There is a somewhat uniquesituation going on under the hood of my car. I don't know if it's a problem, it could be normal. But I have never heard anything like it, so I am asking for other people's opinion.

There seems to be a clicking or a popping noise coming from around the alternator or a/c compressor. It kind of sounds like a spark when you take a hot and ground wire and tap them together, not like the flutter of valve caps. It's not terribly loud, in fact I can only hear it when car is right by a wall and it echos off, or I am by the engine of course. I was in my garage when I first heard it...

It seems to only happen when the car is in park, and only on occasion. I heard it and immediately took it to the dealership because the car is still under warranty. But as soon as I got there, the clicking was gone. I went to the store (still no click), came back home, and low and behold, the clicking was there again.

Does anyone know what this might be? I know that it's very vague, but I would hate to take this to someone to look at, only to have them tell me that it's normal.

 

mine makes a clicking noise after installing my intake, but everyone gets it. something about the stock airbox quiets it down.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with the intake... I haven't changed anything on the engine yet. Like I said, it sounds like it's coming from the altenator or a/c compressor. It's not thermal expansion either (the clicking that you get when you turn the car off). It sounds like shorting two wires together.

If that's the case, then it's understandable (I guess) for it to be the alternator. But I still don't think it's normal. I guess I am just going to have to take into the dealership and see what they say about it.

 

I believe it is normal. I don't know exactly what it is, but I've heard it on mine ever since I got it. Haven't had any problems nor has the dealer ever said anything to me.

 

Ok, thanks for the input. I guess I won't worry about it. Besides, the sound kind of went away... for now.

 

yeah i have the same clickin problem, i have a 05 automatic TC

have you ever raced your tc? or gas it? i do it atleast once a day when driving... so i dont know if that caused the problem

i get paranoid when i hear the clicking sound, i can hear it while driving by a wall, or the center divider, i hear it when im on park too so i got my car to hear wheres the clicking is coming from i notice that its more on the center and passenger side... i dont know wats wrong but when i was in traffic on a freeway i heard another scion tc with that same clicking noise so i think its normal

but the clicking is pretty loud and annoying, gets me paranoid

 

Interesting, I thought I was the only one. I hear weird noises bouncing back at me off of walls, buildings, parked cars, etc. I found a good solution though: put the windows up.