Sounds Like A Timebomb, rapid clicking from fusebox

[jamieb]

Has anyone come across this: rapid clicking from behind the fusebox/under the glovebox. It is intermittent, starts when with the ignition key is turned, carries on after the engine fires and stops of its own accord a short while later. The sound is like the indicator click but much, much faster (and coming from a different place). Very occasionally it starts up while the car is running. I stress - it's not the indicator.

Today, while I was trying to locate the noise, I noticed that when I turned the key to the first position (before the starter motor activator), there was a hollow clong (quite quiet but audible) from under the bonnet somewhere. Would these two noises be related? I tried this a few times with the same result.

Ta

Jamieb

[Peter.N.]

Could well be the indicator stalk switch, they seem to go leaky, possibly to metal dust from thh contacts. Give the switch a good 'work out' and you may well find it will clear, if not a replacement switch is in order.

Peter.N.

[DrTim]

Mine randomly (or at least I havn't work out the pattern) makes clicky/buzzy noises from the glove box area, not very often, but has done so as long as I've had it (over 9 years now).

[onthecut]

Hi all.

I have the intermittent buzz from the glovebox area and am presuming it is the ind. switch, as Peter mentions. I also get a chattering relay noise, intermittently, from the dash behind the warning lamp strip (I guess). When this starts, it triggers a spurious over temperature warning. As you will no doubt have spotted on the forum, there is a chunk of discussion regarding duff relays, which usually comes down to poor contacts.

Mike.

[jamieb]

That's reassuring - thanks everyone. Dodgy relays would explain the "clong" noise under the bonnet when the key is turned too, I'm guessing.


Jamieb

[rowanmoor]

If it is the indicator problem then I have come across 3 possible permanent solutions.

1) Take the stalk apart, clean it all out, re-grease and put back.
2) New stalk - probably easiest, but most expensive by a long way.
3) Replace one of the resistors in the relay to make it less sensitive. Requires the use of a soldering iron, but if you can solder then it is easy and cheep. All the info is on FrenchCarForum.

Cheers,
Rowan.

[DrTim]

omthecut, interesting about the spurious over temp warning, I have had that just once
in 9 years, when starting after a couple of weeks parked up recently. I was just starting to get paranoid about it when there was little click from glovebox area and the warning went out, hasn't reappeared yet (about 70 miles).

[onthecut]

Hi DrTim

It's a regular visitor on mine -- thankfully the temperature gauge is unaffected, so I happily ignore it. Having had a period of apparently correct functioning, including MOT time luckily, the ABS lamp is now back on full time. Still, that's a 'sod it' item for the time being !

Mike.