Got in the car to head to work this morning and found a rather concerning and very loud ticking/clicking sound. It sounded like it was coming from behind the dials or steering wheel/column. It didn't seem to change with revs or speed. It sounded the same while parked at idle as it did while travelling at 15-20mph.

It didn't start straight away. It started about 30 seconds after I started moving. I pulled over, took my phone out and attempted to take a video of it - but it stopped. The noise lasted about 30 seconds and went away.

It didn't come back for the rest of the journey and the car seems to be driving fine.

It must have heard about my plans to spend some money on it to swap the radio system and fit LPG and decided that it either doesn't want to be used as a daily or doesn't like my plans and wants money spent on something else instead :(

Anyone come across anything like this?

There's not much back there that could possibly make a ticking noise!
Cruise ECU and Inverter or (really obscure) brake switch vent valve are the only components behind the binnacle.
Did you have CC master switched on at the time?

Immediately behind the binnacle (in fact mounted on the back of it) is the small speaker that emits the 'Beep-Beep-Beep' noise and also the indicators operation audible confirmation etc; Not known it to 'tick tick' at random but it is (fairly) easy to disconnect to check.....

Not that I'm aware of.

The cruise control stopped working a few weeks ago - the pipe that runs from the T-piece to behind the engine has disintegrated - so I've stopped using it. I didn't press the button for it when I got in the car but I guess it's possible I've left it pressed since the last time I tried it.

I'll check when I go out to the car at lunch.

perhaps the brake pump?

Aragorn wrote:

perhaps the brake pump?

Might be, if air in system.
From RAVE bleeding process:
NOTE: If ABS pump makes a ticking noise
when running during this procedure,
repeat instructions 13. to 19. When the
bleed procedure has been successfully
completed, the ABS pump will not make any
ticking noises.

Hmm, that will need some investigation then.

I changed the rear brake pads last Friday. Took the cap off to allow the fluid to move while pushing the caliper pistons back in. That shouldn't have allowed air in to the system though - the fluid level would have gone up, not down.

I could also have managed to damage a brake hose that is now letting air but not letting fluid leak out...

Heater recirc flap? Mine make some scary noises when they open and close.

RutlandRover wrote:

I changed the rear brake pads last Friday. Took the cap off to allow the fluid to move while pushing the caliper pistons back in. That shouldn't have allowed air in to the system though - the fluid level would have gone up, not down.

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It could just be a coincidence, although steps 13-19 of bleed process does relate to rear brakes.

Just been out to check on it. The cruise control button wasn't pressed. Started it up and drove up and down the road and it's not making unusual noises.

I'll check again in the morning. It was quite a bit colder than it is now.

I'd say something to do with the heating system, either, as Gordon suggests, the recirculate flap or a twig or leaf has got itself down into the fan. When (if) it does it again, try turning the fan speed knob on the HEVAC and see if it gets faster as the fan speeds up.

There might be something to the stick idea. I swapped the pollen filters on Friday too. They looked like they'd been there since it left the factory:

I tried to pull out as much detritus as I could but some could have fallen in. I picked up some new plenum foam to stop so much crap getting in but didn't have time to fit it over the weekend..

I'll just sit back and monitor it for a while I suppose.

When they get as bad as that it's almost impossible to pull the filters out without some of it falling down inside. Mine did it for a little while after I changed the filters. A few blasts of full speed fan and it stopped. I think whatever it was must have been chopped up into little bits

I think you've found your tick, then.

Where does the blower motor sit in the dash? Is it central (behind the radio etc) or off towards the side?

If the noise comes back it would help confirm or rule out that as the source of the noise depending on where the noise is coming from.

They are pretty much right in the corner of each footwell, one on either side. They're right below the pollen filters, so when you withdrew them it's likely that some twigs and crap fell inside.

Ah, OK. I assumed it only had one motor to supply air to all the vents that was fitted in the centre. I've not seen inside a P38 dashboard - only a couple of Ford Focus' and a Sierra.

When you have taken out the pollenfilters you actually can see the fans, i.e. you can see them turning wether or not. If a leaf or twig is holding the fan you can give it a push with a screwdriver.

If you drop the panel below the steering column, you can see the fan on the drivers side. 3 bolts and out it comes (with a bit of wiggling and cutting one tie wrap holding the wiring loom in place). In fact, that panel is out at the moment on my SE so you can have a look when you call in tomorrow.

Ok...so we have a winner. Something in the fan.

I played with the fan speed last night. Cranked it right up to see if I could coax it in to happening again.

Now I have it on both sides at high fan speed - and it won't stop on the passenger side when I slow it back down.

At least it's nothing serious :)