Strange Noise Coming From Dash

[michaelfriesen]

I found a similar post somewhere in this forum but the question/problem didn’t really seem to be solved.

 

I have a 2008 Ford Edge Limited AWD. Best vehicle we’ve ever owned. We really don’t drive that much, we’re so close to everything and walk everywhere. Only has 108,000 km on it. So obviously, we don’t use the AC that much. The heating system in the vehicle has always worked amazingly well during the colder months here in Vancouver.

 

We had to run some errands a couple of days ago and it’s been brutally hot here so we got in the vehicle and turned the AC on. The AC worked perfectly, no strange sounds coming from under the hood, no leaks, no belt noises, no problems whatsoever. We went to a gardening store, parked out front. Went in and did our shopping. Came out and started the vehicle up and by the time I got down to the end of the block, I could hear this strange sound coming from in behind the dashboard, almost in the center of the dashboard above the shifter/console. It’s almost like a ticking sound but not really a tick. It’s very hard to describe, almost more like a very soft and quiet light tapping sound (if the radio or an MP3 was playing at a quiet volume, you'd never hear it). Not a quick repeating sound but more of a tap once half every second or so. Sort of like the sound you hear when a vent closes after the heat or AC has been turned off. It’s important to note that this sound happens when the AC is completely off. It’s a minor annoyance but I’m wondering what it is. It just eventually stopped on its own.

 

So we made another stop on the way home. Got back into the vehicle and the sound started up again and then just went away on its own.

 

I didn’t drive it for a couple of days thinking the sound would probably just go away. So today, I had to make a stop at the grocery store and heard no strange sounds whatsoever coming from the dashboard on the way down to the grocery store. I didn’t use the AC at all today. I thought to myself, well -- the sound is gone. But when I came out of the grocery store and got back into the vehicle and started it up, by the time I got to the lights about a block away, I could hear the sound again (note that the AC was still completely off -- wasn't used at all today). Fan was off. No accessories running at all. Not even my iPhone/Bluetooth.

 

Stopped again and put some gas in, got back in and the sound was gone. Quiet as a mouse by the time I got home. Completely gone.

 

I did some searching around on the net and some people say to change the cabin air filter so I did that, I haven’t tried it yet but I just don’t think that’s what the problem is. Correct me if I’m wrong. Anyone out there ever have the same thing happen? This is a weird one.

[enigma-2]

Had something similar in my 09 MKX. It turned out to be the bearings in the fan motor were going dry and making weird sounds. Intermittent.

 

Think the fan runs on low, whether a/c on or not. 

 

I was able fix it by pulling out the motor (takes 5 minutes tops, remove 3 screws and it pops out) and spraying some WD40 into the bearings (top and bottom). So far its been good for three years.

Edited September 2, 2022 by enigma-2

[michaelfriesen]

1 hour ago, enigma-2 said:

Had something similar in my 09 MKX. It turned out to be the bearings in the fan motor were going dry and making weird sounds. Intermittent.

 

Think the fan runs on low, whether a/c on or not. 

 

I was able fix it by pulling out the motor (takes 5 minutes tops, remove 3 screws and it pops out) and spraying some WD40 into the bearings (top and bottom). So far its been good for three years.

 

Thanks for the reply. I thought about the fan, too. But the only thing is that this happens when the fan and AC are completely off. And off for a good 5 to 10 minutes.

 

So I don't think it could be the fan, then again, I'm no car mechanic ?

[enigma-2]

I'd lean towards a blend door actuator that's failing. They tend to make a clicking (or ticking) or droning when they start to fail. 

 

Next time you hear it, try changing where the air comes out, that is, switch to defrost position, to activate the actuator. If the sound stops you found your suspect.

[michaelfriesen]

1 hour ago, enigma-2 said:

I'd lean towards a blend door actuator that's failing. They tend to make a clicking (or ticking) or droning when they start to fail. 

 

Next time you hear it, try changing where the air comes out, that is, switch to defrost position, to activate the actuator. If the sound stops you found your suspect.

 

I'll give that a try, thanks for the help. Is this something that I can replace myself? Like I said above. I'm no mechanic but I'm an electrician (electrical contractor) -- fixing electrical comes easy.

[enigma-2]

I'd say yes, not too hard.

 

Some actuators are easier to reach than others, so depends on which one is starting to fail. YouTube has videos on changing.

