Hey guys,

I have been a silent reader for quite a few years as I've never owned a foreign car before. I picked up a 2012 Bentley Continental GT W12 With 3000 miles a few months ago. It's been a complete POS, but otherwise I like it lol. Recently I've had a problem and I cant find something that quite replicates it on any other forum post. The car did sit for quite a while before I got it having only 3k.

After driving from NYC to Rhode Island I was parked on ACC mode and got a quiet, barely noticeable humming noise front the dash. It sounded almost like a normal component running, you would never notice it with the heat running or engine running. I dismissed it since I figured it couldnt be horrible if it wasnt engine related and I wasnt about to call a tow truck since it sounded like one of the 16,000 pumps running in the car. It would hum for 15 seconds or so rhythmically, and stop for 1, then continue for 15, etc.

FF> 1 month, and I notice some noise that's very faint. Sounding like a 1990s ford power steering pump. I figured whatever, i'll bring it for service when I do the oil change in 2 weeks. No lights on, drives perfectly fine, no overheating etc. Over the course of about a week it got to the point where I could hear it in the back of my head over the radio and it was definitely noticeable by someone who isnt a car person at all. Before, a mechanic had to sit in it with the windows closed on a side street to hear it. We thought it was PS pump so much so that I bought a bottle of fluid and filled it 1oz to full since the fluid was original. Obviously did nothing.

Then, I dont quite know why I had it on AC, but when I turned the temperature to "LO" the noise stopped completely. So basically it was happening when the heat was on OR when the HVAC was last turned off on heat, or apparently any temperature other than LO. So i parked the car, turned it on ACC mode (which is where I realized it was connected to the Rhode Island noise) and went under the hood. Sure enough it's coming from this valve (audi be bentley part #3D1959617D) and since it sounds like a pump I'm assuming it is the Heater Core Control Valve Pump.

How serious is this? It doesnt sound metallic at all, just like a "jjjjjjjjjjjjj" sound (lol.) It just sounds like a bad or cheap pump that's the best way to describe it. It was getting worse but I've been leaving the heat off while driving it unless I'm so cold I'm cramping, and it hasn't gotten too much worse recently. Again it doesnt sound like that clanging metallic sound like I've seen on some YouTube videos. A mechanic told over the phone me it could worst case explode and rupture but I really doubt that's going to happen. I've read that there normally just fail. My trusted mechanic told me over text "it depends on how the valve feels, if its gonna break open or closed and blow the radiator hose." Its pretty late to be going back and forth with a mechanic, but i don't think its the valve, unless that's the motor constantly moving a blend door back and forth or something. But its definitely coming from that 3D1959617D part and happens only when heating is involved.

Thanks very much in advance,
​​​​
Tim

 

I see this is an older thread but I am just recently experiencing the same noise in my 2012 Continental GT. Were you able to find the cause and a fix for yours?

TIA 🙏

Hoping you can save me chasing the same noise