Clicking from behind front vents when moving (CLK W209)

James99

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There is a clicking noise seemingly from behind the front centre air vents. It only happens when moving and the speed of clicking is proportional to the speed of the car. It only happens when warm, after about 6 miles, and is louder when cornering right-hand bends, and practically goes silent when cornering left-hand bends. The clicking is not affected whether the air blowers are off or on maximum.

It's been going a couple of months now and a local garage couldn't find a fault. Could anyone please suggest what the problem could be? Thank you very much!
 

type49

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Could be just the parking brake cable touching the propshaft. The blue clips which hold the cable break, causing a speed related noise which is often worse when cornering due to the tilting of the engine. You will need to have the car in the air & probably remove the heat shield to see anything.
 
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James99

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Hi type49. Many thanks for that - I did wonder about that as I've read it elsewhere. I even asked the garage to check for it, and they said it looked ok (but I'm not sure they did). Does the sound appear to come from the front air vents when that happens?
 
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James99

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Yes I have, thank you. Took it to back to the garage last week and told them to look again at the parking brake cable touching the propshaft. It was that. Thanks very much for your help!!
 

pkm

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thanks for the imfo on the clicking noise. I had the same and followed your advice and low and behold it was spot on. the garage thought I was a genius. many thanks. PKM.
 

Alex Crow

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hello and welcome pkm, thanks for the thumbs up!
 
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James99

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Yes, good advice from type49! Glad it sorted your problem out too, pkm. My garage had never heard of anything like it before either!
 

James251080

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Clicking on clk

Hi I've just brought a 2008 clk diesel which I'm really pleased with I just have a clicking noise I've been reading up about what it could be and the one that best describes it is the handbrake cable touching the props haft the noise increases with speed and decreases when showing down is loader when turning right but seems to completly go when turning left and dosent click at all when stationary and sounds like its comin from behind cetre console it's ****** annoying ,but this is a 2008 clk with just 50k on it ant the guy with the cable issue had a 2002 320 could it still be same problem , it's just had a £650 servise could they had accident freed this cable ?????
 
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James99

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Hi James,

Your symptoms (the clicking going away when stationary or turning left) are *exactly* the same ones as I had on my older CLK. And yes, it also sounded like it was coming from the centre console. I'm not an expert but I would bet it is the same thing as I had.
 

television

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It certainly looks as though it is the same fault, if immediately after the service, take it back.
 

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Too hard to say if the clips are broken or if the cable has just come out, we have not had a car as new as yours with this., did this happen after you left the ones that serviced it.
 

James251080

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I only brought the car last week and the servise is a thousand miles ago the rattle has always been there but it's getting worse I'm thinking because I park on a hill and have to tension the foot rake to max ?
 

Alex Crow

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Yes, it can happen to your car, and does sound like the cable clip has broken and the cable has dropped onto the prop.
A new clip is needed, with a H/D cable tie also used to make sure it never happens again!
This is used to secure the cable to the under body metalwork at the prop center bearing, and takes some of the strain from the clip.

Many people do not use these parking brakes, and the clip will only snap when the brake is used.
It may be that it broke when the garage tested the parking brake, which would mean they are at no fault.
 

James251080

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Hi thanks so much for replying , cars going in the garage today I've explained the situation to them , how long do you think it should take and how much , I only ask because this guy has a reputation but he's next to my work place so I'm only using him because of the convienience , will he have to send of for the new clips ?
 

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It is a matter of removing the under tray, then doing the clips, the dealer will have them in stock
 


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