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Cars make some noises. In some cases, a click under the dashboard of your Jeep is not normal. Let’s explore the various noises you could hear and what can be done about them.
The most common reason for a clicking noise behind the dashboard on your Jeep is an issue within the heating and cooling system. This sound can be loud and annoying and is usually fixed by replacing an actuator or motor under the dashboard.
What does the click under your Jeep’s dashboard sound like?
The dashboard is a place where a variety of controls are located. This cavity primarily contains wiring between the engine and the front console, and also has the heating and cooling controls and systems for your Jeep.
You’ll be able to tell pretty easily if the issue is within your Jeep’s heating and cooling controls by testing it: When you turn your air conditioner or heat on, does the tapping start?
If you turn the heater or air conditioner off, does the sound go away?
A click is probably a motor
If the problem is a simple click that is not overly loud, but repetitive and just kind of annoying, you might be dealing with the motor that controls the blend door.
To make a long story short, the blend door is responsible for sending air over either the heater or cooler depending on which one you want.
If the motor that opens this door isn’t opening, you might not get any conditioning to your air.
Loud tapping
This is actually part of the same problem but likely refers to the blend door actuator. The noise is a bit different and can be rather loud and repetitive.
The noise does often go away after a minute or so, or just by turning off the air conditioner. You’ll definitely notice this sound right away, as it sounds more like a knocking in the dashboard.
What should I do about clicking in the dashboard?
Turn off the air conditioner or heater
We hope that these problems happen to your Jeep when you have the kind of weather you really like. Why? Because you are probably going to have to drive your Jeep to a mechanic or service shop for them to take a look.
There is a chance that you’ll get air flow in your Jeep, but don’t count on any hot or cold air to come into the cabin.
Open the dashboard
We’ll be honest here: Not even mechanics really like opening the dashboard. You COULD do it and diagnose the problem though.
You’ll want some plastic tools that are able to pry the dashboard off. If it helps any, most air conditioning issues are just parts replacements
Could the clicking noise be anything else?
We are kind of going out on a limb here, but the noise might not be in your dashboard. If you hear clicking, it could be in the engine too.
The most common causes of clicking are below:
Low or dirty oil
The clicking noise you hear might be engine parts rubbing together. This sound indicates low or bad oil.
You’ll want to get an oil change as soon as possible, as low or bad oil leads to rapid wear on engine parts or even failure
If this issue is occurring, you might also get a warning light on your dashboard for low oil or requiring an oil change, we hope.
Lifters
Lifters open and close the valves on your engine. These can get worn out and make unnecessary high speed contact with metal, resulting in clicking, especially when driving at speed.
Final Thoughts
Hearing a clicking sound under the dashboard generally means you have an issue with your heating and cooling system. Either try to fix it yourself, bring it to a mechanic, or just turn your air conditioning controls off when not needed.
For the sake of the engine, be sure the problem is in the dashboard and not the engine. Engine clicking needs help right away.