Sounds like an HVAC actuator... Is it coming from the dashboard area?

Also, when the car is running, does changing any of the HVAC settings (air temp, mode, etc) cause the clicking to start?

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Clicking stops after about 2 minutes and doesn't come back.

 

But where is the noise coming from? Left side of dash, center, right side? Also, have you purposely tired to make the clicking come back by messing with the HVAC controls while the car is running? Try changing the air temp controls from hot to cold (both driver and passenger), try selecting each of the different "modes" (where the air gets directed to), try changing between recirc and outside air settings, etc...

The location of the clicking and what HVAC control change makes it happen should help pinpoint which actuator needs replaced (there are up to 4 of them).

Also, there is a "recalibration" procedure to reset the actuators - search the forum for it and maybe try that before doing anything else. Maybe they just need to be re-calibrated.

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My bad noise seems to be coming from the center of dash. Had glove box detached to see if I could feel one of the actuators clicking but none were. Noise does not come back after 2mins. whether car running or not. When I start the car noise will not come back if I change controls or temp settings.

 

I'm with jtrosky. I think you have a bad AC actuator. It has a stripped or broken gear, so it doesn't behave like the software in the AC controls expects, so the controls are trying to do a re-learn, but, since the motor never stops turning, the software times out after a couple minutes of trying. (The software expects the motor to stop after the blend door gets to its travel limit.)

Three of the four actuators are near the center of the dash - 1 is on the driver's side below the radio and AC controls. 2 is opposite that on the passenger side. (These two control the hot/cold blend doors.) 3 is the mode selector (vent selector). It's on the passenger side, higher up, near the left end of the glove box.

If you are in the car when the noise is being made, adjusting the three corresponding controls may help you ID which actuator it is.

HTH.

Doug

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Sounds like a relay cycling for whatever reason.
BCM wakes up when you open the door and a bunch of stuff comes to life. Never heard it on my 06 LTZ but would not surprise me.

Try this

Sit in the car after you shut the engine off. Remove the key but do no open the door. Wait a minute or 2 until the interior lights shut off and the radio times out. See if the click you hear is the same as the one you hear when you open the door.

It may be that timer thingy that allows you to hear the last couple minutes of the radio etc after you shut the car off.

Then, when you open the door to get out if it makes the same noise as you heard to begin with.
Maybe.

 

Sounds like a relay cycling for whatever reason.
BCM wakes up when you open the door and a bunch of stuff comes to life. Never heard it on my 06 LTZ but would not surprise me.

Try this

Sit in the car after you shut the engine off. Remove the key but do no open the door. Wait a minute or 2 until the interior lights shut off and the radio times out. See if the click you hear is the same as the one you hear when you open the door.
It may be that timer thingy that allows you to hear the last couple minutes of the radio etc after you shut the car off.
Then, when you open the door to get out if it makes the same noise as you heard to begin with.
Maybe.

RetiredPauly, my 2011 impala is doing exactly that. I don't have any other issue with A/C, dashboard gauges or cabin lights. Will I still need to replace the BCM or is there a separate timer module that I need to look for?

 

I thought it was when he first opens the door. Before any key or ignition is turned on.

Both front doors are tied to that timer and 2 minutes is about the time it stays on too.
Didn't think the HVAC is tied to it.

I must have missed something.

 

@chevypala I am not sure if the Relay or CLICKING is related the the RAP Relay, I would first look over a few things before thinking a Relay is bad. Main thing is all the grounds. Starting with looking over the ground and power cable on the Battery. If any type of corrosion or any build up is on the connections clean them off with spray from the Auto Parts store or some Baking Soda and water...

IF they are good or when they are good... Look under the dash for all your grounds to the BCM and make sure they are tight, also for all your connections on the passenger side. IF all grounds are good. When your hearing this clicking open the fuse box and check the RAP fuse (AKA Relay). If sound is coming from that I would try replacing it if all the wiring is clean and test to be good. If the clicking goes on after replacing the Relay there is an issue in the wiring. Sadly I can't tell where the Control is coming for the RAP, I am sure one part is from the BCM... Before you call the BCM bad I would test all things. Not a cheap change out if you have to replace the BCM...

James

 

Clicking behind center console

My 2009 impala just started this problem. I took the troubleshooting tips and these are the results that trigger the clicking:

1. I initially Opened the door after it has been sitting for over 2 minutes. Stops after a minute or so.
2. After the clicking stopped, I turned on the car. Moving either the driver side or passenger side temperature control from cool to heat and back down to cool reproduced the problem. It would last a minute or so and then stop. But if I moved either the driver side or passenger side temperature control toward heat while the clicking was occurring, the clicking would stop immediately. turning the fan or A/C on or off, switching vent positions, or switching from outside air or recirc did not reproduce the problem. However, It did come to a point that no matter what changes I made to the A/C settings I could not reproduce the problem.
3. So, I turned the car off and removed the key, and waited for the dome lamp to turn off. I opened the driver’s door and got out and waited. After a minute or so the problem would return and last a minute or so.
4. I got back into the car and restarted the car. I was able to reproduce the problem once again by activating either of the temperature controls as stated in step 2). I did not wait this time to see if the problem became non-reproducible after a period of time, indicating it may be an intermittent problem with the activation of the temperature controls.
5. Once I was able to reproduce the problem the 2nd time, I turned the car off and exited the vehicle. A couple of minutes after closing the door, the clicking began and once again stopped after a minute or so.

