Hearing a clicking noise in dashboard when car is off? This noise can make your ride uncomfortable and annoying.
Does this sound make you worry? Ignore it or go on with your journey? We can say that it can be worrisome that requires professional attention.
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Why Do You Hear The Clicking Noise In Dashboard When Car Is Off?
There’re various factors that can cause the knocking noise coming from dashboard when your engine is off and some will need a professional care.
Finding the root of the problem is not an easy step. Let’s follow some of the causes below to determine what is the problem your car is unfortunately experiencing to come up with appropriate solutions.
A bad actuator of the blend door
The vehicle must have a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC system with manual controls. And a typical blender or actuator moves one way for defrosting and another for cooling.
A simple understanding, a blend door actuator is a small electric motor with the main function of controlling the climate control system in your car.
Clicking noise in the car dashboard can be the consequence of the bad blend actuator even when your car has been turned off. This sound can be loud or low with repetition frequency.
The noise always comes from the area with the HVAC controls on your dashboard. And it can be louder when you change the temperature or turn on the AC.
Moreover, the door can’t turn automatically when your actuator is going bad. At that time you will hear the sound of clicking or knocking from the dashboard.
The HVAC controller lost its settings
HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) is a system that controls the temperature, humidity, and air quality in your vehicle space. The function of the HVAC system is to provide a standard level of air quality and temperature in the vehicle.
An HVAC system is a complicated system. The support of actuators, sensors, and motors will help HVAC control the air moving in the exact direction. This system can’t give the right action if the sensors give false data.
Strange noise or clunking from your dashboard is attributed to the uncalibrated HVAC system. Loose or damaged mechanical parts can lead to loud noises coming from the dashboard and reducing the functionality of the HVAC system.
Furthermore, when the position of the hot engine is miscalculated, it can cause a rattling noise on the instrument panel while the vehicle is running.
Faulty relay
A lot of vehicles are different, but most of the time you will find that the relays are located in the fuse box under the hood.
The main task of the relay switches helps to control the current in the circuit. If there is no relay, switches will easily damage and burn.
When the relay works, the electrical components on your car will work normally such as the air conditioner, headlights, taillights. The power supply magnet will transfer from the mains to the motor forcing the instrument panel to make noise.
Dirt on the junctions can cause the dashboard to make clicking noises, especially if it is constantly connecting and disconnecting at high speed when connecting to the mains multiple times.
Broken stepper motor
A faulty stepper motor is a common problem that happens in modern cars. The responsibility of this part is to control the idle speed.
This motor will regulate the air to your car engine based on the updated parameter constantly. It can be damaged, resulting in loud noises in the control panel.
Many stepper motors are the main cause of your cars continuing to make noise when they fail. Once you encounter such a situation, repairing the engine immediately is vital.
Metal Expansion
A not-common cause is the expansion or contraction of metal. Most materials, including the metal components inside your car’s dashboard, expand or contract depending on temperature.
This physical phenomenon can cause parts to rub against each other or move slightly, causing a small rattling or clicking noise. These are more likely to occur during the hotter parts of the day or the colder parts of the night.
As the dashboard heats or cools through time, different materials expand and contract at different rates, creating noises.
Overall, this is not a concern as it will likely only occur when the temperature difference is too big. However, if the noise becomes excessive and is accompanied by other symptoms, inspect your car to determine the underlying cause.
Related Post: The Causes of Car WON’T Start Clicking Noise
How To Fix The Clicking Noise In Dashboard When Car Is Off?
After finding out what causes constantly the clicking noise in car dashboard, move on to the next step to partly solve the problem yourself.
Test/replace a blend door actuator
When detecting any symptoms like a clicking noise under the driver’s side dash or a knocking sound from the dashboard, reset the blend actuator.
If you have a background in mechanical, you can check this part by yourself. First, you need to disconnect the negative terminal of your car.
If a radio code is available in your car, write it down or better still be able to do the calibration. Take your vehicle to a mechanic if you don’t have a calibrator.
Here’re basic steps to replace a blend door actuator at home.
Step 1: Disconnect the negative battery cable from your car
Step 2: Remove the glove box and pull it out from its retaining knobs. Remove all items inside the glove box and set them aside.
Step 3: Unplug the wiring harness. Locate the heater core position behind where the glove box used to be.
Step 4: Pull out the two retaining screws to remove the air filter assembly.
Step 5: Use a small screwdriver to remove the door actuator and actuator.
Step 6: Before installing a new one, rotate the blend door in both directions manually to make sure it does not jam leading to damage to the new actuator.
Step 7: Install the new blend door actuator.
Change bad relays
Bad relays are considered the reason your car makes clicking noise when off. Replacing with a new one is the only method you can apply in this situation.
You need to use the multimeter to check the car relays whether it’s in a good condition or not.
When the relay is removed from the fuse box, the multimeter to measure the DC voltage and the switch in the cabin is activated.
Check that there are 12 volts in 85 positions in the fuse box where the relay is plugged or not.
If not, check if the appropriate fuse is blown. If the fuse is intact, make sure the switch allows current to flow to the relay.
Step 1: Locate the relays in your car. They could be under the car hood or the dash depending on your car model and what relays are controlling. Check the manual if you don’t know its exact position.
Step 2: Pull the old relay out with your hand or use the basic tools.
Step 3: Replacing it with a new one. Make sure the new relay is identical to the old one (verify with the car dealership). After that, put it down into place, line it up and use your finger to push it into place.
Read More: Heated, Cooled, and Ventilated Seats: Are They Worth It?
Calibrating the heater motor
To get rid of the clicking sound from your dashboard, you need to recalibrate the AC controller or HVAC system. Follow the steps below.
Step 1: Hit the auto button
Step 2: Turn off your car when it says Auto
Step 3: Go to the fuse box and remove the fuse for the AC controller system for 1 or 2 minutes to get everything to reset.
So we have shared with you 3 common solutions you can use if you notice the knocking or clicking sound under your dashboard when your engine is off.
However, in some cases, you don’t have much experience in repair. You should take your car to a trusted mechanic to handle this problem.
FAQs on The Clicking Noise In Dashboard
Can a clicking noise in the dashboard drain car battery?
Yes, if the noise comes from a faulty relay or a stuck actuator, it could continue running even when the car is off, slowly draining the battery.
If you hear clicking noises even when the ignition is off, it’s a sign of an electrical component malfunction.
Is the clicking noise in dashboard dangerous?
In most cases, it’s not dangerous but can indicate an issue with your car’s HVAC system, relays, or electrical components.
However, if the clicking is accompanied by smoke, a burning smell, or flickering lights, it could signal an electrical short that needs immediate attention.
What should I do if my dashboard clicks constantly but everything seems to work fine?
Even if everything appears to function correctly, a clicking noise can indicate early signs of a component failure.
Have a professional inspect the car to avoid unexpected breakdowns or electrical issues.
Why does my dashboard make a clicking noise when I press the brake pedal?
Some cars have a brake light relay or a shift interlock solenoid that clicks when you press the brake pedal.
If the noise becomes excessively loud or occurs frequently, the relay or solenoid may be wearing out.
Final Words
A clicking noise in dashboard when car is off can be a symptom of several underlying issues that need to be thoroughly checked.
From a stuck transmission, or faulty actuator to bigger issues like bad electrical components or a faulty HVAC system, all need special care.
For more Car maintenance tips, follow Car From Japan today!
