Unidentified Strange Sound

First of all thank you to all who responded to my dex cool question...My next question may be a bit tougher to explain.

As I said before I own a 99 saturn sl2...since I bought my car whenever I first turn it on it makes this strange whirring noise that sounds like a pump motor or some sort of other small motor is running, it only lasts for like thirty seconds and than it shuts off and you can hear it wind down...it seems to be coming from behind my dash board near the heater core or something, but I cannot be sure.. Has anyone else experienced something similar? any insight would be awesome as to if its normal or if its the sign of problems to come...it has been doing it for some time now, but it seems to have gotten louder over the last two years. Thank you in advance.!

During a cold start, move the steering wheel back and forth. See if it makes the noise. I have a similar noise and doing this can produce the sound on command (sorta). Otherwise it makes the noise a little and then stops. I believe it is the power steering pump. I also have left it alone with no issues.

It's probably a bit late since this post is from last year but I had the same problem. Thought it was the power steering pump. But it turned out it was a bad idler pulley. If you are still having the problem/sound, which I did for a long time, have it replaced it may go away. Mind you I'm not listening to your vehicle but I had an "unexplained" whirling sound in the same area and that's what it was...