Q: 2011 chevy impala makes clicking sound when i turn on the AC. Clicking will continue even after car is turned off, and does not st

asked by on October 12, 2016

When I turn on the AC my car does not make clicking sound, but as soon as it is turned off the sound continues. The clicking noise continues even after the car is off. Sometimes the clicking will start randomly even though the AC controls are not touched and will often not stop.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi, what you’re describing is a fairly common issue with Chevrolet and GM products. It’s most likely the actuator motor for the blend door in the A/C ducts behind the dashboard, especially if the noise seems to originate from somewhere behind the dashboard.

The connectors for the actuator tend to corrode and cause resistance that results in a bad signal to the control for the actuator. The control then continues to drive the motor, which can result in broken teeth in the actuator/blend door’s plastic gears.

There are probably two actuators, one behind the glovebox and one on the driver’s side. If it’s not the actuators themselves, it could be a relay, but the service history of Chevrolets suggests the actuators.

If you need assistance with this, feel free to schedule an appointment with YourMechanic to diagnose the noise you’re hearing firsthand and replace your Impala’s A/C actuators and blend doors as necessary.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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