[enigma-2]

Here's one, many more on YouTube. 

 

[michaelfriesen]

25 minutes ago, enigma-2 said:

Here's one, many more on YouTube.

 

Thanks again, if it is an actuator, finding which one it is first sounds like an interesting chore. I've done a lot of searching around the net in the past half hour, sounds like there are three of them on the 2008 Edge.

 

I'll let you know what I find, hopefully this may help someone else out in the forum at some point.

[enigma-2]

Believe there's either two or three depending on whether its a standard system or automatic temperature controlled. 

 

Try resetting the blend door actuator and see if it helps. Start by removing the fuse that provides power to the HVAC system. Then start the car and run the AC system for about two minutes. (This requires the system to reset itself). After two minutes, turn the car off and put the fuse back in.

[michaelfriesen]

30 minutes ago, enigma-2 said:

Believe there's either two or three depending on whether its a standard system or automatic temperature controlled. 

 

Try resetting the blend door actuator and see if it helps. Start by removing the fuse that provides power to the HVAC system. Then start the car and run the AC system for about two minutes. (This requires the system to reset itself). After two minutes, turn the car off and put the fuse back in.

 

Thanks so much.

[michaelfriesen]

On 9/3/2022 at 6:26 PM, enigma-2 said:

Believe there's either two or three depending on whether its a standard system or automatic temperature controlled. 

 

Try resetting the blend door actuator and see if it helps. Start by removing the fuse that provides power to the HVAC system. Then start the car and run the AC system for about two minutes. (This requires the system to reset itself). After two minutes, turn the car off and put the fuse back in.

 

Okay, just a tad bit confused here. Doing a lot of research on the net about this and I see:

 

"To reset climate control, press the defrost button and the climate control power button at the same time, release both buttons, then press the climate control power button again. For most Ford Edge drivers, this fixes any HVAC issues instantly."

 

That would sure be a simple way of doing this bu the trouble is, it doesn't apply to the 2008 Ford Edge ?

 

So, as you said above:

 

Quote

"Start by removing the fuse that provides power to the HVAC system."

 

Which fuse are you referring to? There are multiple fuses related to climate control (3 of them), cooling (3 of them), etc. I don't see any one individual fuse labelled HVAC or even just A/C.

 

I've attached a pdf from the 2008 Ford Edge Manual. Thanks in advance.

2008_ford_edge_fuses.pdf

[enigma-2]

On my 09 the test is entered by pressing the OFF and DEFROST buttons simultaneously and then pressing the AUTO button within 2 seconds. Running the test resets the module.

[michaelfriesen]

1 hour ago, enigma-2 said:

On my 09 the test is entered by pressing the OFF and DEFROST buttons simultaneously and then pressing the AUTO button within 2 seconds. Running the test resets the module.

 

Thank you! Hoping this works on an '08. Do you do this while the vehicle is running or just with the key in the ignition and accessory on?

 

I watched a YouTube video for resetting newer models and the video author said to do it while the vehicle is off (only accessory on) so I would assume this would be the same?

[enigma-2]

Either way, just went out and tried it.

 

Press both OFF & DEFROST, nothing really happened, then pressed the AUTO button. Display switches, massages the doors, display shows flashing lines and result is displayed. Press blue "cooler" to exit.

 

"88 88" means good.

Edited September 9, 2022 by enigma-2

[michaelfriesen]

55 minutes ago, enigma-2 said:

Either way, just went out and tried it.

 

Press both OFF & DEFROST, nothing really happened, then pressed the AUTO button. Display switches, massages the doors, display shows flashing lines and result is displayed. Press "off" to exit.

 

"88 88" means good.

 

Excellent, thanks so much for your help. I will give this a try when I get back home on the weekend.

[michaelfriesen]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner but I was away on a business trip for much longer than I expected. I just got back and had a chance to take our ’08 Edge out for a ride to see what was happening and it seems as though replacing the cabin air filter solved the problem. At least in my case, it did. Kind of makes sense because the noise was randomly happening when all controls and functions were completely off.

 

I didn't have to perform a climate control reset after all but at least I know how to do it should the need arise in the future. So for anyone reading this who has a similar problem, I would start by replacing the cabin air filter first because that's what did the trick for me. From there, I would suggest trying the reset as explained above.

 

Thanks again for your help. Cheers!