Clicking coming from under car & Vent Control

[chove1437]

Hi Guys,

I just picked up a new 2011 Altima 3.5S V6. Love the car! I come from the Rogue forums and received a lot of help. Now I'm turning to you guys for my brand new Altima.

1. I hear a constant clicking noise coming from under the car. It is more apparent when driving along side a curb or wall. Its driving me crazy but for the life of me, I don't know where it is coming from. This sort of thing happened to me in the past with my Sentra but it was due to a rusting heat shield and the sound was different. Obviously, this being a new car, I can't see it being the heat shield???

2. Now this might be a dumb one but I read the manual and couldn't find anything. Everytime I turn on the car, the air flow direction will always default to the floor. In the summer, I would like to default it to the front vents and then in the winter, default it to defrost. Can this be changed or do I have to press the desired air flow direction everytime I get in my car?

Appreciate any kind of comment or response!
Thanks!

[rcboy514]

no totally sure on the clicking noise, do you have the CVT?

and I think you just have to press which vents that you want on every time you get in the car, but it's not that big of a deal.

enjoy the new ride!

[chove1437]

I do have the CVT

[mrodrig2]

The pinging heat shield noise was pretty common for the early years of the Altima coupe; I had it on my car. I wouldn't be surprised if you also have that problem - doesn't matter that it's a new car.

I'm pretty sure that the vent settings should return to whatever setting you had it on last when you shut off the car. I've only noticed that it sometimes doesn't do this when I shut off the car with the A/C and defrost on; in that case it starts up with the floor vents on. Either way, you can't change the "default" start-up vent position. That might be something that an aftermarket company could implement though like the KP Technologies modules.

[chove1437]

Thanks for the reply everyone! A couple of things to add....

I've isolated the sound coming from the front driver's side wheel. Almost sounds like a tiny wire caught inbetween the holes of the rim.

No matter what I seem to do with the vent control, everytime at start up, the car will always default to the floor. My co-worker who has the same car, upon start up, her's will always default to the front vents. I'm starting to wonder if it is the fact that the AC is always used being that it is warm in my area right now. I'll have to play with it a bit more or just get used to it.

[crazymagman]

Take her back tot he dealer........ The vent control should start where it was when the car was shut off.

[mattyfo0z]

Glad to see I'm not the only one with the clicking sound.. mine seems to come from the passenger side, though. I hear it every time I leave my house because there's about a quarter mile of my neighborhood that I have to drive through that has a 6' tall wall so I can hear the clicking against it. Otherwise, I can't really hear the sound when I'm driving down regular streets.

So anybody have some other suggestions for us to check out where it's coming from?

[DJ_B_Easy]

I have the click as of recently as well. I posted up in Gen Chat and most over there felt it was most likely a bad CV joint. Although if this car is brand new I highly doubt that is the case.

As long as I ve been on this forum Ive never heard of the heatshield issue. What is this about?

[IBCoupe]

Heh, I've had the clicking noise since I bought to car. Never felt anything associated with it in the steering wheel, the pedals, or the shifter, so I never really worried about it.

[mattyfo0z]

Heh, I've had the clicking noise since I bought to car. Never felt anything associated with it in the steering wheel, the pedals, or the shifter, so I never really worried about it.

Yep, neither have I. It's just always there. I can't hear it when I'm out and about typically, unless my windows are down and I'm driving against a wall/building/curb. Very, very slight sound.

[chove1437]

The clicking is very slight. Can't hear it unless your windows are down and you are driving beside a wall or curb. I am already at 4000K so I will be bringing it in to the dealer for an oil change soon. I will bring this up with them and advise you all of the outcome.
Stay tuned.

[J Russ]

I have the clicking as well. When I first got my car, I wanted to address it to the stealership to make sure nothinng was wrong, and they told me that it was the front axel that needed more lube or something like that... They fixed free of charge, but the clicking came back pretty quickly. I look at it like another characteristic of the Altima!

[chove1437]

Well, I just got back from the dealership to get my first oil change and to investigate the clicking noise. They also had stated that the air climate control will default to the floor and there is nothing I can do about that. Is what it is.

As for the clicking noise, it was due to a cotter pin not being set properly somewhere in the front driver wheel well.
As the Maintenance department was trying to describe to me, it was a cotter pin with a wire that usually gets bent to set it. Apparently it wasn't bent and would cause the clicking noise. He said there was no added damage or would cause any future problems with the car or steering. Their initial thought was the CVT.

Upon leaving the dealership, no clicking sound anymore.

Hope this helps everyone here.

[mattyfo0z]

Have you any idea where that pin is located? Maybe I'll jack up my car tomorrow after work and check it out myself.

[chove1437]

Sorry no. Somewhere in the wheel well. If I find it, I'll post pics and let you know.