You are currently viewing How To Stop Hearing Clicking Noise Under Dash?

How To Stop Hearing Clicking Noise Under Dash?

Have you experienced a clicking noise under the dash in your car? Hearing similar noises from the car is surely an annoying situation. There are a few reasons why this happens which will be discussed in this article one by one. 

So when you hear noises like this, you can check if any of them are the causes and can fix the situation using the different solutions that are provided in the article. So Read on!

Why Am I Hearing Clicking Noise Under Dash?

There are three major reasons why you are hearing clicking noise under the dashboard. 

1. Heater Motor Calibration

The HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) system is what is responsible for heating your car. To control heating/cooling and airflow, this system uses several sensors, motors, etc which makes HVAC more sophisticated than it seems to be. 

To do its job well, HVAC must receive accurate blend door position readings regularly. However, at times these readings may be inaccurate causing erratic motor activation. This in turn causes a clicking noise under the dash. 

The main components of HVAC are

  • Heater Matrix
  • Heater Core
  • Fan
  • Temperature Sensors
  • Blend Doors
  • Stepper Motors
  • Control Module

The common reasons that cause the loss of blend door locations are

  • Flatcar battery
  • Disconnected battery
  • Faulty Stepper motor
  • Stuck blend door
  • Stepper motor removed or disturbed without re-calibrating

How To Fix The Issue?

The issue can be easily fixed by calibrating the HVAC system which is not very difficult. However, this will require several time-sensitive steps. Here is a recalibration procedure that you can follow

  • Switch on ignition
  • Turn Auto button
  • Switch off ignition
  • Remove the fuse from the HVAC for a minute.
  • Switch on the ignition again. 
  • The HVAC system now automatically runs through all the blend door positions. Avoid touching the controls for 2 minutes.
  • Turn the ignition for 15 seconds only.
  • The system will now be calibrated and the clicking noise under dash may also be fixed.

2. Faulty Stepper Motor

Another important cause that creates clicking noise under the dash is a faulty Stepper motor. The stepper motor in your car is an electric motor that is employed to move in precise increments. Automotive systems make use of several stepper motors. 

How To Diagnose Faulty Stepper Motor?

A scan tool is the best way to diagnose a faulty Stepper motor. Theme scanner records a unique fault code that helps you identify the issue, location and type. If you don’t have a scan tool, there are other methods too to diagnose the issue. 

Use Your Ears

When you hear your dashboard clicking, try changing the heater settings and that may slightly start reducing the sound. Otherwise, there will be some object stuck in the dash or any of the parts could be worn out. If worn out pivots and gears are the issues, then using lubricants like WD40 might help. If that didn’t help, replace the stepper motor

How To Replace A Stepper Motor?

Replacing a stepper motor can be a hard job since you’ll have to spend some time lying on your back under your car. You have to start by removing the pigtail connector and two small 6, 7 or 8mm bolts (the usual fasteners) and a 1/4 ratchet. The socket will work great as the space is tight. 

You will have to calibrate the system before replacing the stepper motor. 

3. Faulty Relay

Your vehicle comes with a lot of electronic kits which require a ton of circuits, control modules and relays. Your vehicle thus has three or more fuse boxes with a lot of fuses and relays. One fuse box may be there under the dash too and if it contains a faulty relay a clicking sound is usual. 

If you are not sure what a relay is, it is a small electromechanical device that has the function to control a heavy amped circuit using a low amped circuit. A faulty relay will cause the relay to engage and disengage quickly causing it to produce a repeated clicking sound. 

How To Diagnose A Faulty Relay

What you can do to diagnose a faulty relay is use your hand to feel it click. Then remove the relay and swap it with another one. This is one of the easiest methods to diagnose a faulty relay. A faulty relay will cause a rattling sound when shaken. You can hotwire the relay and use a voltmeter to check the resistance. 

How To Replace A Relay?

Replacing the relay is quite an easy task. Pull out the old relay and make sure the pins are correctly aligned before pushing home the new relay.

If you have a worker’s manual, that will come in handy. Manuals will explain the procedures very well with diagrams which will make it easier for you to replace the relay. Buying a new relay piece will also only cost you less than $20 so it hardly costs you much to get your relay replaced. 

What Can I Do About Rattling Noise Under Dash?

Other than clicking noises, if you are experiencing annoying rattling noises from under your car’s dash the reasons could be different. The most common reason for this issue is two dash parts vibrating against each other thus making a disturbing sound. You can fix the rattling noise using these three easy methods.

1. Tighten the fasteners

You can try and tighten any fasteners that hold the plastic part in place. This issue can however be temporary as there can be an underlying issue that loosens the fasteners.

2. Tighten The Fasteners With Tape

If you feel that the tightening of fasteners you did was not enough, you can use tape to further tighten it. This is a better solution and a bit less temporary than simply re-tightening them.

3. Use All-Fit Gap Trim

Using All-Fit gap trim in all the gaps in the dash will save you from the trouble of removing parts and it tightens up the whole dash. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

So,here are some of the frequnetly asked questions about Why Am I Hearing A Clicking Noise ,How Do I Stop My Ears From Clicking? Etc?-

Why Am I Hearing A Clicking Noise?

Tinnitus is a problem which causes you to hear a noise in one ear or both ears. People who have tinnitus hear noise in their heads when no outside sound is there. It also can be roaring, clicking, buzzing, or other sounds.

How Do I Stop My Ears From Clicking?

You can stop your ears from Clicking by-
  1. Pop your ears. Swallowing, yawning you can unclog your ears and help equalize the pressure .
  2. Nasal irrigation.
  3. Over-the-counter (OTC) products. …
  4. TMJ exercises.

Why Does My Sinus Click?

Several conditions affecting the upper respiratory tract can lead to the perception of a clicking or popping sound in the area of the ear of the jaw. Examples include sinusitis,  allergies, and ear canal problems such as foreign objects.

How Long Does Tinnitus Last?

On average, tinnitus will lasts for 16 to 48 hours.

But sometimes, it can last as much as two weeks. And tinnitus will come back if you are exposed to you.

Can Tinnitus Go Away?

In many cases, tinnitus dissipates  regardless of the cause but it doesn’t mean you should wait weeksor even years for your tinnitus to disappear. If your tinnitus negatively affects your quality of life, consult an audiologist.

Conclusion

Your car making continuous clicking or rattling sound from under the dash is very annoying. Instead of ignoring the situation, fixing it as fast as possible is the best thing for you to do. This article, it is discussed in detail what causes the clicking sound and how you can fix it. Hope you found the article helpful!