what's this and why does it make loads of noise?

[goodgrief]

so I recently made the change from an A4 b5 to b6.

initially the car had a few quirks which have turned out to be a duff battery and possibly related to alternator pulley problems.
now the new battery is fitted my attention is brought to an electric motor that sits in the passenger footwell on the right just under the glovebox.
it constantly whirrs away changing position every second or so. it starts when I turn the ignition on, during driving and for a good time after the car is shut down even with the key out. i've sat in the car and locked the car but still it goes on. only when the car is left overnight does this thing go quiet.
any ideas?

[toptek]

any pretty pictures? does the heater/aircon function fully? could be a flap servo, but these usually stop when key out. how long it make a noise for roughly?

[goodgrief]

it's about the size of a rubiks cube and is clearly visible in my car.
the aircon works of sorts but it's quite inconsistant, I don't think the dual zone is effective and sometimes I get warm air in the footwell and cool from the upper vents or vice/versa.
I don't know how long it carries on for, I haven't sat in for long enough for it to stop!

[Nuss]

Have you scanned it for codes with vagcom or vcds? Mine does it also and i keep getting a code of "actuating motor left" and occasionally "window demister flap" faults

[goodgrief]

hmmmm "actuating motor left" sounds suspicious.
I'll get my hands on vagcom hopefully tomorrow and see what it says.