Cabin air filter causing weird noise?

My truck is making a weird noise from the passenger side floorboard area. It is almost like a constant, quiet clicking noise only when the fan is on. Doesn't matter which setting the heat/AC is on... As long as the fan is on it makes the noise, and gets progressively more loud and agressive sounding as the fan speed is increased. Could it be due to a dirty cabin air filter? Only have 14k but frequently travel in very dusty areas.

 

Take the cabin filter out (temporarily) and see if the clicking sound goes away. That'll tell ya if its the cabin filter.

After only one year and 10K miles - I was amazed at how dirty mine was. I got a new one and kept the old one (cleaned it and set it aside).

 

Do all of our trucks come w/ a cabin air filter? The manual says that it needs to be replaced at 30k miles (if equipped) and I was wondering how I know if I have one.

 

Replace it!! I did mine the other day I went 28000 with out doing it it was nasty. I found leave's in it and all kind of shit. It's easy to replace drop the glove box and you will see to latches pull them down and pull it out. The replacement cost about 35 buck's.

 

Could be that some debris got down into blower motor cage and it is wedged in the cage and every time it rotates it is hitting the blower motor housing making a ticking noise.

Isocoee beat me to it ^^^^^

 

the cabin filter thingy isn't cheap, the only one i saw was purolator like $30

 

I just made an appointment this morning for the same thing on my truck (plus an other issue). I just noticed it this morning sitting at a train crossing. I didnt have the stereo on, and noticed the little clicking. Finally linked it to the passenger side floorboard/under dash area. I know it has something to do with the blower/vent down there cause if I turn the fan off, it goes away. Let me know if you find out anything.

 

I noticed that makes it go away, but only for a few seconds before it comes back. I will go check the cabin air filter right now.

 

Ok, I just pulled the cabin air filter. It was pretty clean... had just a few small leave pieces and thats about it. Gave it a good cleaning and the clicking was still present. It sounds like its coming from inside the vent motor. Maybe a piece of something is in there.... not sure. Ill just have them check it out when its at the shop on Thursday.

 

Thanks for all the help everybody. I'm gonna go ahead and have the dealership change out the filter and take a look at the motor to see if something got stuck in there. I have to have several other annoyances checked anyway (what the heck is up with the seatbelt connector squeaking, anybody else have that???), and an alignment, so even though I'm sure it will cost 3 times as much as doing it myself, it's convenient to have it done there.

 

Mine did this after i took it in for service. Mine wasn't a little clicking noise it was loud like someone dropped paper in there. I took it back the next day and complained. They looked underneath and said that I had papers on the ground and that was making the noise. I told them that there was no papers down there when it was occurring. He said there was nothing he could do because he didnt hear anything when he turned it on. I hate dealership bastards. How do I remove the cabin air filter to check it. I know its behind the glove box.

 

Thanks! I might just see if there was something that got caught in there.

 

I checked it. Nothing in there but i think they put the filter in upside down. But nothing caught in there or the blower. I just don't know. Maybe it was nothing like the dealership said. But this is also coming from the dealership that told me that someone put silicon putty into the radiator hoses when they were only ones who ever worked on the car. (this was my camry not my taco).

 

or you can make about 12 of them from a home a/c filter for about 4 bucks.

 

My not-so-smart decision to have the dealer replace the filter cost me $35, plus $40 in labor. Holy crap!!! I guess ya live & learn... Btw, it still makes the noise. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even check for debris stuck up in there. When I get time I'll look myself and if I find something I'm not gonna be happy at all (not that I'm particulary happy with them to begin with).

 

Yep, this is one of the biggest reasons many of us do things ourselves on our trucks!!

Plus you get to learn about your rig, and you don't have some high school kid putting on the wrong filter, etc.

BTW, you can buy those cabin filters for around $4 each on the net. I got one for my truck and one for the wife's Corolla for $14 shipped right to my door.