Radio Ticking

[suleman09]

Hey Everyone, I have a 2010 Ford Mustang and a little over a year ago within my Radio’s head unit the number “9” button wasn’t lit, so it was under warranty and I told them that it needs a bulb most likely. They told me that the whole head unit needed to be replaced just to replace that small light bulb. It was free, so i didn’t mind.

But now, everytime that I turn on my car, if its in the “acc” position or the engine is turned over, i can hear a loud ticking behind the head unit, it ticks slowly for about 5 seconds everytime then goes away until i turn the car off and turn it back on.

I’m assuming that there is a problem with this head unit or something related?

(The dealer said that the repair is out of warranty and they wont cover it now)

Notes:
-I have tried this with A/C on and off and it still makes the sound so i know it’s not an A/C sound
-I have taken out the CD that is in the player and it still does it without it in there
-I have never broken a CD or dropped anything back in that area

Thanks in advance!

Topic

[EricTheCarGuy]

This is a tricky one for many reasons not the lest of which is that we can’t hear the noise. That said however I would suspect it’s something in the dash that was perhaps not installed correctly when they did the radio. Unfortunately you didn’t notice this right away so they may not be inclined to go back in there and check their work without charging you. In my opinion I’d be taking the head unit out and starting the car to see if I could isolate the noise.

[Wayne]

It’s most likely one of the climate control actuators. Nearly all the HVAC control components are directly behind the radio in the dash.

Regardless of the position of the climate control at least 1 of these initialize upon KOEO(run position).

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Temperature%20Blend%20Door%20Actuator.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Panel,Floor%20Door.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Defrost%20Door.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Air%20Inlet%20Door.pdf

This is a very common thing with the S197 generation of mustangs. One of the teeth breaks on the plastic actuator gear, “click-click-click”..

Diagnose which by observation the first time, then verify by disconnecting the electrical harness going into the suspected one, one at a time.

Here’s verification(if it sounds like this):
[video width=425 height=344 type=youtube]4q1rRWAraYw[/video]

In regards to the radio itself, should you suspect an issue:
Simultaneously press and hold the audio unit preset buttons 3 and 6. Then press 2 during the speaker test to display any DTCs it might have.

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=373&viewfile=Audio%20System.pdf (page 2, page 3 has the radio DTCs)

[EricTheCarGuy]

[quote=”Wayne613″ post=34349]It’s most likely one of the climate control actuators. Nearly all the HVAC control components are directly behind the radio in the dash.

Regardless of the position of the climate control at least 1 of these initialize upon KOEO(run position).

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Temperature%20Blend%20Door%20Actuator.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Panel,Floor%20Door.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Defrost%20Door.pdf
http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=336&viewfile=Mode%20Door%20Actuator%20-%20Air%20Inlet%20Door.pdf

This is a very common thing with the S197 generation of mustangs. One of the teeth breaks on the plastic actuator gear, “click-click-click”..

Diagnose which by observation the first time, then verify by disconnecting the electrical harness going into the suspected one, one at a time.

Here’s verification(if it sounds like this):
[video width=425 height=344 type=youtube]4q1rRWAraYw[/video]

In regards to the radio itself, should you suspect an issue:
Simultaneously press and hold the audio unit preset buttons 3 and 6. Then press 2 during the speaker test to display any DTCs it might have.

http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=373&viewfile=Audio%20System.pdf (page 2, page 3 has the radio DTCs)[/quote]

Nice post man.

[Wayne]

Thanks. However, I searched for some easy to understand/follow vids for a couple issues for people to follow while on a site a few months back, parasitic drain (which is another normal shortcoming of the radio system in these generation vehicles) in particular; So in essence “no-no-no, thank you“. 😉 It’s one thing to read a procedure, it’s quite another to be 3 inches away from someone actually doing it, seeing how it’s actually done, and commentary on why. This helps doing similar procedures on many other vehicles not just the specific one you’re doing at the time.

Probably linked to that one specifically about half a dozen times on mustangforums.com by now as well as a couple others. I, of course, have gone though them all now at least once just because even if it is something I already knew, it’s still way better than anything on TV.

The service manuals that are there are a wealth of interesting information, one of these days perhaps I can afford to buy a set in earnest off Ebay or the like. I love these. And unfortunately that site doesn’t host everything, so there are bits missing. All from the power-train diagnostics section.

[Author]

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