A noise like a distant hammer drill

[Simpo Two]

Well today I finally became an Aston owner at last

Now the proud owner of a 2007 DB9 in Pentland Green with a mere 14.5K miles on the clock.

It had about 3ccs of petrol in when I picked it up so was relieved to make it to a garage, whereupon the thing ate £105-worth! Ah yes and figuring out how to release the handbrake, that was fun stuck in the middle of the forecourt.

Anyway, got back (100 miles) in one piece and I have much homework to do to find out what all the microscopic buttons with illegible text do. 'Yes but it's an Aston!' I hear you say...

A few things I'd appreciate some advice on. First, the headlamp covers are quite badly scratched especially at the tops. No doubt Aston will sell me a kit of polish for £100 but what do you use?

Second, and perhaps more worryingly, I noticed that at random intervals whilst cruising along the car sometimes made a low buzzing noise like a neighbour using a hammer drill, or driving over a badly laid section of concrete - except the road was fine. It went away after a few seconds, or if I accelerated. There seems to be some hesitancy in pick-up too.

The car has a full AMSH - the last one in July 2020 (about 1600 miles ago), and in April this year it had new coil packs, spark plugs, PCV valves and both in-tank fuel pumps. Any ideas what the noise might be?

[David Ramsbotham]

Sorry, can’t help with the noise but welcome to the 2007 DB9 Pentland Green Club!
Two of us so far. Cheers David.

[JonnyCJ]

This might help with the headlights
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Dobie177]

Congratulations on your new toy - you'll love it!

I assume you didn't buy through the franchise network with a timeless warranty? If you did, worth having them try to diagnose the issue.

Else, a post-purchase inspection with Bamford Rose might be worth considering as a way of highlighting things to get sorted under whatever warranty came with the car.

I formerly owned a 2004 DB9; it used to make an occasion buzzing type noise - normally just for a second or 2 - coming, i think, from under the rear seat tunnel. It only happened once or twice per drive... but, never did materialise into any kind of issue. Hopefully yours will be the same - though a "drilling" noise sounds a bit louder than what I experienced.

Good luck with it. I'm sure it's nothing that can't be sorted.

[pschlute]

Simpo Two said:

Second, and perhaps more worryingly, I noticed that at random intervals whilst cruising along the car sometimes made a low buzzing noise like a neighbour using a hammer drill, or driving over a badly laid section of concrete - except the road was fine. It went away after a few seconds, or if I accelerated.

If coming from behind you and to your left (assuming RHD car), that will be the (dont laugh) woodpecker valve. It is to release the vacuum that would otherwise build up in ( I think) the fuel tank.

Yes you must google it to assure you I am not talking utter bks

Edited by pschlute on Tuesday 19th October 22:24

[Tim Ward]

pschlute said:

Simpo Two said:

Second, and perhaps more worryingly, I noticed that at random intervals whilst cruising along the car sometimes made a low buzzing noise like a neighbour using a hammer drill, or driving over a badly laid section of concrete - except the road was fine. It went away after a few seconds, or if I accelerated.

If coming from behind you and to your left (assuming RHD car), that will be the (dont laugh) woodpecker valve. It is to release the vacuum that would otherwise build up in ( I think) the fuel tank.

Yes you must google it to assure you I am not talking utter bks


I have the same noise from the same place. Sounds like a old school plastic ruler being twanged on a desk. Only occasionally. Mystery solved

[EVR]

Congrats but... pictures!

[Simpo Two]

David Ramsbotham said:

Sorry, can’t help with the noise but welcome to the 2007 DB9 Pentland Green Club!
Two of us so far. Cheers David.

Exclusive eh It's rather darker than hoped for, but California Sage is too light for me and green DB9s are rare.

JonnyCJ said:

This might help with the headlights
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Thanks - mine are much worse than that; it's a question of do I DIY or let an expert do it... not sure. They seem very scratched for a car of such low mileage.

Dobie177 said:

Congratulations on your new toy - you'll love it!

I assume you didn't buy through the franchise network with a timeless warranty? If you did, worth having them try to diagnose the issue.

Else, a post-purchase inspection with Bamford Rose might be worth considering as a way of highlighting things to get sorted under whatever warranty came with the car.

I formerly owned a 2004 DB9; it used to make an occasion buzzing type noise - normally just for a second or 2 - coming, i think, from under the rear seat tunnel. It only happened once or twice per drive... but, never did materialise into any kind of issue. Hopefully yours will be the same - though a "drilling" noise sounds a bit louder than what I experienced.

Good luck with it. I'm sure it's nothing that can't be sorted.

I haven't worked out where the noise is coming from, but 'a couple of seconds' buzzing noise' is about right. Quite a grindy buzz, like a bad bit of road surface. Hopefully just a sympathetic vibration; I need to do more tests.

pschlute said:

If coming from behind you and to your left (assuming RHD car), that will be the (dont laugh) woodpecker valve. It is to release the vacuum that would otherwise build up in ( I think) the fuel tank.

Could be... I found this: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/3...

Photos in due course!

[BiggaJ]

Congratulations John .... Hope you get the niggles sorted so you can really enjoy your new purchase.

[Simpo Two]

BiggaJ said:

Congratulations John .... Hope you get the niggles sorted so you can really enjoy your new purchase.

Thanks I'm up to 4.18 in the manual. The infotainment centre is going to take some unravelling I think.

A few minor Q's while I'm on...

1) Auto fold mirrors - the car has powerfold mirrors but how does a dealer make them 'auto', ie operate when locking/unlocking?

