I have a 2006 Escape FWD Hybrid and there is a chirp noise coming from the engine. Anyone else experience this?

It happens almost every time the gas engine kicks on from being in all electric mode. I'll also hear it when the gas engine is on as I accelrate say from 30 to 40 MPH, when it hits 40 I hear the little chirp.

Almost like when the gas engine is shifting. I don't notice it at higher speeds.

Anyone else have this noise or know what it is?

Thanks!

 

The a/c belt or its tensioner might be going out. Check it with the ice on and a/c on with the hood up the noise should come from the passenger side.

 

Yup, been to the dealer twice about it. Something about an air gap on the A/C compressor needing a new spacer. Still does it though, not quite as bad maybe, I think... Might try some belt dressing to see if that makes any difference.

SWMBO has the FEH right now and the repair report(s) are in the owners manual folder. I'll post the write up on them shortly. Worry's me, the battery needs the A/C!!!

 

In my experience "belt dressing" usually makes things worse, I use with good effect a bar of Ivory soap. IF you can get it on the "rib" portion of the ICE's belt with it running the oils in the soap soften the rubber in the belt. Belt dressing just puts a sticky goo on the belt that turns it into a grating sound. Watch out for your eyes as this will kick up allot of soap dust.

 

Thanks Mark, I use soap on the f150, the belts are easily accessed. Will try soap on the FEH too then. Haven't looked yet but i can rig up something to get soap down there and hopefully keep my fingers outta the way!

Will report back.

 

Thanks for the responses guys. I've been busy all weekend so haven't had a chance to respond.

I did notice over the weekend that I do in fact notice the intermittent chirp at higher speeds too, I just didn't notice before - probably due to road noise and such.

My job for tomorrow evening is to pop the hood and figure out where in the heck the A/C belt is located. To be honest, I have 45k miles and I haven't opened the hood too often....shame on me.

So is the belt cracking about to snap? I better get this looked at...wouldn't want anything to break down while driving.

Thanks for the insight. Should I try the ivory soap or take it to the dealer? I try to avoid dealer repairs, I find that this message board has more knowledgable people than the dealer mechanics - small town and I don't think they've sold too man hybrids, therefore don't really know how to fix them.

 

Four hour round trip today. Soaped the belt going to and coming back. No Change. It's the A/C compressor I betcha and not the belt.

First time in the Repair Report said:

"Chirping when Accel or Deccel. Replace Serpentine belt. Excessive air gap on a/c clutch. code 07. Check & verified chirp noise with shop foreman, Check oasis-no info for concern, spray belt with water-noise still there. Remove belt & check all pulleys-visual ok, trace noise to AC compressor, found air gap on clutch hub excess, Remove hub & clean & install correct spacer, recheck for noise-ok at this time, Note: had excessive time into diag due to intermittent concern"


The second time: "could not verify". Had it two days, not real sure they drove it., Maybe did, but it seems the car/battery needs to be warm so the compressor can cycle on-off. It does chirp by turning the AC on then off manually. I didn't take it in this time to show them that technique. SWMBO took it in, she says they don't listen to her...something about women and car dealers... I don't know but they "could not verify" this time, so...


I need to take it in again because it still does the same thing as before. Never did at all until now which is interesting, started at ~35,000 miles. Hopefully we can figure this out.


Purdue, run it to the dealer man and see what they do! I'll keep you posted on what shakes out here.

 

Any updates?

I'm going to talk to the dealer service folks when i bring it in for the next oil change - in the next couple of weeks.

Interesting notice this weekend - now that the temps have cooled of substantially (here in IN the temps go from 100 to 50, there is no in between), I drove all weekend and it never made a single chirp. I'm hoping this is because the AC has not been on and not because the AC is now broken!

 

I'm interested in what you find out when you take the car to the dealer. Hopefully they will provide more than we already know. That I'll use on my next trip (3rd) for a repair.

 

Purdue:

Any word yet?