I would appreciate any help available with this one.I have a 1990 Liteace, and it has suddenly developed what I can only describe as a 'static' or electrical scratching sound from behind the dash, in the region of the radio.A mechanic friend, says on listening to it, it sounds like a relay clicking in and out.Everything is working fine, and I have tried disconecting the radio, but it made no diffence.Seems to be coming from a bit further behind this.Does anybody have any ideas? cheers Steve

- (#6984) Steve Tribe, 2 Feb 03

Isn't the flasher relay by any chance? If the indicator switch contacts wear out, this can happen...

- (#6985) david miller, 2 Feb 03

I've had a similar noise for over a year ! Always thought it was from the right hand side of the dash. Bumpy roads makes it click very quickly. Actually was hoping it was a loose bracket somewhere behind the dash but as David has suggested the sound is very much like a relay clicking in and out or arcing.
Is it possible I'm hearing arcing from the indicator switch or terminals? But surely that would only happen when I am indicating and the circuit should be complete!
David, any ideas? I assume its a case of checking the tightness of the electrical terminals on the indicator switch unit. What do I need to look for regarding the indicator switch contacts and where is the flasher relay located.
Regards
P.S. The replacement crankshaft pulley is behaving so far.

- (#6986) stephen judge, 2 Feb 03

Is the clicking proportional to road speed? Does it only happen at high speed? More info may aid the diagnosis... Ray

- (#6987) Ray Ambler, 2 Feb 03

I had this problem with my liteace at one time and it turned out to be the air con switch located behind the fan switch. It was not quiet turned off properly and the relay was chattering. A simple thing but had me puzled for a couple of days.

- (#6988) Tony, 2 Feb 03

The clicking is not proportional to road speed. It is not there, every time, all the time, you are driving the vehicle. It does not happen when stationary, or jump up and down in the vehicle and bang the dash when stationary. It can happen with any lights on or off, braking or not braking, radio on or off i.e. it appears to be random. Sometimes it really a chatter ( especially on bumpy roads ) other times its an intermittant click. As far as I can tell its from the drivers side of the dash - mid or right side of the steering column - low down.

- (#7041) Stephen Judge, 4 Feb 03

It may be possible that the speedo cable is pulling on the connection to the speedo head. It would be worth locating the cable at floor level near the steering column and carefully pulling a small ammount of the cable up into the vehicle to relieve sideways stress to the head. If it doesn't cure it at least it is eliminated....Ray

- (#7042) Ray Ambler, 4 Feb 03

stephen, if it's the indicators, it'll only happen when you try to use them. Ray's advice on the speedo cable is good. Here's another one. Are your brake lights OK? There's a box of tricks sort of up behind the brake pedal called brake controller, it's got a buzzer in it...
Other possibility could be the voltage regulator (perhaps...)

Glad the pulley's OK

- (#7043) david miller, 5 Feb 03

Yes ... I had that noise on our 1994 2.2TD Townace ... just where Stephen says, and a bit like the thermal expansion noise you get when a house central heating comes on ... puzzled ... it went away after a few hundred miles (only had the car 6 months or so). Sorry, no clue as to what caused it. Car seems perfect!

- (#7044) tony, 5 Feb 03

I would agree with everything that Stephen has said about this,except the clicking in mine appears to be coming from the central dash area. My aircon switch is fully off,and all brake lights are fine.Engaging the indicators makes no difference at all.

- (#7045) Steve Tribe, 5 Feb 03