Ticking In Dash

[OldGuy]

My new car has a ticking noise that comes and goes coming from somewhere in the dash. Doesn't matter if the car is hot or cold, with or without any fans going etc...I'll be sitting at a stop light and then all of a sudden it stops. A few seconds later it starts up again. Doesn't change tempo or volume. Just the same tic-tic-tic-tic-tic.............................Can anyone clue me in to where I should start looking for this little booger? It's a 96' 328iS....................

[94BMW325i]

yeah I got my car in December and it also does it.

[Clint_M]

Is it more of a Vibrating noise?

ie, something vibrating against plastic very very quickly?

or is it a slow ticking that is linked to the RPM of the engine?

If its the 1st one i have the same problem, and ive located it down to the clutch pedal vibrating very excessivly, if i hold my foot on the pedal, thus supressing the vibrations, it wont start.

only at speed though for that, if yours is just ticking at idle, ive heard something about VANOS being noisey on some cars.

l

[OldGuy]

Originally posted by Clint_M@Feb 23 2005, 03:34 AM
Is it more of a Vibrating noise?

ie, something vibrating against plastic very very quickly?

or is it a slow ticking that is linked to the RPM of the engine?

If its the 1st one i have the same problem, and ive located it down to the clutch pedal vibrating very excessivly, if i hold my foot on the pedal, thus supressing the vibrations, it wont start.

only at speed though for that, if yours is just ticking at idle, ive heard something about VANOS being noisey on some cars.

l

[snapback]297633[/snapback]

No, it's not a vibration and it's not engine related meaning it doesn't change tempo or get louder or softer when the engine is revved. I can start the car in the morning for instance and the cabin is dead quiet. Then tic-tic-tic-tic-tic. It's definitely on the drivers side and it almost sounds plastic. If you lean over toward the passenger side you can barely hear it so it's somwhere in the instument cluster or perhaps on the other side of the fire wall. Can't hear it over the engine though with the hood up used I can be cruising along and then it just stops. Cabin dead quiet again. Weird...

[RIBEMR26]

In mine it is barely noticeable even at a standstill...I read a while back it had to do with the lifters or something...common noise....if your is the same as mine....

[mullinax5630]

did you ever get an answer?

[morph]

I know what you are talking about. I have it too in my '98 IS. Every 3-5 seconds or so i get that tick/knock sound. hmmm.......

[kfinney]

I have a constant ticking which seems to come from the heater area. this is when the car is ignition off. constant and always ticking maybe 15 times per second. Please' no bomb jokes. Dale 2001 525i