With this additional information, what is your best guess? Also, It seems the noise is coming from behind the center console or slightly left of the center console.

 

Clicking behind center console

My 2009 impala just started this problem. I took the trouble shooting tips and these are the results that triggers the clicking:

1). I initially Opened the door after it has been sitting for over 2 minutes. Stops after a minute or so.
2). After the clicking stopped, I turned on the car. Moving either the driver side or passenger side temperature control from cool to heat and back down to cool reproduced the problem. It would last a minute or so and then stop. But if I moved either the driver side or passenger side temperature control toward heat while the clicking was occurring, the clicking would stop immediately. turning the fan or A/C on or off, switching vent positions or switching from outside air or recirc did not reproduce the problem. However, It did come to a point that no matter what changes I made to the A/C settings I could not reproduce the problem.
3). So, I turned the car off and removed the key and waited for the dome lamp to turn off. I opened the driver’s door and got out and waited. After a minute or so the problem would return and last a minute or so.
4). I got back in to the car and restarted the car. I was able to reproduce the problem once again by activating either of the temperature controls as stated in step 2). I did not wait this time to see if the problem became non-reproducible after a period of time, indicating it may be an intermittent problem with the activation of the temperature controls.
5). Once I was able to reproduce the problem the 2nd time, I turned the car off and exited the vehicle. After a couple of minutes after closing the door, the clicking began and once again stopped after a minute or so.

With this additional information, what is your best guess? Also, It seems the noise is coming from behind the center console or slightly left of the center console.

Did you ever get this figured out? I'm having the exact same thing on my 2014 LT Limited.

 

I realize this is an older thread and probably the trouble was solved but never shared here. I don't know if their experience was like mine. But I'll chime-in with mine. Maybe helpful to someone. It's been a few years. Might get details out of order.

One day, unexpectedly, one actuator on my 2010 started clicking when I opened the driver door. I didn't realize how things work. I felt around on the dash and identified about where the loud clicks were coming from. It stopped.

A few weeks later I went into my garage to get something, and the car was clicking. It hadn't been driven and I didn't have car keys with me, and had not touched the car.

From googling I discovered the various modules wake-up at times. Subsequent to that I started checking on it. Several times overnight it was clicking. Then would stop.

It started affecting battery voltage so I had to get serious. At the time, I wasn't driving it much. I was gone for work every week.

I still don't have clarity on why a module was waking up overnight inside the garage, and why the module was sending a signal to an hvac actuator. But it did. I read somewhere the car tracks ambient inside temperature and opens the recirculation/ fresh air door if it gets too hot inside. But I had no way to verify.

Long story shorter, I fixed one then later another failed. In the end I replaced all four actuators (dual climate control).

Happily I got a heads-up online about pre-setting each actuator so its position matches the removed actuator (jumper wires off car battery to drive new actuator motor until matched). So for my 2010 it needs to be pre-recalibrated. I gather newer models might not require pre, they may have an on-board re-learn feature.

In the end, mine all came together. No more overnight clicking. No clicking at all now.

 

I realize this is an older thread and probably the trouble was solved but never shared here. I don't know if their experience was like mine. But I'll chime-in with mine. Maybe helpful to someone. It's been a few years. Might get details out of order.

One day, unexpectedly, one actuator on my 2010 started clicking when I opened the driver door. I didn't realize how things work. I felt around on the dash and identified about where the loud clicks were coming from. It stopped.

A few weeks later I went into my garage to get something, and the car was clicking. It hadn't been driven and I didn't have car keys with me, and had not touched the car.

From googling I discovered the various modules wake-up at times. Subsequent to that I started checking on it. Several times overnight it was clicking. Then would stop.

It started affecting battery voltage so I had to get serious. At the time, I wasn't driving it much. I was gone for work every week.

I still don't have clarity on why a module was waking up overnight inside the garage, and why the module was sending a signal to an hvac actuator. But it did. I read somewhere the car tracks ambient inside temperature and opens the recirculation/ fresh air door if it gets too hot inside. But I had no way to verify.

Long story shorter, I fixed one then later another failed. In the end I replaced all four actuators (dual climate control).

Happily I got a heads-up online about pre-setting each actuator so its position matches the removed actuator (jumper wires off car battery to drive new actuator motor until matched). In the end it all came together. No more overnight clicking. No clicking at all now.

Still good info. Impalas are known for blend door problems. You can buy them on Amazon for around $15. Two are very easy to replace if you have small hands. When door was mentioned I thought he meant he had a clicking when it opened. Typically these make noise when you shut the car off. 3 small bolts, 7/32nds or 7mm, can't remember which and a thumbdrive ratchet will get it done.

 

Yep. Mine are all done. But since these are huge problems I bought a spare of each of the two designs. And I visit these threads that appear in NEW in case can learn more that might help me later.

 

Cool.