clicking driving me insane

[Jordan325iC]

There is a clicking sound coming from my dashboard. The clicking is faint and sounds similar to the clicking made when you have the emergency flashers/turn signals on (but softer and shorter). There is one click every 9 seconds, like clockwork.

I should also mention that I was at the track today and had some bucking/hiccuping/power-cutting problems that I believe are electrical in nature. Not sure if they are related or not.

Any ideas about what the hell this clicking is and how I can get it to go away?

[jlevie]

It the noise is constant, you can find the source. Once you have found the source you can figure out why.

[gearheadE30]

I'm going to say probably a relay under the dash... There isn't a whole lot else under there that can make a rhythmic tick like that.

[Kerrath]

I'm going to say probably a relay under the dash... There isn't a whole lot else under there that can make a rhythmic tick like that.

+1 on the relays, my friend's car was clicking a relay on every bump a while back. If I remember to ask him, I'll try to get back to you on which it was.

[slo325i]

well i dunno about your clicking noise issue but i'm having the bucking/pausing/jerking problem with my 87 325i.

[Naplm00]

It the noise is constant, you can find the source. Once you have found the source you can figure out why.

your a fucking genius! can you come work on my car? and help me come to more obvious conclusions? or are you too busy telling people in alabama that the sky is blue and water is wet?

[netcsk]

Do your power locks work? If not, have a look at the central locking unit behind the drivers side kick panel.

[jlevie]

your a fucking genius! can you come work on my car? and help me come to more obvious conclusions? or are you too busy telling people in alabama that the sky is blue and water is wet?

Sorry, that didn't come across right. There are only a few things under the dash that could make noise. And none of those items are known to cause this. So about all that we can do is to suggest that you do some diagnostic work and identify the source. If we know what is making the noise, we may be able to suggest a solution.

[wagonizzle]

^ What a classy reply to a douchebaggy unhelpful comment. I think what Jim means is that intermittent problems will drive you crazy, but a consistent, rhythmic tick should be traceable and with the knee bolster and gauge cluster removed, you can get at pretty much everything. It is actually great advice he gave in his first post. Hopefully e-cocks won't ruin this forum, as I use it to help keep my car running

[Jordan325iC]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am aware that the source of the problem could almost certainly be discovered by taking thing apart, I was just hoping that somebody might have had a magic bullet that wouldn't involve me taking out my gauge cluster (I hate little interior screws and plastic clips). I'll do what I have to do.


Anyway, I'm not really sure which relays are behind the gauge cluster. Is it possible that my random hesitation/bucking problem could be connected to a bad relay?

[jlevie]

If you pull the knee bolster on the driver's side and the glovebox and knee bolster on the passenger side you can get your hand on each module behind the dash w/o pulling the cluster. That should suffice to find the source of the clicks.

While the cause of the clicks and the random hesitation problem could have a common cause, I don't think whatever is causing this noise is also causing hesitation.

[gearheadE30]

There are two or three relays up near the center of the dash near the firewall, but I don't know what they are for. I suppose it's possible that its an engine relay under the main harness cover in the engine bay though. Can you tell what direction the noise coming from with relation to the driver's seat?

[Liam]

The air recirculation door servo will screw up and go click -click -click sometimes... lives closer to the glove box side than the drivers side on the HVAC box.

Kind of need to see/hear something like this though to pin it down.

[nickpdx]

Is your AC on? My car just started doing the exact same thing (every 9 seconds) when the AC is turned on. Holding a steady speed on the freeway I can feel a very slight buck with every click, so your bucking problems may be related.

[Jordan325iC]

Is your AC on? My car just started doing the exact same thing (every 9 seconds) when the AC is turned on. Holding a steady speed on the freeway I can feel a very slight buck with every click, so your bucking problems may be related.

Hmmm. My A/C is "on" and was on all day. I don't actually have A/C in the car anymore, but I have an electric fan wired with the A/C fan so I just keep it on so I'm sure the fan is on. Good call, I'll give that a shot.