'99 vent doors noise?

[jimh]

'99 Regal, with the key turned on but car not started, there is a loud clicking noise from under the dash. I think all the doors are controlled by electric motors. The noise appears to be coming from right under the dash behind the console. Could this be a motor that is not shutting off when the door is completely closed/open. It also happens no matter what combination of buttons I push, ac/heater, low/middle/dash vents. Am I going to have to dismantle the dash to get a better look, or is there a trick that can save me some time?
Thanks in advance.
Jim

[BNaylor]

Is the blower working. What does it do when fan is turned off and at all other speeds? Also, is this the manual dual zone climate control or ACC - automatic?

[jimh]

Thanks for the speedy reply. A bit more history. There was water coming into the floorboard. I found the drain tube on the firewall and a quick squeeze or two unplugged it, water gushing out on my face, and no more water on the floor. The blower motor started making whining noise, probably from the water dripping on it. I lubed it up and it is quiet for now, but I'm sure this is a temporary fix as the bearings are probably shot.
The blower works on all speeds and vent settings. This is not my car (future daughter in-law) and it looks to me like this thing is pretty much fully automated. No manual slide bar to control hot/cold, just buttons with led's (like an equalizer).
Thanks again for the quick reply. Any additional info is appreciated.
Jim

[BNaylor]

You have the ACC CJ2 digital climate control. So is cooling and heating good too? There are various vacuum operated and electrically controlled actuators. Sometimes the temperature actuators will make noise but more like a motor whirring type sound. One (driver's) is located to the left of the center of dash and other (passenger) to the right.

[jimh]

This is a relative "loud" clicking. I mean it is very obnoious. Quite loud! About once every second. I sounds to me like a plastic gear that is still trying to spin, but has reached the stopping point. If that is the case, what tells those electric motors that they should stop?
Jim

[BNaylor]

All actuator control to include feedback is performed by the climate control unit head unit but you can have problems with the actuators. This sounds like a temperature actuator acting up to me. Have you tried varying the temperature to see if the noise changes?

[jimh]

I messed with the controls, max hot to max cold with no change in the noise. Also, pretty much messed with every button on the head unit with no changes. Again, this all happens as soon as the key is turned on, engine not even started yet (if that might make a difference).

[BNaylor]

Probably not since power to the climate control unit is applied at the ignition switch to RUN position. Have you tried pulling/removing relevant fuses to see if the noise disappears or whether it is really related to the HVAC system? Start with the one marked HVAC which is located in the fuse box located at the passenger side of dash. It is Ignition Signal, HVAC Control Head.

[jimh]

Very good idea. I'll be at her house tomorrow or the next day and will experiment with the fuses. Anything that might save me from digging into the dash! If I pull the HVAC fuse and the noise stops, then what? How many electric motors are controlling these vent doors? Does that probably mean a problem with a motor, or some other thing that would be signalling the motor to stop? I guess what I'm getting at is, she doesn't have much money and I would be looking for a way to get her by for awhile (without this obnoxious noise). If I had to drive this car, I would have blown out the speakers by now trying to drownd out the noise. Again, thanks for the tips.
Jim

[jimh]

Old Hot Rodder,
I thank you in advance if I fix this problem with your assistance. However, at this time I need to tell you that on October 20th, the Mizzou Tigers play (whoop) the Red Raiders, in Columbia. I hope that with you being an AF Moderator, that you will not hold my Tigerhood against me. 'Cause I still need help from this forum, which has been very helpful in the past.
Go Tigers!

[jimh]

OK, pulled the HVAC (10amp) fuse and the click noise stopped, and obviously all the other stuff from head unit. Put that one back in and pulled a 15A that is labeled, (RADIO, HVAC, RFA, CLUSTER CEL TEL). With that one pulled, the noise is still there, loud as ever. Any other ideas before starting to take the dash apart? Thanks,
Jim

[BNaylor]

The HVAC fuse feeds the head unit and eventually the actuators. The problem is which one(s). Based on the sound since it is synchronous I would say either the driver or passsenger temperature actuator but you never know until you dig into it. The other problem is isolating the cause. Head unit or any of the actuators it controls. You could pull the dash kick panel(s) and looking up from underneath try to isolate the noise to a specific component. Yes, I know not good for the back.

[jimh]

OK, this is getting wierd. Just when I had made up my mind that I was going to have to "hurt my back", I noticed that there was a missing 20a fuse (LOW BLOWER). There is also a 25a (HIGH BLOWER) that was fine. I installed the 20amp. I was sure that the noise was still there. I went out later to roll up the windows for the night and the noise had stopped. ????? Messed with all the controls and still no noise. I didn't put the under dash panels back on 'cause I'm not convinced it's fixed. I didn't think that this missing fuse would have anything to do with the actuator(s). Maybe my crawling around under the dash prodding around and looking at what I was going to have to remove jarred some stuck part loose? Anyway, for now it is good, and WHEN it comes back I have a better idea of where to start.
Thanks for all the help and speedy replies.
Jim