1994 Q45 -- HELP! Mysterious clicking noise behind radio

[kmdunningaia]

This one has me stumped -- please help me solve the mystery!

My 1994 Q45 has suddenly developed a very strange clicking noise behind the radio. There are a host of events which could (or could not) be related to this. I will list all below for you to consider.

Your help is MOST APPRECIATED. This is going to drive me crazy if I can't figure it out and stop it.

Karen

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOISE: a loud, rapid "click click click" like the cartoon ticking bomb sound, but a little faster. My guess is that it is some kind of relay; it does not sound like parts hitting together or road noise.

WHEN IT HAPPENS: When the key is turned to ACC or when the engine is running. It seems to happen when the car is first started. It ceases without warning, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour (or more) after the car is running. It is intermittent, not always happening.

PRECIPITATING EVENTS: 1) My car was "backed into" in Oct., damaging the front grille and hood. The alarm system started going off on its own just last week so we removed the hood pin, thinking that it was engaging the alarm sensor in error. The clicking started shortly thereafter.

2) My car was ransacked last week, about three days before the clicking started. One thing which could possibly be related is that the thief tore my aftermarket CD changer control pad from the dash (next to the radio) and cut/pulled the wire as far out of the dash as it would go (immediately above the radio). That is, the cut end is hanging out of the dash above the radio and the other end goes into the dash and (presumably) to the CD changer in the trunk. The CD changer itself has never worked during my ownership. The wire does not appear to be hot, but we haven't tested it with an amp meter. Additionally, my husband claims that the radio was acting bizarre one day during the clicking, but then was OK. I haven't experienced that. All other dash items seem to be functioning fine, during clicking and when it is not clicking.

[TBrack]

it has to be some kind of relay going off. idk which one tho

[kmdunningaia]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll post if we find exactly what it is.

Karen

[maxnix]

Debris in evaporator/fan case?

[elwesso]

Welcome to NICO Karen.

What I would do is get the clicking to start and start pulling fuses one by one and see which one gets it to stop. Then you can go from there...

[kmdunningaia]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had thought doing that (since it is obviously running off the battery when the engine is off). Will try it.

Karen