CFAI

I have a 2013 GX. I have been hearing a very faint 'chirp' that maybe has a rotational sound to it - but not sure. Maybe it sounds like an electromechanical switch or something. I can hear it after startup after the engine drops below 1k. I can hear the sound when I have the aircon/fan, seat heater/vent fan, stereo etc all off. The car is not moving. It seems to happen around every 10 to 20 seconds and will make the sound once or twice each time. It is very faint, and I have no reason to believe that it does or does not occur when driving etc. The sound is faint enough that engine idle about 1k likely would mask the sound. I have not been able to hear the sound when engine is at idle when I am out side of the car with the hood open and peering into the engine bay. But I don't know what I am doing so maybe it is there is you know where to stick your ear but I couldn't hear anything.
I took it into the dealership today and had service manager sit in drivers until he could hear it. He was glad I did bc he said otherwise no way would they have heard it. He didn't know what it might be but they are looking. Any ideas here? They replaced the serpentine belt when they did the timing chain cover leak fix, but I think maybe this sound was occurring before that.

CFAI

Here is the a vid with the sound. No aircon, radio off etc. - maybe a radio fan or something? Also maybe there is a better way to up load inline so you don't need to download but it happens three of 4 times - very faint first is around 8 second mark

CFAI

Maybe @Acrad knows - he/she seems to have the knowledge. Maybe it is a normal sound that no one notices in 2010-2013 models?

Acrad

Sorry.. my hearing isn’t what it used to be. I’m not hearing anything noticeable in the video.

CFAI

Thanks @Acrad Do you hear anything at idle after the engine bumps down below 1k rpm with fans/aircon off in your 2012? Very very faint, has almost a rotational chirp to it - occurs every 10 to 15 second or so. It is very quiet. The vid I posted is from the dealership in another '13GX. I think they are suggesting that it is normal sound - even though they have no idea or had heard it before and it was my idea to have them check another '13 GX. But at the 8th second - with headphones you can hear it. Maybe it is a fan in the radio or something.

Acrad

I tried to hear it with headphones but must be a frequency I can’t hear.

Do you have a model with Mark Levinson? The amplifier fans can go out and make some noises.

The non-ML has an amplifier under the passenger seat while ML amp is in the driver rear fender area. I can’t remember if non-ML has a fan setup though.

CFAI

It is non-ML. Thanks regardless!

Acrad

The navigation system on the 10-13 models has an old platter based hard disk in the unit for the maps. Could it be hard disk sounds?

CFAI

Ah - that could be! I will ask the dealership.