Q: Car starts but makes loud clicking noise by ignition. Check engine light on

asked by on April 03, 2017

Car starts but when I start it up there's a loud clicking noise coming from ignition/steering wheel area that lasts about a minute. Check engine light came on.

My car has 133000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi there. In some cases what you are describing is caused by an ignition relay that is staying open when you turn the key and start the vehicle. This can create a clicking type of noise sound as you’ve described. However since the check engine light has been triggered, it could also be caused by a sensor or other electrical component that is faulty. For this reason, it is probably best to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a check engine light inspection, so they can download the error code that triggered this light; and allow them to determine what is causing the code and resolve this problem.

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