Hot weather dash clicking

Hi all. Sorry if this has been solved elsewhere in the forums, but I can't seem to find a solution to the heat related clicking going on in my truck. Over the last 3 months, my truck has developed a plastic on plastic clicking or rattle sound behind the dashboard, and it seems like it's hot weather related.

Whenever it's around 80+ degrees out, I hear a constant from behind the dash that reminds me of the sound of old, brittle, sun beaten, plastic water bottles make if you crush them with your fingers. The sound is constant while accelerating, every half a second or so, and is much louder than the radio. It's especially apparent with every little uneven portion of road.

The strange thing is, when the weather is cooler, their's no sound whatsoever. What's even weirder is that when the weather is hot, and the dash ticking inevitably starts, if I turn on the A/C the plastic ticking sounds start to slow down to about once every 10 seconds, then 15, then 20, and then ultimately it stops about 5 minutes after the A/C has been on. It's as if something inside the dash expands when it's hot and rattles or rubs around, creating the loud plasticy sound. When the A/C cools it down, the sound stops.

I've taken the dash apart, the center console, taken out the radio, knobs, etc, and can't find the source. I've zip tied loose wires, added foam padding to the outside of all the plastic dash trim pieces, put foam along the actual dash glass thinking it could be that, and nothing has worked. The sound seems to sometimes come from directly behind the dash gauge cluster, sometimes from behind the center radio area, checked the vent fan, and nothing's worked. Sometimes I would swear it comes from behind the glovebox. All I can say with 100% certainty is that hot weather makes the dash make noise, and cooler weather or A/C on stops the noise completely.

If anyone knows what it could be, let me know. I'd feel dumb if it was something super obvious that I missed, but at this point I can live with that. I just want to solve the issue.

 

I have a click or tick in summer months only as well. Thought it was in my dash. Finally found it, it’s my windshield. When I push out on it and apply pressure the click goes away. Soon as I let go it’s back, May check that

 

I appreciate the suggestion. I've tried that also, and it still makes noise. Granted, it's hard to push on the windshield while actually driving, but I heard no change. Maybe I'll get someone to drive so I can try the windshield again with more force. Do you recall if having the A/C on and cooling the cabin helped your issue? A few minuted of cool air stops the ticking almost entirely in my truck. Like whatever plastic piece in the dash causing it contracts and shrinks just enough to keep it is from rubbing and causing the annoyingly loud sound. If it's over 100 degrees out, the ticking is louder and way more frequent, like every other second.

 

The motor that opens the gate to the recirculating vent is repeating it's motion. Turn off the recirculate button, and the clicking will go away. Mine is doing this noise, and as soon as I press the recirculate button, the noise goes away, meaning that the little motor closed the vent.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oh9pZNsLaU

 

I will take mine to Autozone, and ask if they carry this motor mechanism. My guess is that the teeth on the gears that control the motors arm are broken.

 

Had same issue on my 2011. Ended up being my windshield. Ended up hitting a pterodactyl and had to replace windshield....problem fixed.

 

I'll try that tomorrow and see if it helps. I've tried fumbling with the air and vent controls before because I've heard it mentioned, and the sound didn't change. I'm willing to try again when it's close to 100 degrees out tomorrow and see if anything changes though, because at least I understand now that the clicking is directly related to how hot it is out, as opposed to months ago when I hadn't figured that out yet. I'm determined to figure out what's going on, for science. And my sanity. Mostly my sanity.

 

Well, I tried messing with all the vent settings and it made no difference. The sound was just as loud and frequent as ever. It's definately expanded plastic somewhere in the dash due to heat. It must be in a vent somewhere though if enough cold air from the AC can quite the noise down. I'll have to look into taking the vents apart to poke around and find if something's loose. I'm not ready to say it's the windshield causing the sound.

 

You're right about the gears clicking. The motor/actuator/servo is likely damaged. You'll have to replace it.

But first you need to make sure that the hinge and blend door are not broken or being held open by something. Take the motor off, and swing the hinge back and forth.

 

I have this issue in my truck also. Mine is the small strip of the dash cover that butts up to the windshield, right in the center. It "clicks" or "rattles" when hot out. I can tap on it quickly and recreate the sound when parked and engine off. Got to figure a way to put some kind of padding behind there......annoying as hell.

 

You know why you can't hear a pterodactyl going to the bathroom? Because the pee is silent........

 

My 2005 Tacoma had a clicking sound from the windshield when it was hot out.The factory never removed the plastic mounting tabs when they installed the windshield.

 

I've chased things like this before to the extent of removing the entire dash. Thing is sometimes I thought I found and fixed the problem only to have one additional annoying rattle appear

OP try this. When it is making racket take your palm and give a good wack to the front of the dash in the area about 5" above the left corner of the glove box. Anything?

 

Mine ticks in hot weather too. I figure it is some plastic piece behind the dash touching the bottom edge of the window glass. Not worth figuring out as it goes away and it isn't that hot too often in MN.

 

Same here. When I had my windshield replaced I had the guy put a bead of sealant along the front of the dash. The dash is a two component with a thin strip of felt between them to keep them from rubbing . That felt looked like electrical tape. After the bead of sealant my click was gone.