# Engine Whistle at Idle

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whistle-at-idle/63118>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** volvo, s40\
**Created:** [March 28, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whistle-at-idle/63118 "2011-03-28T23:34:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![trothous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@trothous](https://community.cartalk.com/u/trothous)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whistle-at-idle/63118/1 "2011-03-28T23:34:21Z")

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My 2007 Volvo S40 T5 AWD has an engine whistle at idle, but it stops momentarily when I turn the stearing wheel left or right, then comes back. Whats up?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whistle-at-idle/63118/2 "2011-03-29T14:27:13Z")

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Your best bet to get some ideas is to maybe pop the hood & see if you can give some clue about vicinity - even if vague. Also make sure it sounds like an actual whistle rather than say a soft squeal or something.

Whistling is about air and suggests a small vacuum leak. The connection to steering suggests an inspection of the serpentine belt (how old is it?) but that should be more like a squeal rather than a whistle.

High pitched noises can be hard to track down. If you get particularly ambitious a small length of hose works as a makeshift stethoscope - but watch the moving parts, especially the cooling fan which can kick on without warning.