2000 540i: Annoying electrical popping/clicking sound in dash

I've had my 540i for five years now. For the last two years I've been
hearing an intermittent "popping" sound from the left side of the dash. It
sounds distinctly electrical, but there are no symptoms or problems with any
of the car's electrical. I've had it in the shop twice, and they claim that
they either can't hear the sound, or they say they can't see any evidence of
problems when they got into the dash to investigate (between you and me - I
doubt that they actually pulled the instrument cluster and looked, as they
said).

Has anyone else experienced this?

It's not causing a problem with the car, but it's driving me absolutely
batty. I've got very sensitive ears, and I don't think I should be hearing
this sort of sound from the dash of a $61,000 luxury car.

BTW: It's not associated with the audio system, lights, turn signals, engine
speed, or any other obvious sources. The sound happens randomly every 3-7
seconds, whether idling or driving at 70 mph. Hot or cold weather, rain or
shine. IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!

HELP, SOMEONE!

--
Arlelia & Ed
"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> I've had my 540i for five years now. For the last two years I've been
> hearing an intermittent "popping" sound from the left side of the dash.
> It sounds distinctly electrical, but there are no symptoms or problems
> with any of the car's electrical. I've had it in the shop twice, and they
> claim that they either can't hear the sound, or they say they can't see
> any evidence of problems when they got into the dash to investigate
> (between you and me - I doubt that they actually pulled the instrument
> cluster and looked, as they said).
>
> Has anyone else experienced this?
>
> It's not causing a problem with the car, but it's driving me absolutely
> batty. I've got very sensitive ears, and I don't think I should be
> hearing this sort of sound from the dash of a $61,000 luxury car.
>
> BTW: It's not associated with the audio system, lights, turn signals,
> engine speed, or any other obvious sources. The sound happens randomly
> every 3-7 seconds, whether idling or driving at 70 mph. Hot or cold
> weather, rain or shine. IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
>
> HELP, SOMEONE!
>Could it be the alarm system?

"Bill" > wrote
> I've had my 540i for five years now. For the last two years I've been
> hearing an intermittent "popping" sound from the left side of the dash.
> It sounds distinctly electrical, but there are no symptoms or problems
> with any of the car's electrical. I've had it in the shop twice, and they
> claim that they either can't hear the sound, or they say they can't see
> any evidence of problems when they got into the dash to investigate
> (between you and me - I doubt that they actually pulled the instrument
> cluster and looked, as they said).
>
> Has anyone else experienced this?

If you have a cell phone, try turning it off. Cell phones do cause
interference that can cause popping, etc., typically through the audio
system, but sometimes the alarm enunciator.

Floyd

"Bill" > wrote in message
...
> I've had my 540i for five years now. For the last two years I've
> been hearing an intermittent "popping" sound from the left side of
> the dash. It sounds distinctly electrical, but there are no
> symptoms or problems with any of the car's electrical. I've had it
> in the shop twice, and they claim that they either can't hear the
> sound, or they say they can't see any evidence of problems when they
> got into the dash to investigate (between you and me - I doubt that
> they actually pulled the instrument cluster and looked, as they
> said).
>
> Has anyone else experienced this?
>
> It's not causing a problem with the car, but it's driving me
> absolutely batty. I've got very sensitive ears, and I don't think I
> should be hearing this sort of sound from the dash of a $61,000
> luxury car.
>
> BTW: It's not associated with the audio system, lights, turn
> signals, engine speed, or any other obvious sources. The sound
> happens randomly every 3-7 seconds, whether idling or driving at 70
> mph. Hot or cold weather, rain or shine. IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
>
> HELP, SOMEONE!

Not sure about in a 2000, but in my (considerably older) 540i there is
an electric motor and solenoid valve hung on the firewall on the left
side of the engine compartment. Although it is not in the cabin under
the dash, the sound they make may appear to be coming from that area.
The reason I suggest it at all is this is the sort of cyclical popping
sound that the control valve makes when it is regulating the heater
core temperature. Does it only happen after the engine is up to
temperature? Does it go away if you change the temperature set-point
for max or min?

-Fred W

I don't have a 540, but I would imagine there are a lot of things the
same. I had this problem in my '96 740il and it turned out to be the
stepper motors they use to control the heating vents. These are little
motors located in several places near the heating vents that open or
close them in response to where you select air to be directed (defrost,
combo vent and defrost, etc). If they go bad, they will sit there and
"hunt" around their set-point and make these little click noises that
are very subtle. Didn't matter what the temperature of the engine,
outside or inside was....thank god, I had a 100K warranty on the car
cause it wasn't cheap. They replaced all of them on one trip.


JC

In article >, Malt_Hound@*no says...
>
> "Bill" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've had my 540i for five years now. For the last two years I've
> > been hearing an intermittent "popping" sound from the left side of
> > the dash. It sounds distinctly electrical, but there are no
> > symptoms or problems with any of the car's electrical. I've had it
> > in the shop twice, and they claim that they either can't hear the
> > sound, or they say they can't see any evidence of problems when they
> > got into the dash to investigate (between you and me - I doubt that
> > they actually pulled the instrument cluster and looked, as they
> > said).
> >
> > Has anyone else experienced this?
> >
> > It's not causing a problem with the car, but it's driving me
> > absolutely batty. I've got very sensitive ears, and I don't think I
> > should be hearing this sort of sound from the dash of a $61,000
> > luxury car.
> >
> > BTW: It's not associated with the audio system, lights, turn
> > signals, engine speed, or any other obvious sources. The sound
> > happens randomly every 3-7 seconds, whether idling or driving at 70
> > mph. Hot or cold weather, rain or shine. IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!
> >
> > HELP, SOMEONE!
>
> Not sure about in a 2000, but in my (considerably older) 540i there is
> an electric motor and solenoid valve hung on the firewall on the left
> side of the engine compartment. Although it is not in the cabin under
> the dash, the sound they make may appear to be coming from that area.
> The reason I suggest it at all is this is the sort of cyclical popping
> sound that the control valve makes when it is regulating the heater
> core temperature. Does it only happen after the engine is up to
> temperature? Does it go away if you change the temperature set-point
> for max or min?
>
> -Fred W
>
>
>

No - engine temp seems to have no bearing on when/if this sound occurs,
although I will say that I seem to hear it louder and more consistently when
it is cold outside. Changing temp set points, or other settings on the
climate control system doesn't seem to affect it.

> Not sure about in a 2000, but in my (considerably older) 540i there is an
> electric motor and solenoid valve hung on the firewall on the left side of
> the engine compartment. Although it is not in the cabin under the dash,
> the sound they make may appear to be coming from that area. The reason I
> suggest it at all is this is the sort of cyclical popping sound that the
> control valve makes when it is regulating the heater core temperature.
> Does it only happen after the engine is up to temperature? Does it go
> away if you change the temperature set-point for max or min?
>
> -Fred W
>