[rpiotr01]

Hey everyone,

Last weekend I ran into my first real problem with my Riot - turned the A/C on and noticed a fluttering sound that got louder the higher I turned on the fan. Sounds the same whether it's on a/c or heat. Also gets louder if I set it to re-circulate. Sounds almost like there's something stuck in it.

Any ideas on what might be wrong? Probably a stupid question, but is there anything I can do to remedy the problem without having to take it in to the dealer?

 

[quasimodem51]

Sounds like a pesky leaf found its way to the fan and wedged itself. Does it resemble what happened as kid when you attached a baseball card to the forks of your bike and let the card ratchet against the spokes? The faster you went the more intense the *burring* sound?

If yes, then I just think a little time would move it along (tear up leaf for example).

 

[luffing]

I pulled a couple leaves out of my fan just a month ago. Just drop the glove box, pull the cabin filter cover off, remove the cabin filter (if you have one), and kind of slip a couple fingers down into the fan area and see what you find. All of this with the ignition off, of course.

 

[festerw]

Here's how to remove the blower

 

[rpiotr01]

quasimodem - to a point, yes. the funny thing is when I turn the fan all the way up the flapping sound is the most intrusive, it's actually louder at settings 1-3.

luffing/ fester - thanks for the advice. is the image fester attached accessible in the way described by luffing? or must that be done with the hood up?

 

[homac]

As some have mentioned if you open your glove box, you can lower it down and see the fan and filter unit. You can also turn on your fan at that time to confirm that is where the noise is coming from.

See link below:

Filter/Fan Servicing PDF

I have accessed this several times and I can see how a leaf or other debris could fall in under the right conditions.

 

[rpiotr01]

Success!

Removed the glove compartment, and things looked a bit different than in that pdf. There is a plastic cover back there that needed to be removed first, but after popping that off, I could see the fan a little further back. And sitting right there, looking me right in the face, was a big brown leaf wedged pretty good up against the fan in between the fan and the casing. Grabbed my aquarium tweezers, yanked that sucker out of there and turned on the A/C. Silent as usual.

Thanks for all the help! Glad I don't have to wait three hours at the dealer to get a leaf removed...

 

[Brewer_Patriot]

Hey guys. I, too, just noticed the same thing with my unit yesterday. Thanks for the information. Will take a look in the morning.

First problem I've had so far with my 4-month-old Patriot.

 

[homac]

Awesome. Always nice to see the forum save someone a trip to the dealer !

 

[Brewer_Patriot]

Hey guys. I, too, just noticed the same thing with my unit yesterday. Thanks for the information. Will take a look in the morning.

First problem I've had so far with my 4-month-old Patriot.

Problem fixed. Whole process took about three minutes. Popped down the glove compartment, took off the black, plastic fan cover, and removed the small gas receipt stuck in the fan. Purrs like a kitten...

Thanks again for the info.

 

[todde702]

Had the same problem on my about 2 weeks ago. It looked like a paper label that fell off something. Did the same thing with some long needle nose pliers. I think I may pickup a cabin filter just so it doesn't happen again.

 

[rpiotr01]

Awesome, glad this thread helped another member!

 

[Schoat333]

sounds like it may be worth the $ to put a cabin filter in there.