New to me car making a noise

[Steven Newbutt]

Hi folks
I’m new to the Forum and the Seat brand
But after getting my last car written of by a lorry I’ve been looking at everything in my budget and decided that the Altea XL suited my needs and pocket.

I have just bought a 1.6 ecomotive 2013 with 122000 miles on the clock

My question is that after a couple of days ownership I have noticed a strange noise.
More noticeable at idle
For want of a better description it sounds like a washing machine pump when there no more water left in the machine
It’s not really loud but to me it sounds like a problem on its way.
Sometimes it’s louder than others and the sound doesn’t alter much if you depress the clutch pedal or turn the steering wheel or rev the engine
It’s not the air con fan or the air con pump
If I was going to hazard a guess I would say power steering fluid is low but I can’t see where to check the level?
Is it under the engine cover?

Any suggestions appreciated

Cheers

Steve

 

[Steven Newbutt]

Looked under the engine cover
Nothing untowards
Didn’t find the power steering reservoir so maybe it doesn’t have one

Beginning to think noise may be an idler pulley or something
The dealer says the cam belt was changed 20k ago so it can’t hurt to check it out?

 

[klawit]

Didn’t find the power steering reservoir so maybe it doesn’t have one

Hi Steven,
Your ALTEA comes with an electromechanical assisted power steering, so no hydraulic pumping sounds ...
but it's occasionally reported by owners, that the servomotors produce strange noises.

It’s not the air con fan or the air con pump

Thou you obviously checked these parts, did you check the filling level of the air con as well? Low level might produce bubbling sounds.
Do you hear same noises with A/C turned off?

 

[Steven Newbutt]

Hi Klawit
Taken the car to my friendly mechanic
He thinks it could be a pulley
Either Air Con or Altenator or further in on the cam belt
Going to take a better look next week

Cheers

Steve

 

[Steven Newbutt]

Well the mechanic has taken a look at the car and came back with the following fault.
It looks like the Air Conditioning condenser and Compressor have taken a knock.
Both showing signs of an impact
Nothing appears to be leaking.
Running the engine with the AC belt off and the noise disappears.
So it’s looking like it needs a replacement compressor.
My theory is that the previous owner has run over something that has flipped up denting the condenser and striking the compressor.
No outward visible signs of damage.

I’m just waiting for the dealer to come back to me with their remedy

Now I don’t expect them to replace the compressor with a new unit
Why would they on a 5 year old car?

Can these things be refurbished?
Looking on flea bay there looks like a few different parts that say they fit
Do you need to remove the condenser to get to the compressor?
If you do then I might ask if this can be changed too
Might as well

Any answers to the above will be appreciated

Steve