Mystery sound on my block

**guzzijason** · 03-04-2012, 10:20 AM

Apparently, across from my house. A high-pitched, constant tone - loud enough to hear inside my house, especially in our bedroom which faces the street. I actually had a dream about this stupid sound last night.

I *think* it's coming from a car parked outside. I actually (for some reason) have an RTA app on my phone, so I went out and did some snooping around. This capture was taken right next to the front wheel well of the car that I think is responsible:

I'm extra annoyed because we have guests coming in from out of town to stay with us, and they are going to be able to hear this clearly from their room as well.

Is it worth calling the cops over? If I knew who's car it was, I'd knock on their door - but I don't.

__Jason

**guzzijason** · 03-04-2012, 10:40 AM

The car in question is a Nissan Altima. Googling around on the net, it seems like there are A LOT of Nissan owners bitching about their cars making odd noises like this, even when parked.

I'm tempted to kill it with fire.

__Jason

**guzzijason** · 03-04-2012, 11:11 AM

Huzzah! Problem solved. Owner came back to his car and stopped it (he didn't realize it was his car making the noise until then). Turns out, he didn't put it in "park" when parking it, and that noise was the result! He was very apologetic. Whew!

__Jason

**NJbound** · 03-04-2012, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by guzzijason

Huzzah! Problem solved. Owner came back to his car and stopped it (he didn't realize it was his car making the noise until then). Turns out, he didn't put it in "park" when parking it, and that noise was the result! He was very apologetic. Whew!

__Jason

impossible.. You can't get the key out of the ignition unless it is in park.

**guzzijason** · 03-04-2012, 05:25 PM

Well, at any rate, he figured it out as soon as he got in the car. He told me it had something to do with the transmission and how he parked it. I'm just glad it's over. One of my friends down the block said he was contemplating calling the police about it too.

__Jason

**Marc** · 03-04-2012, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by NJbound

impossible.. You can't get the key out of the ignition unless it is in park.

You're right about that if it's a standard setup, but (talking outta my arse a bit here because I know nothing about Altimas or Nissans for that matter) some newer cars have proximity sensors for the keys. That is to say, the key doesn't need to be physically inserted into an ignition release. So key in pocket, press ignition start button, shift into gear and away you go. When parking, press park button then engine stop button, walk away.

**Hospitalitygirl** · 03-04-2012, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by Marc

You're right about that if it's a standard setup, but (talking outta my arse a bit here because I know nothing about Altimas or Nissans for that matter) some newer cars have proximity sensors for the keys. That is to say, the key doesn't need to be physically inserted into an ignition release. So key in pocket, press ignition start button, shift into gear and away you go. When parking, press park button then engine stop button, walk away.

Actually I was thinking that it might be a standard v. automatic car. In a standard you can turn it off and take the key out in first, my husband does it all of the time (but puts the emergency brake on); whereas I have it neutral when I turn it off.

**Marc** · 03-04-2012, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

Actually I was thinking that it might be a standard v. automatic car. In a standard you can turn it off and take the key out in first, my husband does it all of the time (but puts the emergency brake on); whereas I have it neutral when I turn it off.

That's another possibility.

FWIW I practice your hubby's routine, always park in first, always point the wheel to the curb; the e-brake can fail.

**Malloy** · 03-04-2012, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Marc

You're right about that if it's a standard setup, but (talking outta my arse a bit here because I know nothing about Altimas or Nissans for that matter) some newer cars have proximity sensors for the keys. That is to say, the key doesn't need to be physically inserted into an ignition release. So key in pocket, press ignition start button, shift into gear and away you go. When parking, press park button then engine stop button, walk away.

My old Infiniti (Nissan) FX35 with intelligent key would beep if I got out of the car and closed the door while it was running. I think it would do the same if I left it in N, tuned the car off and walked away.

**NJbound** · 03-05-2012, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Marc

That's another possibility.

FWIW I practice your hubby's routine, always park in first, always point the wheel to the curb; the e-brake can fail.

not really because the owner said they forgot to put in 'park'. Only automatics have 'park', and manuals do not have any sort of alarms depending on what gear it was left in when you shut it off.. Anyway, glad it solved..

**Politburo** · 03-05-2012, 09:12 AM

Cars with keyless systems usually engage park automatically on shutoff. I'd have to check but I think it's required by FMVSS.

**guzzijason** · 03-05-2012, 11:08 AM

Here's a guy on an owner's forum that reports something similar:

Continuous beep on opening driver door, everything off - Nissan Forums : Nissan Forum

Actually, I think not putting it in Park will result in a continuous high pitch ring instead of a constant beep. But only after you close the door and the key is outside the car. It tripped me out when it happened to me once.

__Jason