Loud clicking noise

I have a 2004 Sahara that has a loud clicking noise coming from behind the centre of the dash. I have removed what I can but could not locate it. It comes and goes. It sounds like plastic gears stripping or a solonoid flipping out. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Cheers.

I had a similar sound on mine. The front panel rubs on something at the back. Can't remember what now but I could see the marks on the back of the panel. It would do it on braking. I put a leather patch in to stop the plastic to plastic contact which cured it.

Thommo said:

I have a 2004 Sahara that has a loud clicking noise coming from behind the centre of the dash. I have removed what I can but could not locate it. It comes and goes. It sounds like plastic gears stripping or a solonoid flipping out. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Click to expand...

Hi Thommo,
I also have a 2004 Toyota Sahara with the same clicking noise behind the dash, especially noticeable when sitting at the traffic lights.
Yes, it definitely sounds like a gear stripping or a solenoid flipping out!
Toyota Service in Hobart seems to put it in the" too hard" basket.
Originally they advised that it would take approx an hour to replace the said motor/servo attached to the Auto Climate Control (as this is when it makes a noise).
However today they advised that there are 3 motors/servos with a combined cost of almost $1000 and that it would take approximately 4 hours to pull the entire dash apart.
Better to just put up with the clicking noise and wait until something breaks!
Sorry but not very good reassuring advice.
Just wondering did you ever get to the bottom of the clicking noise in your 2004 Sahara?
Thanks
Rob

Sounds like same problem. Did anybody find what it was

frank sorted his because the dash was rubbing , it sound to me like you both have a different problem but quick diagnostic would be if the Climate control is turned off is the noise still happening ?
If so then it may well be rubbing ,
If not then it is some kind of electrical item working away behind the dash......as for it seeming to happen more while sitting at lights or junctions then probably just lack of noise compared to when driving lets you hear it .

Thanks Grimbo. Looking into it

Rob Golley said:

Hi Thommo,
I also have a 2004 Toyota Sahara with the same clicking noise behind the dash, especially noticeable when sitting at the traffic lights.
Yes, it definitely sounds like a gear stripping or a solenoid flipping out!
Toyota Service in Hobart seems to put it in the" too hard" basket.
Originally they advised that it would take approx an hour to replace the said motor/servo attached to the Auto Climate Control (as this is when it makes a noise).
However today they advised that there are 3 motors/servos with a combined cost of almost $1000 and that it would take approximately 4 hours to pull the entire dash apart.
Better to just put up with the clicking noise and wait until something breaks!
Sorry but not very good reassuring advice.
Just wondering did you ever get to the bottom of the clicking noise in your 2004 Sahara?
Thanks
Rob

Click to expand...

Hi Rob, Did you ever do anything to repair this clicking noise? I have the same problem in my 2004 Sahara that I have had since new . The noise began about 18 months ago and is steadily getting worse, still intermittent,but sometimes lasting 10 seconds or more and slows down towards the end. Too noisy to ignore now. Certainly seems to be associated with the air con, but no success with auto electricians as yet ( too hard to get the sound on demand for demonstrating)
Thanks
Russ Peters

Seems Rob is no longer a member on here. Would be good to know how Thommo got on but seems he may not be a member either as neither come up on the list if you type an @ followed by their name.

Rob Golley said:

Hi Thommo,
I also have a 2004 Toyota Sahara with the same clicking noise behind the dash, especially noticeable when sitting at the traffic lights.
Yes, it definitely sounds like a gear stripping or a solenoid flipping out!
Toyota Service in Hobart seems to put it in the" too hard" basket.
Originally they advised that it would take approx an hour to replace the said motor/servo attached to the Auto Climate Control (as this is when it makes a noise).
However today they advised that there are 3 motors/servos with a combined cost of almost $1000 and that it would take approximately 4 hours to pull the entire dash apart.
Better to just put up with the clicking noise and wait until something breaks!
Sorry but not very good reassuring advice.
Just wondering did you ever get to the bottom of the clicking noise in your 2004 Sahara?
Thanks
Rob

Click to expand...

Did you resolve this clicking noise, my 05 has just started doing it and its driving me crazy!!

Ive found that by winding the temp control button all the way round to heat, leave for a secondmor two, then revolve it right round to cold, ruen the clicking starts. Not always but most times. The noise is very annoying! It does sound like a cog stripping????
Can anyone help??

Sounds to me like an actuator operating either the water valve or a damper. You’ll only know by taking the dash apart. I’ve no knowledge of your vehicle but if you have a look on Amayama.com and enter your model number you should get the electronic parts catalogue come up specifically for your vehicle. If it was mine and the parts were cheap enough I’d order in the cogs and quadrants or whatever and then take the dash apart to find the stripped gear and replace. Of course that’s easier said than done and the parts may not be cheap or in small enough bits (whole water valve for instance) so you may want to investigate first and order the exact part that’s damaged.

