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Q: Brief, loud clicking noise from dashboard area when AC is turned on.

asked by on April 29, 2016

This started happening about 2 weeks ago. When I start up my car or whenever I turn the AC on I hear 3 or 4 loud clicks coming from what seems to be under the dashboard. The noise resembles a click with a thump followed by a trickling, shutter or flapping noise like a flap or valve is bouncing around after each click. The noise completely stops after about the 3rd click unless I restart the car or turn the AC on and off. Regardless, the air flow/strength and temperature seem unaltered. I'm sort of confused. Any ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated, thanks!

My car has 144000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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The noise you are hearing is one of the HVAC door actuators that control air flow or temperature for the a/c. There are at least 4 of these actuators in your system and one of them is going bad and would need to be replaced. The one that is making the noise It’s hard to specify wxactly which one without checking the system first hand. In order to find the one going bad a mechanic would have to have their hand on each one and turn on the a/c and feel to see the failing actuator. Only then can a complete diagnosis be done. I recommend having a mechanic. like one from YourMechanic, come to you and diagnose your HVAC problem.

Mazda
2009
L4-2.5L
6
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