I have an 06 coupe, and every once in a while, I get this bizarre noise from underneath my glove box area that I swear sounds like a small animal rustling around in there. What the heck is this noise? I'm assuming it's something to do with my ac unit, but I really have no clue. Any thoughts? Anyone else heard this? It doesn't happen all the time, and I can't seem to find the triggers to recreate it.

 

Having spoken to a few squirrels, I think your problem is most-likely debris near the A/C fan. Sometimes, some things can make their way in there and it gives the 'baseball card in the spokes" sound, but more subtle.

Every car I've owned has done this at some point. No sense for alarm...

 

Be cautious and meet a Catholic Priest in public. He will lay hands on you and your car. Squirrel Crusher

 

How ironic, words of wisdom about a squirrel possessed car from a Squirrel Crusher!

 

I had that problem in my old monte carlo. Turned out a mouse had made it's home in there. Got to a parking lot one day, and the mom ran up the door and jumped out. Had about 4 little babies in the glove box. Had to get a bunch of new paperwork for the car, mouse chewed it up and used it for bedding.

True story. Never found out how they got there. Never had the problem again either. Stupid mice.

 

well, is it Squirrels or mice??? It could be squirrel crusher himself in there...I would vote for the something in the fan/air box area...have you changed the cabin filter and inspected that area of the car?

 

How about a test? Put a peanut on the floor. If it's there in the morning it's probably not a squirrel! If there is a beer bottle cap on the floor and there's only the shell, it's probably squirrel crusher!

If the nut is there in the morning, be sure your coolant level is full. Sometimes bubbles flowing through the heater core makes noises like rustling.

Good luck.

 

oh my, y'alls responses to this had me laughing on the floor!

 

Did the alarm goes off when the Squirrel breaks into the car?

 

"Did the alarm goes off when the Squirrel breaks into the car?"

Why would the alarm go off? Wouldn't it come on?

But ... maybe check the cabin air filter. Possibly it has failed and is letting stuff through.

FYI -- there's sellers of German-made filters on eBay.

 

How ironic.....it's just my sig in there...... put a Guinness in there and if it's gone then question answered.

 

I have a sound in my coupe that sounds like a relay clicking (not something in the fan) and it appears that it is emanating from inside the dash where the passengers left knee would be.
Mine is somehow related to the AC system. It only happens if I have my fan selector in the off or first position. A good rap on the console in the general area of the clicking and it stops.

 

I get a clicking sound from my dash when I have my cell phone in the passengers seat and driven to far for good radio reception. When this happens,I turn around and go home. Clicking sound stops and radio plays well. Squirrel Crusher

 

I agree with LadyMills. This was a hilarious thread. Just reinforces why I love this forum. PS -- My son's nickname is "squirrel" and he owns the 2007, but he has not confessed to your noise crime.

 

YES! nailed it! I have this same problem and EVERY time I bring my car in for warranty I complain about it. It only happens randomly but as long as the fan switch is on a 1/2 or more (on at all) it goes right away immediately. Now if it were debris in the way wouldn't it increase in sound if the fan was turned on...

My last chance at the dealer is this week before I'm out of warranty. Anyone get this fixed or isolate the problem to 100% debris. If not whatever it is I'm going to get replaced this week if anyone can tell me what it is?

Thank you! Hopefully I get a response from someone who solved it in the next day or so

 

I went through this earlier in the year. It is the A/C Recirc flap behind the dashboard. Mine was broken and replaced under warranty. It is a inexpensive part but the problem was the labor. They had to slide the whole dash back just to get in there. It is some kind of plastic flap that moves inside and is part of the AC system. It used to randomly do it with me for years.... on and off. Sometimes it would just start doing it for no reason.... it was real wierd. The noise went away for a while until it started happening every time I turn the AC on or off. It sounded like there was an animal behind the glovebox banging around. It was a cluncking noise. I would turn the AC on and hear a couple of clunks and the noise would go away. I turn the AC off and I would hear a few more cluncks and the noise would go away. At first I thought it was the fan blower making noise.... I checked for junk in there and replaced the cabin filter. Nothing solved the problem until I brought it to the dealership and they told me the plastic flap was broken and flopping around.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by drivethruecp

YES! nailed it! I have this same problem and EVERY time I bring my car in for warranty I complain about it. It only happens randomly but as long as the fan switch is on a 1/2 or more (on at all) it goes right away immediately. Now if it were debris in the way wouldn't it increase in sound if the fan was turned on...

Sounds like you and I have the EXACT same symptoms. blackcrossfire07 sent me the following.

"As for the AC light, I had that problem twice over the past 4 years. That is a simple fix and a common problem with the car. If you look around on the forum you will see. It was the whole AC unit switch both times. For whatever reason they keep breaking. I fixed that 2 years ago and just fixed it again a couple months ago. It is very annoying because the AC just comes on when it is in the off position. Sometimes when you have the vent open, the AC will come on and blow the fan speed at level 1. It was real whacky! But that is definitely the whole fan switch going bad. It is an 800 dollar part new I think... but you can pick up a used one on ebay or something for about 70. I am thinking it is good to keep a couple in storage for when the warranty runs out!"

So there's something else to suspect I guess. (remember that this info came from a BLACK XF owner. Take it for what it's worth! ) I still say there's a relay back there going crazy.

 

Thank you thank you! I will let those degenerates know about the Recirc plastic flap!

 

They can see the flap without taking the whole dash apart. Not sure how... maybe by removing the panel with the air bag switch. They told me they could see the flap broken before they even started the job. I think it got bad enough to where it just broke and it was very noticeable.

Some people that hear the noise have told me they cleaned junk out of the blower and it went away. I would do that first (like I did). If that doesn't help, go for the flap. I am not sure how it works but I think it opens and closes to allow outside air in or to recirculate the inside air.

 

My car is at Chrysler right now and OF COURSE they say the recirc flap is fine and they looked at it. I'm still skeptical and can't trust/believe them. How do you clean out the debris (if there were any) from the vent? Is there anything else I can point them to? I have 33k, only 4k left before warranty is over...

A prior problem (different than this one, with the reverse gear problem) they couldn't duplicate, they told me it was documented so if it ever caused problems out of warranty it would be fixed since I complained while in warranty. How much obligation do they have to stick by pre-documented problems out of warranty? Every time I bring my Crossfire in I have literally a laundry list of problems. Typically one gets fixed and they deem the others un-duplicatable.. To be honest, part of me can't wait till its out of warranty so I can stop dealing with one Crossfire certified mechanic per dealer and do the work myself!

Bottom line. Chrysler warranty service SUCKS. I will NEVER buy a new car (this was used 15k) unless its German with courtesy cars for the length of the warranty.