Clicking sound inside interior front Console on start up

[iSam]

Hey guys,
I'm new to the forum and ive done some searching for this topic without much luck. Tryed to steer away from posting threads.

My dilema is everytime i put my key in the ignition and go to accessory's i'll get around 4 - 5 clicks coming from the center console in between the two heating ducts towards the center speaker box. Not only in accessory's but once i start her up yet again those 4 - 5 clicks will happen then i don't hear anything at all until i turn her off and start her up again..

I took her to the dealer for her 120,000 or 12 months service and they didn't even acknowledge or write down anything about the clicking noise coming from the dash. They just said its a common problem in the early model VE's and costs around $600 - $800 to fix.

Just in case you ask,
* My heater / Air conditioning work perfectly,
* I have done that vent calibration by holding in the rear demister button.


Please help?
Regards, Sam

 

[Benboy]

Hey guys,


I took her to the dealer for her 120,000 or 12 months service and they didn't even acknowledge or write down anything about the clicking noise coming from the dash. They just said its a common problem in the early model VE's and costs around $600 - $800 to fix.


Regards, Sam

The response you got from the dealer is not at all unusual. I would be asking them to DEFINE 'common problem'.
What does that really mean?
Is it a warranty job?
Does the factory have a 'fix' for it?
Have there been many (any) other VZ owners with a similar problem? How much do you charge to repair 'common problems'?
Since when did Holden start building cars with 'common problems'?

Good luck

 

[iSam]

The response you got from the dealer is not at all unusual. I would be asking them to DEFINE 'common problem'.
What does that really mean?
Is it a warranty job?
Does the factory have a 'fix' for it?
Have there been many (any) other VZ owners with a similar problem? How much do you charge to repair 'common problems'?
Since when did Holden start building cars with 'common problems'?

Good luck

thanks for your reply Ben, Yeah i did ask them a few of those questions all they said to me was that its a common problem in the heating unit on some specific part which i cant remember which costs around 600 - 800 to fix going through them of course.

All i want to know is what the hell is really broken and how does it break, if there trying to jib me for some extra cash and if its self fixable.

 

[BigBoss]

I think it could be the gear problem, there are some threads about it hear. Apparently over time a gear in the heating aircon unit gets stripped and fails, apparently it is a prick to fix. Sorry I dont have more info I read the thread some time ago.

 

[RiCeY]

Theres little actuators that move you vents around for various modes and temps, the gears in them strip out and make the clicking noise you can hear as they cycle on ignition.

The actuators themselves arent that expensive Im sure they are under $200, might be wrong.

Depending which one has failed determines labour time. One of them is a complete bastard but you could still have it done in an hour plus diagnostic time working out which is faulting, stripping off trims etc.

Id get a second opinion from another dealer as that price seems too high.

 

[iSam]

Thanks a lot BigBoss and Ricey,
It is the Actuators that has given up. And the one that has given up is apparently the "furthest one into the center console" which is the hardest to repair. Yet again thanks for your information. It has helped out heaps.

 

[ashbox]

I recently had this issue..
Decided to deal with it myself...
I found the one that was clicking, unplugged it and then doubled checked. Plugged it back in and no more noise.
I know it's a temp fix.
Priced the actuator up today and they are around the 13 buck each mark.

 

[Gokz777]

Theres little actuators that move you vents around for various modes and temps, the gears in them strip out and make the clicking noise you can hear as they cycle on ignition.

The actuators themselves arent that expensive Im sure they are under $200, might be wrong.

Depending which one has failed determines labour time. One of them is a complete bastard but you could still have it done in an hour plus diagnostic time working out which is faulting, stripping off trims etc.

Id get a second opinion from another dealer as that price seems too high.

Can these actuators prevent the heater working?

At this moment my HVAC will not produce any hot air. I used to hear very loud clicking noises near the centre speaker, tried re-aligning the vents by doing that rear-demister trick, it partially worked. The noise is gone but so is the heat?

Now the HVAC only blows out cold air and it only blows air out of the front vents. Changing mode and temp doesn't work at all.

I have tried pulling out the fuses for the HVAC without any luck.

 

[RiCeY]

Yes one of the actuators controls air mix ie hot and cold. That actuator may not be faulty itself but another actuator is affecting it.

Generally its the top actuator on the drivers side that always fails even though multiple actuators log trouble codes.

 

[Gokz777]

Yes one of the actuators controls air mix ie hot and cold. That actuator may not be faulty itself but another actuator is affecting it.

Generally its the top actuator on the drivers side that always fails even though multiple actuators log trouble codes.

Thank you Ricey, thought as much. When you say the drivers side actuator do you mean inside the vent on the right of the steering wheel between the door or the right centre vent? I'm asking because I am not sure whether this is something I should attempt to fix myself (pull apart dash - god help) or whether I should pay a mechanic/sparky to do (financial bankruptcy)?

Thanks for all your help, can't explain how greatful I am. I have taken the car to Booran Holden many times under warranty for this issue and they never fixed it.