There is a whining noise coming from behind me in my 97-98 car. What is it?
On ’97 and early ’98 C5’s, the fuel pump was particularly noisy, so this is probably what the sound is. You may notice that it gets worse when the car is cold, hot from a long drive, or when the tank is getting low on fuel. As well, you’ll probably hear the whine alternate in pitch when your turn signal is on, as voltage to the pump changes slightly. In mid ’98 (I believe) the pump was redesigned to be a bit quieter, although they still do make some noise. The noise is not necessarily an indication of malfunction, although you can have it replaced if you wish. However, it is not a cheap replacement, so you might consider upgrading to a Racetronix pump (or similar) instead, to support any future modification plans you may have.
