Buzzing/groaning in dash . . .
 

Recently, there have been some odd noises coming from inside my dash. I have no clue as to what would cause it. I have a '03 95 Aero wagon. The car has been very good so far, but these noises are rather disturbing and annoying.

They only happen when I come to a complete stop. If I'm moving it wont happen. But once I'm stopped, the dash will start to buzz, and then make a pop sound. Sometimes it will go through this process twice. And once it starts, it wont stop until after the pop sound. I've heard it sound like flatulence, burping, electrical buzzing . . . But the popping sounds mechanical or physical like something is moving around in there. And since I can't reproduce it every single time, I can't prove anything to the dealership either.

One more thing: the noises will also take place if the car is turned off and the key removed.

If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know.

Thanks.

I think it has something to do with the climate control. It's just that those are pretty much the only components that can make such sounds...

^^ I'll try turning it off. The climate control pretty much just works the fan speed though. I understand the AC compressor and whatnot and the vent switches are all computer controled, but I don't understand why it would do this ONLY after coming to a complete stop. And even if the car's power has been turned off.

But yeah, I'll play around with the controls a bit to see if one of those internal vents is stuck or something. (it would really suck if it was, but give a little better piece of mind.) Becuase that popping noise DOES sound mechanical.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Ok, whatever is making the noise is almost certainly the climate control.

I played around with various vent controls and the one that is making the noises is the air re-circulation/open air vent. Flipped it on and off a few cycles. Not sure if it's stuck and the servos are grinding the gears, or if it just needs grease. Trouble is finding a way to get to it, now. It could be popping gears, which would mean a new motor assembly ($$$). This has been going on for a while. If something crawled in there and died, I would have known it by now. So I just need to get to it and find out what's going on.

So, reasoning, it appears as though the climate control system automatically opens/closes that vent when the car is moving/stopped. At least that is my theory on why it makes the noises when the car comes to a stop.

But it IS that vent, or the controls to that vent.

Thanks again for the recommendation!

I believe there's a fix-kit for some part of the ACC... go to eeuroparts.com and type in BDKIT in the part number search.

or: http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartDetail.aspx?id=BDKIT

That actually hasn't been giving me grief lately. I've noticed for the second time that my fuel gauge has dropped from full to empty and back to full again within a matter of seconds. Must have an electrical short somewhere. *sigh* Along with the other electrical shorts that are annoying me. (left headlight auto-level sensor doesn't work, right brights-on headlight shutter doesn't work, backup sensors sometimes short out even when car is clean, and now the fuel gauge.)

It may be temperature related.

I've thought that too. I'm hoping to have an open weekend to actually crawl under the car and check out the wiring.

I've got to replace a couple components in the Saab anyway. Headlight sensor is one item, and belt shield is the other "major" item.