming noise from under Glovebox?

[heatmizr]

I hear this almost every day, it randomly runs for a minute or two. Not very loud, much easier to hear when stopped at a light. Sounds like a fan or spinning motor, it spools up and goes for a short time, then spools back down and goes quiet. Not sure how else to describe it except for maybe a vacuum cleaner motor on 1/10 power.
What is it??

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

I hear this almost every day, it randomly runs for a minute or two. Not very loud, much easier to hear when stopped at a light. Sounds like a fan or spinning motor, it spools up and goes for a short time, then spools back down and goes quiet. Not sure how else to describe it except for maybe a vacuum cleaner motor on 1/10 power.
What is it??

interesting.. I wonder if you are hearing the same thing I hear. My guess is the CIC Hard Drive, it almost sounds like the HD is locking except my CIC continues to function without problems so I'm not sure if that is what I'm hearing. I work in IT so I'm familiar with those sounds and I'm almost positive that's what it is.

[heatmizr]

Wow, you may be right. I never thought about that, I was fixated on automotive components being the cause. But that sound is similar. Still I'm not sure why it spins up randomly, but not often. Mine doesn't sound like locking, just smooth whirring. Wonder if the HDD has a fan for cooling...
I am going to give it a good listen on the way home!

[RichardR0404]

Originally Posted by DieselDemonDM

interesting.. I wonder if you are hearing the same thing I hear. My guess is the CIC Hard Drive, it almost sounds like the HD is locking except my CIC continues to function without problems so I'm not sure if that is what I'm hearing. I work in IT so I'm familiar with those sounds and I'm almost positive that's what it is.

since its a hard drive is it possible to replace it with something, like my spare 1TB SSD? I am almost positive cic uses ext4 or ext3 fs.should br pretty easy to do a swap and get more room for my music... Also I have a feeling CIC is based on QNX, not sure if we can get some root access, if we can get root access it means we can get more tweaks and tricks. quick glance through software legal info, most of ghe stuff are either freeware or opensource item.. could be interested

[note46]

Originally Posted by RichardR0404

since its a hard drive is it possible to replace it with something, like my spare 1TB SSD? I am almost positive cic uses ext4 or ext3 fs.should br pretty easy to do a swap and get more room for my music... Also I have a feeling CIC is based on QNX, not sure if we can get some root access, if we can get root access it means we can get more tweaks and tricks. quick glance through software legal info, most of ghe stuff are either freeware or opensource item.. could be interested

It is possible, people have done it in another forum. Search google for bmw hdd to ssd. The hdd in e70 cic is pata so you'll need a pata ssd. Also yes the cic is qnx.

[RichardR0404]

Originally Posted by note46

It is possible, people have done it in another forum. Search google for bmw hdd to ssd. The hdd in e70 cic is pata so you'll need a pata ssd. Also yes the cic is qnx.

Just looked into it. Looks like CIC have very limited hardware spec.. probably not worth digging into it that hard.

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by RichardR0404

Just looked into it. Looks like CIC have very limited hardware spec.. probably not worth digging into it that hard.

From what I read in other forums here is a list of benefits that you get if you upgrade to an SSD

1. Faster boot times
2. Faster response time zooming in/out on the Nav and overall scrolling thru the menus
3. If you are IT savvy you can code it to add additional storage space for music
4. Technically speaking an SSD should be more reliable than a mechanical drive
5. You will end up with a back up assuming you keep the HD you took out of the CIC.

[askjeeves]

Check if it comes and goes with your a/c being turned on and off. The blower fan for the a/c can get crap stuck it in or even get rusty or off balance. I've got the same thing in my m3 and my dads 5series.

[RichardR0404]

Originally Posted by DieselDemonDM

From what I read in other forums here is a list of benefits that you get if you upgrade to an SSD

1. Faster boot times
2. Faster response time zooming in/out on the Nav and overall scrolling thru the menus
3. If you are IT savvy you can code it to add additional storage space for music
4. Technically speaking an SSD should be more reliable than a mechanical drive
5. You will end up with a back up assuming you keep the HD you took out of the CIC.

I was thinking making some at application runs on the idrive system since it's based on QNX. Maybe able to get a firmware dump from a apple CarPlay qnx based device( like Ford sync) to added to cic directly. Apple is the stupidest tech company that refuse to give apple carplay as a open source API or a freeware API like android auto. You need to pay apple to get a apple carplay even it's for personal use.

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by RichardR0404

I was thinking making some at application runs on the idrive system since it's based on QNX. Maybe able to get a firmware dump from a apple CarPlay qnx based device( like Ford sync) to added to cic directly. Apple is the stupidest tech company that refuse to give apple carplay as a open source API or a freeware API like android auto. You need to pay apple to get a apple carplay even it's for personal use.

Yeap, just like all things Apple.. you gotta pay to play. Greedy bastards!

