My Riviera sounds like a frog. It ribbits...

OK, I thought I was crazy and was hearing things when I'm driving down the road and it's quiet in the car. That is until someone else was riding with me and she goes "did you run over a frog, I keep hearing one". I look at her and go "so it's not just me then".

Anyway, it sounds like it's coming from the rear of the vehicle somewhere near the back seat or slightly before it. It's like a hiss/ribbit. The best way to describe it is the sound of air brakes combined with a frog ending. Does anyone else have a similar sound coming from the back? Is it the air shocks adjusting themselves while driving, the battery releasing pressure or what? It's nothing major, I'm just curious why my car sounds like a frog on a ventilator.

MARIJUANA + VEHICLES = HALUCCINATIONS

It sounds to me like you are hearing the hvac temperature control actuators, except they come from the front. Next time you are hearing it lower or raise the temp a LOT and if that's it it should stop, because the temp actuators aren't actively modulating anymore.

Does it change as the car goes over bumps/dips? It could be strut mounts or something like that making the noises.

deekster_caddy wrote:

It sounds to me like you are hearing the hvac temperature control actuators, except they come from the front. Next time you are hearing it lower or raise the temp a LOT and if that's it it should stop, because the temp actuators aren't actively modulating anymore.

Does it change as the car goes over bumps/dips? It could be strut mounts or something like that making the noises.

It seems to do it all the time. Even when sitting at a light. I'll have to try adjusting the temp to the extreme end of the range and see. If the actuators are moving that much it's amazing they still work...

ok, I just went for a ride and it does seem to be the climate control. Thanks deekster. Is this anything to be concerned about? I don't care about the noise, unless it leads to something else down the road.

Our Riv has been "talking" to us for a long time now. My lady thinks it's cute. I'm not too concerned. The HVAC system works very well, and over time it's even quieted down some.

No, the actuator noise is pretty normal. I wouldn't worry about it, every Buick newer than '96 with auto climate I've been in does it.

I know I have bad hearing.
But I must have a hearing problem at the specific frequency range you all are talking about because I can't here any noise from my HVAC controllers. Thankfully.