2) 12V accessory socket in boot - can I plug a battery conditioner into this? The manual says it's a constant live.

Having my first proper snout around the car today - 99% of it is in lovely condition, just let down by a crack in the bodywork at the base of one of the headlamps. Didn't see it until I got home. Is this a known weak spot?

[EVR]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks I'm up to 4.18 in the manual. The infotainment centre is going to take some unravelling I think.

A few minor Q's while I'm on...

1) Auto fold mirrors - the car has powerfold mirrors but how does a dealer make them 'auto', ie operate when locking/unlocking?

2) 12V accessory socket in boot - can I plug a battery conditioner into this? The manual says it's a constant live.

Having my first proper snout around the car today - 99% of it is in lovely condition, just let down by a crack in the bodywork at the base of one of the headlamps. Didn't see it until I got home. Is this a known weak spot?

1) I think you have to ask the dealer through their AMDS to program it to do so. On later cars, it's on option in the Car Settings menu in the infotainment.

As for the headlamp base weak spot... not that I know of.

I don't know about 2), sorry!

[BiggaJ]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks I'm up to 4.18 in the manual. The infotainment centre is going to take some unravelling I think.

A few minor Q's while I'm on...

1) Auto fold mirrors - the car has powerfold mirrors but how does a dealer make them 'auto', ie operate when locking/unlocking?

2) 12V accessory socket in boot - can I plug a battery conditioner into this? The manual says it's a constant live.

Having my first proper snout around the car today - 99% of it is in lovely condition, just let down by a crack in the bodywork at the base of one of the headlamps. Didn't see it until I got home. Is this a known weak spot?

The infotainment is pretty basic, after a few goes it becomes second nature. Cant advise on the power fold/auto fold mirrors as I dont have them. The 12v socket in the boot, is this tucked away in the right side behind a carpeted door/flap that once removed reveals the socket and a bottle of tyre gunk? if so, I use this on my Vantage to charge my battery with the CC Charger.

Pity about the crack, I wouldn't have thought it was a known weak spot otherwise we would all be complaining about it.

[Simpo Two]

EVR said:

1) I think you have to ask the dealer through their AMDS to program it to do so.

Seems a strange way to do it. Ah well it can wait until next year for that. I plan to take it to Jardines in Cambridge as I go that way quite often.

BiggaJ said:

The 12v socket in the boot, is this tucked away in the right side behind a carpeted door/flap that once removed reveals the socket and a bottle of tyre gunk? if so, I use this on my Vantage to charge my battery with the CC Charger.

There's a circular cover over the 12V socket and the battery disconnect switch. I've since found in the manual that you can plug a conditioner straight into it, and leave the wire sticking out of the boot (just like my TVR which used the fag socket and trailed out of the window!)

I suspect the last owner - who ordered the dealer not to show me the V5 because he thinks he's Very Important and so his address must remain secret - pinched the brolly, tyre kit and first aid kit. I would like a tyre kit; it seems the AM one has an electric compressor. If there are any sensible alternatives you use I'd be interested to know.

Whilst the manual is an inch thick, by skipping the sections on satnav and phone I got to the end this afternoon! Have furrowed about in every corner, examined everything, checked the satnav DVD edition (C 2007) and managed to refit the cover so all four bolts actually fasten, which is an improvement.

Somebody's been in the NSR light area though; there was a fastening widget lying spare, the carpet hasn't been tucked under the metal strip inside the boot lower edge and the lens has water droplets inside. 'Pressure washed' said the dealer, 'it will dry out'. But the other one is clear.

[BiggaJ]

https://www.cccharger.co.uk/product-page/smart-cha...

This is what I and many other use for charging. I've had mine over a year now and it works faultlessly. Very good price as well and very basic operation, plug in press until the car light shows and leave it.

[Simpo Two]

BiggaJ said:

This is what I and many other use for charging. I've had mine over a year now and it works faultlessly. Very good price as well and very basic operation, plug in press until the car light shows and leave it.

Cheers - I still have the unit from my TVR days so at least that's off the shopping list.

Tyre kit - would this be man enough for a DB9? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Airman-71-Standard-047-00...

[hueyhoolihan]

Simpo Two said:

12V accessory socket in boot - can I plug a battery conditioner into this? The manual says it's a constant live.

it wouldn't try to charge the car's battery though. the results would be disappointing. but could be useful (at the car battery's expense) to charge a power pack for some sort of cordless power tool i suppose.

Edited by hueyhoolihan on Wednesday 20th October 17:12

[Simpo Two]

hueyhoolihan said:

it wouldn't try to charge the car's battery though. the results would be disappointing. but could be useful (at the car battery's expense) to charge a power pack for some sort of cordless power tool i suppose.

The manual actually describes it being used for that purpose. Switching the battery off would help even more but you lose radio settings.

[hueyhoolihan]

not sure what you mean.

the 12v socket can only be used to charge the car's battery or used to power something from the car's battery. physics won't allow it to be successfully charged from a source that it is powering or power an object to which it is not attached.

[hueyhoolihan]

not sure what you mean.

the 12v socket can only be used to charge the car's battery or used to power something from the car's battery. physics won't allow it to be successfully charged from a source that it is powering or power an object to which it is not attached.

maybe i don't understand what the intent is.

[Simpo Two]

hueyhoolihan said:

maybe i don't understand what the intent is.

You plug the battery conditioner (the other end of which is connected to the mains) into the 12V socket to keep the car battery charged when not in use.