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

StarCruiser said:

Sounds to me like an actuator operating either the water valve or a damper. You’ll only know by taking the dash apart. I’ve no knowledge of your vehicle but if you have a look on Amayama.com and enter your model number you should get the electronic parts catalogue come up specifically for your vehicle. If it was mine and the parts were cheap enough I’d order in the cogs and quadrants or whatever and then take the dash apart to find the stripped gear and replace. Of course that’s easier said than done and the parts may not be cheap or in small enough bits (whole water valve for instance) so you may want to investigate first and order the exact part that’s damaged.

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that,, appreciate your comments.
We have already had the whole dash out, the noise disappeared, we tried everything to get the noise to crop up but nothing.. so, we put it all back together,, no noise,,,, till 2 days later!
So now I'm faced with tearing it all out again!! Seems to me theres a lot of this issue out there, toyota should do something!!
So its the hot/cold actuator?

I’m only putting two and two together from what you’ve said about moving the temperature knob. Like I say, have a look at the parts catalogue and see where things are located. Yo may find if there’s a known issue that the replacement part is modified but unless safety related no manufacturer would be likely to do a recall. Even Toyota.

mine has the same, car doesnt need to be moving, just sitting there. I wouldn't say it was loud just constant

Hi Guys yes it is a bit comon with the 80 and 100 it took me a wile to find but what it was i never thought to look at it. Were the dash is mounted on both side near the door at the lower part of the dash they are bolted to like the pillar part thes bolts come lose with all the flexing it does and they get lose just re tighten them up and it will be gone But this little 10 mill nut is not very strong i took it out and put a bigger nut in place it wont come undone again clicking stopped and has not came back since.

Russ Peters said:

Hi Rob, Did you ever do anything to repair this clicking noise? I have the same problem in my 2004 Sahara that I have had since new . The noise began about 18 months ago and is steadily getting worse, still intermittent,but sometimes lasting 10 seconds or more and slows down towards the end. Too noisy to ignore now. Certainly seems to be associated with the air con, but no success with auto electricians as yet ( too hard to get the sound on demand for demonstrating)
Thanks
Russ Peters

Click to expand...

It the lower bolts for dash at the door side they come lose and the plastic rubs the metal and gives the clicking sound i replaced the 10 mil nut with 12 mill and the clicking has never come back.

So it’s the dash expanding and contracting then. Great that you’ve found it and it wasn’t a big fix. Thanks for posting the result.

StarCruiser said:

So it’s the dash expanding and contracting then. Great that you’ve found it and it wasn’t a big fix. Thanks for posting the result.

Click to expand...

Yes do a test first lossen the dash of at the bottom put some paper betwen the dash and the metal tighten up and see if the clicking stops.

ianmcoutback said:

Yes do a test first lossen the dash of at the bottom put some paper betwen the dash and the metal tighten up and see if the clicking stops.

Click to expand...

ianmcoutback said:

Hi Guys yes it is a bit comon with the 80 and 100 it took me a wile to find but what it was i never thought to look at it. Were the dash is mounted on both side near the door at the lower part of the dash they are bolted to like the pillar part thes bolts come lose with all the flexing it does and they get lose just re tighten them up and it will be gone But this little 10 mill nut is not very strong i took it out and put a bigger nut in place it wont come undone again clicking stopped and has not came back since.

Click to expand...

mine may be different to your , mine is definitely in the heater unit

Rob Golley said:

Hi Thommo,
I also have a 2004 Toyota Sahara with the same clicking noise behind the dash, especially noticeable when sitting at the traffic lights.
Yes, it definitely sounds like a gear stripping or a solenoid flipping out!
Toyota Service in Hobart seems to put it in the" too hard" basket.
Originally they advised that it would take approx an hour to replace the said motor/servo attached to the Auto Climate Control (as this is when it makes a noise).
However today they advised that there are 3 motors/servos with a combined cost of almost $1000 and that it would take approximately 4 hours to pull the entire dash apart.
Better to just put up with the clicking noise and wait until something breaks!
Sorry but not very good reassuring advice.
Just wondering did you ever get to the bottom of the clicking noise in your 2004 Sahara?
Thanks
Rob

Click to expand...

Russ Peters said:

Hi Rob, Did you ever do anything to repair this clicking noise? I have the same problem in my 2004 Sahara that I have had since new . The noise began about 18 months ago and is steadily getting worse, still intermittent,but sometimes lasting 10 seconds or more and slows down towards the end. Too noisy to ignore now. Certainly seems to be associated with the air con, but no success with auto electricians as yet ( too hard to get the sound on demand for demonstrating)
Thanks
Russ Peters

Click to expand...