Hello all,

After I unlock the car there is a clicking and whirring noise coming from the center dash area. This is before I even put the key in the ignition! Any ideas? A couple of weeks ago the car had a completely drained battery and I couldn't find the culprit, maybe this is it. Thanks ahead of time.

Andy

 

There is a small fan in the dash board you will see a small series of perforations or slits in the dash cover face. It is the aspirator fan for the climate control system. It comes on as soon as doors are unlocked and will shut off after about a half minute after the doors are locked.

A common parasitic drain is the little flap on the ignition. When the key is removed there is a flap that closes to cover the keyhole. That flap is the shutdown trigger for the electronics. If it is not closing fully the electronics don't shutdown and continue to draw current. Try spraying a small squirt of WD-40 and insert remove the keys a couple of times and see if that solves your drain.

 

OK. Got all that. Thanks!
I've got other types of lube too, deox-it and graphite to name a couple. Preference?

 

Graphite works well but clean with electronic cleaner first. If it is gummy with grime graphite will gum it up more.
If the fan is noisy, with my ears I barely hear it you can put a vacuum cleaner nozzle against the dash and remove any lint or debris build up and it should quieten down.

 

It could be the seat and steering wheel memory functions? Sit inside your car and lock it, then unlock and listen to try and figure out where it's coming from.

 

Sorry to take so long getting back, things got worse and then I had to take off.
It turn out to be the reach motor making the noise, oy vay...it wasn't the center of the dash. That problem solved.

When I moved on to the ignition switch things went down hill fast. I shot some electric cleaner in there, then some aerosol graphite, when I put the key in there to manipulate the ignition the key wouldn't turn. I searched for another article on that subject and found if I turned the steering wheel and moved the gear shift that the key would turn. It does. The thing is, this was never a problem before. That's not all, the gearshift will move all of the way around the J-gate at any time, there is absolutely no restriction at any time, the key doesn't even have to be in the car.

 

You were right! It was the reach motor. My tinnitus is getting worse and worse.

Sorry to take so long getting back, things got worse and then I had to take off.
It turn out to be the reach motor making the noise, oy vay...it wasn't the center of the dash. That problem solved.

When I moved on to the ignition switch things went down hill fast. I shot some electric cleaner in there, then some aerosol graphite, when I put the key in there to manipulate the ignition the key wouldn't turn. I searched for another article on that subject and found if I turned the steering wheel and moved the gear shift that the key would turn. It does. The thing is, this was never a problem before. That's not all, the gearshift will move all of the way around the J-gate at any time, there is absolutely no restriction at any time, the key doesn't even have to be in the car.

 

Have you looked under the car where the shift cable bolts to the transmission?
Might be missing some bolts but at any rate CAREFULLY snug the bolts up. I put a dab of loctite on them just in case.
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1.That sounds like you brought a mechanical security feature back to life, when you remove the key the steering should lock, when you put the key in a gentle sway left or right of the wheel while turning the ignition key will release the steering then the ignition barrel is free to start the car.

2. That sounds very much like a gearshift interlock mechanism broken. The shifter should lock in the P position on key out, on key in you need to depress the brake pedal to release it to select a gear. Plenty of info on the forum on how to fit a replacement.

Your car is more secure with these features working.

 

I can't work under cars anymore due to a recent physical disability so everything has to be done from the top or it goes to the shop. It's more than you want to know about.
When I tore it apart enough to see the interlock solenoid, the gear changer appeared to move around freely but not excessively, I'll look again today and try to move it around more since I wasn't looking for that. Thanks.

 

1. I didn't describe it, but the key wouldn't turn even with moving the steering wheel back and forth. From another article on the forum I learned to move the shifter out of Park as well. This got the key to move in the barrel but it goes past a"high" spot first. It's not releasing all of the way on it's own.

2. It was while performing the key release maneuver mentioned above when I discovered the J-gate issue. I've been searching but haven't found a replacement how-to yet, but I will. Thanks.