heater on clicking noise

[chezck]

hey im new to this forum... i would like to know if you guys can help me out with something... i have a 2001 ford explorer sport, and i been looking everywhere for this but no luck...

The problem is when i turn on the heater, i hear a clicking noise out side in the front of the truck... and all my lights will dim, like if it was drawing power from somewhere.

 

[K5trailrunner]

it sounds like you have debree in your heater box, interfeering with your blower motor. i have the same problem except mine is the rear heater not the front . i'd say try pulling out the blower motor, shouldn't bee too hard (i've never tried it on the ford, but the other car's i have it was really easy with only 3 bolts needing to be removed

 

[chezck]

if it was the blower motor it shouldnt do it when the temperature is colder... like the hotter it is, the more often it makes the noise

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Did you check the blend door actuator? Does it switch between A/C & heat correctly or does it stick in one position?

 

[chezck]

yeah, but the sound is not comming from inside the cabin.... but from out side of the truck

and it click once every 5 seconds, or if the temperature is a lil colder once every 20 seconds.... but if im going at speeds of over 40 miles per hour it doesnt do it, no matter what temperature it is in

 

[TOMANDPAT]

I betcha it's the AC compressor kicking on and off. Pop the hood and take a look

Tom

 

[chezck]

hmm that sounds more likely... but why is it going on when the heater is on?

 

[jaydez]

hmm that sounds more likely... but why is it going on when the heater is on?

If its on defrost the AC will be on to clear any humidity off the windows.

 

[chezck]

hmm.... i still dont get it, how can i turn it off?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Unplug the compressor or remove the relay, and see if the noise goes away.

 

[K5trailrunner]

ok, my mistake, i was thinking about a different clicking, however my rear heater only clikcs when it's cold. and the colder it is the louder and more often it does it. and as far as your ac compressor, once again mine did the same thing, i couldn't figure out why it was turning on and off, it didn't matter what the mix control knob was set to, it always turned on and off every few min/sec. i ended up just unpluging it and it don't do it any more. it's worth a try

 

[dredlux26]

hope more suggestions will come to this problem..
i had exactly the same problem..
battery gauge levels going down everytime the ac compressor squeaks like every 5 seconds..
lights getting dim.. sigh,,,
i cant find the real culprit!