Left fan clicking/hum noise

[Shaunyac]

I noticed today after playing Guild Wars 2 where the fans were on full speed for a while that once the computer returned to IDLE fan speed, whenever the laptop was moved the fan would make a low hum/really fast clicking sound if the laptop was moved at all.

I'm just curious if this is normal at all, it's more obvious when the laptop is tilted back, I just don't want it to be off balance or w.e and it to cause any damage.

I'm using a new rmbp.

 

[S.B.G]

I noticed today after playing Guild Wars 2 where the fans were on full speed for a while that once the computer returned to IDLE fan speed, whenever the laptop was moved the fan would make a low hum/really fast clicking sound if the laptop was moved at all.

I'm just curious if this is normal at all, it's more obvious when the laptop is tilted back, I just don't want it to be off balance or w.e and it to cause any damage.

I'm using a new rmbp.

No you shouldn't hear any clicking coming from it. It's possible that it has a bearing that is going bad prematurely. You may want to bring it into the Apple Store and have them check it out if it continues.

 

[Dark Void]

Clicking is usually not a good thing. Is it consistent or repetitive at all, or was it a random occurrence while you were done playing just that one time?

 

[Shaunyac]

It only occurs when I move the laptop but it's only tonight it's started, whenever I moved it before it was silent.

I'm thinking maybe the continuous (an hour or so) of constant 2000rpm spinning maybe affected it somehow?

I'll take it to the Apple store next time I'm near, it's about a 40 minute drive away. Hopefully they won't think I'm being pedantic!

It's a pretty quiet noise, I'm sitting in my room which is silent and can only quietly hear it, I'm sure it won't be very noticeable in the store, if at all.

 

[Dark Void]

I would not worry about thinking that it is a negligible problem or what have you - it is worth taking it in if you feel something is not right, and to be honest sudden clicking coming from a fan does not sound good even if it's faint.

 

[Shaunyac]

http://soundcloud.com/shaunyac/fan-noise-3/s-9tjbx

If this helps at all, this is the noise, as I said, it's only when the laptop is being moved/tilted backwards really.

 

[S.B.G]

http://soundcloud.com/shaunyac/fan-noise-3/s-9tjbx

If this helps at all, this is the noise, as I said, it's only when the laptop is being moved/tilted backwards really.

Yeah, something isn't right inside there. You should take it in. I feel your pain as my nearest Apple Store is almost an hour's drive time for me. But that sound should be checked out before it becomes worse.

 

[Shaunyac]

Thanks for the advice guys, my friend may be going into the city Sunday so I'll see if she can swing by there with me

Hopefully it'll be a quick fix in store.

 

[S.B.G]

Thanks for the advice guys, my friend may be going into the city Sunday so I'll see if she can swing by there with me

Hopefully it'll be a quick fix in store.

You may want to call ahead first and see if they have fan parts on hand for your model. If not they may have to order them and you wait a day or two before you go, so that you don't have to come back again.

 

[Dark Void]

Thanks for the advice guys, my friend may be going into the city Sunday so I'll see if she can swing by there with me

Hopefully it'll be a quick fix in store.

Good luck to you, I hope this gets resolved.

 

[iaymnu]

Mine started to make that sound when i tilt it when moving around. Did the apple store resolve your trouble?

 

[Dronac]

I had this issue with the left fan. It came and went as I would tap on the bottom of the body under the fan. The local Apple store couldn't do anything about it and set up an exchange for a new unit. From what he said, it sounds like exchanging the whole unit is the norm for any issues with rMBP's since there is very little they can do in store for them.

 

[Ledgem]

If you're under warranty then it's worth getting it checked out. Otherwise, I wouldn't assume that it's anything terrible.

My wife's Macbook (a 2007 model purchased in 2008) started doing something similar, although I think the sound was slightly different. I was worried that the fan was about to fail, but after a few months the sound completely went away. The reported fan speed was normal. My guess is that some debris got into or on the fan, and that it eventually resolved.

More recently, my early 2008 Macbook Pro started doing this with the left fan as well. It started out being audible at normal, idle speeds (~2000 RPM) and disappearing at higher speeds (~3000+ RPM). Currently, it's silent at normal speeds and then becomes noticeable at a certain range of the higher speeds. The left and right fans both rev to approximately the same speeds, and they're both going at the speeds that I'm used to seeing. I'm keeping an eye on it, but aside from the annoyance of having slightly more noise, it seems to be operationally fine.