high pitched tone when driving?

[phobic]

So since this is the electrical area I figured Id post this here.

When Im driving I can hear a super high pitched tone. it changes every now and again and if I have my radio on or windows down I can hear it less, but if I put my windows up and turn the radio off I can hear it easily. If I stop, the noise stops too. Its definitely an electrical issue somewhere... No idea where though.

I just recently had my headlights customized and put a new exhaust on that does not connect the vacuum flap thing to it. Could those have anything to do with it?

This wasn't happening before I got those done, so Im not sure what to check. If I cant figure it out Im going to bring it back to the body shop that was working on it and tell them to fix it, but Id really rather figure it out so I dont have to go without my car for another week or more.

any help/ideas would be amazing.

[phobic]

bump

anyone got any ideas?

[one 35i]

I would really suspect the custom headlights. I would look over carefully to see if there are new passages that could create tone or tape over open areas to see if it stops. Altered aero can do some strange thing to sounds.

[phobic]

but the headlights were just pained, no new lighting or anything at all added. They were just unplugged, then taken apart, painted, put back together, and plugged back in.

Im going to be bringing it back to the shop on saturday, and the headlights are definitely going to be the first thing examined, but any similar stories or anything would be great so I can narrow it down.

[cheshirecat79]

from what you describe it definitely sounds like a bad ground. The whine will come out of the speakers and increase/decrease in pitch with engine speed usually.

I'm not sure how BMW's variable alternator may play into the sound, but whatever.

I'd also suspect the headlights as being the culprit.

[phobic]

Originally Posted by cheshirecat79

from what you describe it definitely sounds like a bad ground. The whine will come out of the speakers and increase/decrease in pitch with engine speed usually.

I'm not sure how BMW's variable alternator may play into the sound, but whatever.

I'd also suspect the headlights as being the culprit.

issue is resolved. The vacuum line going to the stock exhaust wasn't plugged and was creating the tone. so strange to me, sounded like a ground issue.

But I do agree, my biggest fear was it was a bad ground in the headlights!

[jsmonet]

it's too bad I didn't see this earlier. I was going to ask "did you do the golf tee mod and not plug the vac line?" haha

[phobic]

Originally Posted by jsmonet

it's too bad I didn't see this earlier. I was going to ask "did you do the golf tee mod and not plug the vac line?" haha

haha, yup, thats basically what happened.

[gnubbs]

Sorry to revive an old thread - but this is too funny. I was having the same issue and it seemed like one day it just went away. That was around when I discovered that vacuum line was disconnected and not golf tee'd (and fixed that). Good to know in case it comes back.