[RichardR0404]

Originally Posted by DieselDemonDM

Yeap, just like all things Apple.. you gotta pay to play. Greedy bastards!

The only apple product I have is a macbook pro. Have it because I can make some seriously money by developing some iPhone apps, that's it. Everything else is pretty stupid and I dont know why people use apple product in 2018. Hack I dont even use any Microsoft product in my life because both of them and Google are greedy bastards.

[argento]

Originally Posted by askjeeves

Check if it comes and goes with your a/c being turned on and off. The blower fan for the a/c can get crap stuck it in or even get rusty or off balance. I've got the same thing in my m3 and my dads 5series.

+1 check blower, access from under glovebox

[heatmizr]

Thanks. I'm pretty sure the a/c has no correlation. It occurs sporadically under any/all/none a/c settings.

The last time it did it I wasn't doing anything with the iDrive console, it was just in the middle of a song that was playing, off the usb stick in the center console, so that shouldn't have needed to spin the HDD.
It sounds louder and deeper than my pc hard drive, perhaps due to the placement of it enhancing the loudness/tone.
Seems to be the logical assumption since we KNOW there IS a HDD in that space. Just doesn't sound 100% like it so I remain less than positive.

[godmans]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

I hear this almost every day, it randomly runs for a minute or two. Not very loud, much easier to hear when stopped at a light. Sounds like a fan or spinning motor, it spools up and goes for a short time, then spools back down and goes quiet. Not sure how else to describe it except for maybe a vacuum cleaner motor on 1/10 power.
What is it??

It could be your rear air suspension pump. Check for sagging on either side after your car sits overnight.

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

Thanks. I'm pretty sure the a/c has no correlation. It occurs sporadically under any/all/none a/c settings.

The last time it did it I wasn't doing anything with the iDrive console, it was just in the middle of a song that was playing, off the usb stick in the center console, so that shouldn't have needed to spin the HDD.
It sounds louder and deeper than my pc hard drive, perhaps due to the placement of it enhancing the loudness/tone.
Seems to be the logical assumption since we KNOW there IS a HDD in that space. Just doesn't sound 100% like it so I remain less than positive.

Correct, the sound for sure is louder than the average HDD. I'm glad I'm not the only one hearing this... now the question is, is this an indication that the HD is about to crap out?

[Kdavis61]

It's not the hard drive, I have the SSD mod in my car and it still happens. It comes from the passenger footwell, and mine is super weird too. It comes on for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then goes away. Can't figure out what it is and it drives me crazy!!

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by Kdavis61

It's not the hard drive, I have the SSD mod in my car and it still happens. It comes from the passenger footwell, and mine is super weird too. It comes on for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then goes away. Can't figure out what it is and it drives me crazy!!

Well shit.. ok.. moving on...

I recently had my FRM module replaced/reprogrammed under recall so I have to assume that is working properly.

One thing I'm almost positive about is that this noise isn't mechanical, so I assume one of the modules/CIC is making the noise.

[Qsilver7]

Has anyone considered the ebox fan?

The ebox fan is #13, #19 is the fan's bracket, and #21 is the air scoop (channel) in the diagram below:

In pic below:

• Release air scoop (1).
• electric fan (2) with bracket.

[cbakking]

how to replace EBOX fan? part#? is it easy/hard get to location?

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by cbakking

how to replace EBOX fan? part#? is it easy/hard get to location?

To see if there are install instructions...try the newtis.info website link below. Just type the last 7 digits of your VIN (or select the appropriate model)...then type "electronics box" into the search field. You should get a long list of links to various documents about the e-box...one of them will probably be about how to install/remove etc:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/

The ebox fan is different depending on which engine you have...the N63's & S63's ebox fan is #22 in the top diagram...you can find the part nbr for your specific BMW model by using any of the online part databases:

• www.realoem.com
• www.bmwfans.info
• www.etk.cc

[heatmizr]

Not sure what you mean about it not being "mechanical"; I feel certain it is a spinning motor/fan as I can hear it spin up and then down again to a stop.

EBOX Fan?? Any guess as to the purpose of said fan? I didn't see any stated on TIS. Or even exactly where to find it on the vehicle.
If its to cool the area around the HDD, but the above poster with the SSD conversion did not remove it, perhaps it is still operating at times..?

I can live with this infrequent hum noise, but would LOVE to know what its coming from.

[M5_1of400]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

Not sure what you mean about it not being "mechanical"; I feel certain it is a spinning motor/fan as I can hear it spin up and then down again to a stop.

By that I meant that it doesn't sound (on my car at least it doesn't) like it is a mechanical part such as a fan, pump, belt, actuator, etc.. it sounds like something electronic making the noise.. I work with IT equipment all day long and it sounds just like a hard drive, or perhaps a capacitor going out.

Again that is what I hear on my car, since I cant hear what you hear in your case it may actually be something mechanical that you are hearing.