Clicking sound from under the car in cold weather

[Pragmatic]

I never heard it last year (driving in fresh snow weekly). I have heard it this year, maybe because I'm listening for it.

 

[borski]

In the meantime, our temperatures rose above freezing and the clicking stopped. I believe I even saw the shutters (aka louvers) close from open position. Does it mean that nothing is broken?

Yup.

 

[mattrettig]

So, seriously: would a well-placed hair dryer on the hot setting fix this? Had the car washed today, and it’s happening to me too. Definitely don’t want to burn out a motor or gears with this. Thanks.

 

[Electrified]

Heard this noise first winter... Because of the location I assumed snow/ice had stopped the louvers from opening and closing, and the noise was some mechanical cam that had a fail-safe that would not force the louvers open/shut when there was a blockage, and thus prevent permanent damage to the mechanism.

It stopped once the car warmed. Happened again the second winter when it got cold, then stopped when the car warmed.

Happened again in July when a small deer ran into me = I assumed it was deer guts jammed into the mechanism as it did not go away. The car had cosmetic damage to front bumper cover and hood but otherwise operated normally. Wife insisted I take the car in anyway, i agreed as the sound is bothersome, and I figured I could be without a car for a few weeks. Plus, I'd get confirmation when I saw the parts on the repair invoice. Nope. Not a word.

It's been 5 months and counting. Bill is north of $30k and counting (from insurance Co... they estimated ~ $3000). Since then missed every update and car is bricked, lifeless, in some dark place where I am forbidden to even see it. I'm going crazy without my car.

Going through a bad withdrawal right now. I've missed cars before but never like this.

Point is: . ... there is a lot going on under the bodywork. And, If you miss a bunch of updates = you've trouble, right here in River CityView attachment 25896View attachment 25896

The Music Man!!

 

[stratus]

So, seriously: would a well-placed hair dryer on the hot setting fix this? Had the car washed today, and it’s happening to me too. Definitely don’t want to burn out a motor or gears with this. Thanks.

Do you park indoors? If so, just don’t worry about it , as it will stop. This is my 3rd winter with the clicking louvers and I now just completely ignore it.

 

[Halodde]

So, seriously: would a well-placed hair dryer on the hot setting fix this? Had the car washed today, and it’s happening to me too. Definitely don’t want to burn out a motor or gears with this. Thanks.

It should. But I don't know what else is in that area that the heat might damage. You're better off trying to park somewhere above freezing overnight. It'll melt the problem away.

Last time I went through the car wash, I used an air compressor and 'dried' the AGS as best I could (1 minute?) and they didn't freeze. YMMV

 

[mattrettig]

It should. But I don't know what else is in that area that the heat might damage. You're better off trying to park somewhere above freezing overnight. It'll melt the problem away.

Last time I went through the car wash, I used an air compressor and 'dried' the AGS as best I could (1 minute?) and they didn't freeze. YMMV

Rog. No I park outdoors and it’s gonna be COLD! af for the foreseeable. It stopped today but I suspect this will recur, so I’d like to know there’s a method of fixing it other than to wait potentially 8 or 10 days for it to sufficiently warm up. (This is my first winter with the car.)

Thanks for the info all!

 

[Chillywill75]

Rog. No I park outdoors and it’s gonna be COLD! af for the foreseeable. It stopped today but I suspect this will recur, so I’d like to know there’s a method of fixing it other than to wait potentially 8 or 10 days for it to sufficiently warm up. (This is my first winter with the car.)

Thanks for the info all!

In my case something on it actually got stripped so that I was even clicking during warm months so I had it replaced

 

[stratus]

Rog. No I park outdoors and it’s gonna be COLD! af for the foreseeable. It stopped today but I suspect this will recur, so I’d like to know there’s a method of fixing it other than to wait potentially 8 or 10 days for it to sufficiently warm up. (This is my first winter with the car.)

Thanks for the info all!

Since you park outside, I suspect this will be a recurring nuisance. A solution ( I have not heard of one at this point ) would be great, but in the interim, if it persists, I hope you have the same experience as me; specifically, no malfunction to this point.

 

[borski]

Since you park outside, I suspect this will be a recurring nuisance. A solution ( I have not heard of one at this point ) would be great, but in the interim, if it persists, I hope you have the same experience as me; specifically, no malfunction to this point.

Anyone remember plugging in old diesels? Extension cords and a space heater?

 

[stratus]

Anyone remember plugging in old diesels? Extension cords and a space heater?

Yes, unfortunately.

 

[Halodde]

Anyone remember plugging in old diesels? Extension cords and a space heater?

Can I park in your garage to do this? Space heater in my driveway probably won't do much lol

 

[Electrified]

Anyone remember plugging in old diesels? Extension cords and a space heater?

I remember Dad using a coal shovel filled with charcoal to warm up the oil pan in our 67 Plymouth Fury III station wagon with a 383, and then who can forget that Mopar starter whine

At the 49 second mark for the Mopar whine.

 

[Pragmatic]

One morning I was leaving to go skiing it was -20F and left to start the car so it could warm up. Turning the key I got nothing but the lights and fan were working. Neither slowed or dimmed while trying to crank. Figured the solenoid was frozen. Went inside got a sterno, lit it and slid it under the starter.
I then went in ate breakfast, went back out started the car (with it's 10 year old battery) and headed to the slopes.

 

[Princess Susan]

Today, as the temperature outside dropped to low 20s, my car started producing a clicking sound from under the front of the vehicle as if some relay is trying to turn something on or off. This continues until the car warms up in the garage. When it sits outside in low temps and you wake it up, the clicking starts again. Does anyone know what could be?

My Lucid started making a noise once she came out of the garage and I started up the half mile driveway and then up the road. Once I drove about six miles it stopped. It is cold here and has been for over a week. I figured it was the tires and it stopped once they warmed up.

 

[LuHart]

Thank you again to this forum!!

I’m in the frigid and snowy Northeast and yesterday as I pulled on to my driveway (I do not garage my Lucid) and got out I heard this loud—very loud— clicking noise I investigated and it seemed like it was coming from under the front bumper, slightly on the passenger side of the car. First thing I did was search lucidowners.com and found that it was probably a frozen thingamagig. And that when it warms it would probably resolve. Well every couple of hours I went outside to check on it and eventually it stopped.

This forum is a fantastic gem. Thanks again fellow travelers.

 

[westofboston]

Thought it was my neighbor chopping wood. The problem with waiting for it to ‘resolve’ is that it is irritating me and it is probably irritating my neighbors. (Yes, parked outside and in New England). Anyway to speed this along?

 

[LuHart]

Thought it was my neighbor chopping wood. The problem with waiting for it to ‘resolve’ is that it is irritating me and it is probably irritating my neighbors. (Yes, parked outside and in New England). Anyway to speed this along?

Yes. Park in a garage, get a coffee or a bite to eat and when you’re done the noise will be gone. In my case, I had the car pointed into the sun, even on a cold day, and the solar rays warmed the offending piece enough so that the ice melted.

 

[canuck]

“De-Ice Mode combines defrost, automatic wiper blade movement, and wiper fluid to clear ice that may be obstructing the view through the windshield.”

Sounds like no, unless they’ve updated it.

I've used the de-ice mode a couple of times and it does seem to work. However, it feels like it's dumping half a tank of washer fluid in the process.