Interior Whirrling/growling noise in dashboard pass side

seamus2154 · January 12, 2018

Hey guys, 2017 Yukon Denali 6.2. 7K on her now. This is my 4th truck in this platform Silverado, Sierra, Yukon now this second one. All of them had loud HVAC systems especially on recirculate. But this is the first one with a very annoying sound at low speed local driving. In goes with the rpm of the motor and stops if I shut the A/C off. So I figured sounds like a messed up compressor. But when I go under the hood nothing sounds out of normal. But inside on passenger side it's growling at low rpm's. It's driving me nuts in town driving. Can actually hear it over a low radio. Like I said it sounds like a cycling a/c compressor in an older car. It does not go at the fan speed it seems to be rpm. My service rep already said never heard of such a thing and manager would have to drive in truck and agree it's there. Anyone have this issue or TSB, or resolve it????

Retired Bob · January 12, 2018

Jim, it sounds like you have a good grasp of the issue/noise but not on the solution. Just for the heck of it why not pull the cabin filter as see if anything changes as there have been several threads relating to trash (leaves, sticks, etc) falling onto the cabin filter fan. Checking the fan would not be a big problem in time or complexity.

seamus2154 · January 12, 2018

Thanks Bob, stopped at a new dealer North of me and they did a quick check or the vents, blend doors, cabin filter, ect. All good. They thought maybe a tensioner for a second till I shut the HVAC off and noise stopped. They won't say it's normal or the compressor and have me coming back for an appointment when we will do a drive and check of another vehicle to see if it is in their eyes a problem. Definetly seems to be the compressor but weird how it doesnt sound offensive under the hood but growls inside on passenger side?? We will see. Really getting tired of fine tuning each of these new vehicles. On my 4th in this platform. Have never been so unhappy with a design platform, I am actually thinking of going back to at 2012 with an LS motor. Never had any issues 2007-2013 on my trucks.

seamus2154 · January 17, 2018

UPDATE:

The tech said the compressor sounded cranky and agreed it was louder than most for a brand new vehicle. Took 3 hours and they had the compressor in stock.(I wonder why??)

Big improvement. I can still hear it slightly, but I am listening for it and am sensitive from being tortured for weeks with it. But overall I am happy. I did look at where it comes into the firewall and feel the A/C line is conducting the compressor sound into the cabin as that is right where it is heard the loudest. Its a direct path from the compressor to the firewall. Bad design, but now with a quieter compressor I think I will look into sound insulation for the inside and maybe the outside to deaden it completely.

Thanks guys

pking · June 23, 2020

Hello my husband and I just purchased a 2016 Denali XL 44k in miles. There are a couple of trim things that have been on order and there is a growling in the dashboard when the ac is running. It is pretty loud. I have requested this be fixed as well. Problem, the person listening to it says he cannot hear it. HMMMM maybe get someone who can because it is quite loud. The higher the fan speed the louder it gets. I have had a Denali since the early 2000 bought new 2 or 3 times but new cannot fit in our budget now. I am reading a good deal on dashboard noise. Can anyone offer and opinion or assist. My denali is currently at the dealership.

Thanks

Pam