98 V70 GLT Strange clickety clunkety dashboard gremlins

taupehat · Post by **taupehat** » 01 Oct 2013, 17:44

This one's odd - sometimes (but not always) I get this little semi-rhythmic clicking and clunking noise in the dashboard. The sound is independent of anything I can think of to try (climate control settings, engine temp, outside temp, etc) and isn't causing my dash instruments to freak out or the car to throw any codes. Here's a brief video of the noise this morning, along with me monkeying around with the climate controls:

Also, can anyone tell me what that steam whistle noise is about when I turn off the A/C? It happens every time, usually hear it when I shut the car off but if I turn off the A/C while the car is running the noise happens anyhow. It's from the front of the car by the compressor, but it blows cold like it's supposed to and doesn't make any other drama.

Car's got some fun gremlins, I tell you...

loub · Post by **loub** » 01 Oct 2013, 18:47

I am unable to hear your problem( my Kindle will not accept your plug in), but I have had a clicking from under the dash for a couple of years, it stops when the selector is on re-circulate. I remember reading about the damper motor linkage being the problem.

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » 01 Oct 2013, 20:33

Unfortunately it could be your dash is in the process of breaking free from the firewall, a not uncommon problem with these and numerous threads for fixes... Or it's just gremlins...

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » 01 Oct 2013, 20:34

Unfortunately it could be your dash is in the process of breaking free from the firewall, a not uncommon problem with these and numerous threads for fixes... Or it's just gremlins...

taupehat · Post by **taupehat** » 01 Oct 2013, 20:40

metalhead wrote:Unfortunately it could be your dash is in the process of breaking free from the firewall, a not uncommon problem with these and numerous threads for fixes... Or it's just gremlins...

It doesn't sound at all like a dash rattle, more like something mechanical trying to operate and having some difficulty. The sound is the same regardless of engine vibration.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 02 Oct 2013, 10:16

It is one of the damper actuator motors. Sometimes you can get a hung up damper to break loose by simply alternating the mode around to the various positions (go from floor to defrost to dash and the various mixtures of the modes). Also run the temp control on each side to both of its limits.

Beyond that you will need to pull the lower dash panels and the glove box and figure out which motor it is.

...Lee

Post by **rspi** » 02 Oct 2013, 10:56

My daughter's S70 does the same thing. Like Lee said, it's one of those motors.

taupehat · Post by **taupehat** » 02 Oct 2013, 13:38

Argh. I wonder if the risk of tearing the dash apart outweighs the risk of just turning the radio up when it makes silly noises.

metalhead · Post by **metalhead** » 02 Oct 2013, 17:38

Sorry, didn't see the video. I have dash paranoia since my wife's is about ready to drop in my lap!!