406 Clicking noise

You are hearing the motor that opens/closes the recirculation flap. It strips its gears and then keeps on running. The expensive cure is to have it replaced, about £140 gbp (200 euros ?) to buy plus fitting charges the cheap way is to make sure the flap is in the open position (you can see it if you remove the grid and filter beneath the windscreen wiper) and then disconnect the motor. I did this and the only time I regret it is when a smoky car is in front of me. This problem has been covered fully in earlier threads, search Google Groups for "recirculation motor" +peugeot.

Martin,

This is a common fault and there is a past thread of correspondence about it on this newsgroup. You could search for it on Google News.

The clicking is caused by wear of the nylon gears on the servo motor that opens and closes the flap that controls whether or not the air is recirculating in the car.

There are basically two options. Replace the motor, or disconnect it. When it happened on my wife's car, I opted for the latter. Whichever you decide on, it's good to have very small hands as it's difficult to get at the motor.

Check the past threads for full details.

Raymond

Hi again.

Thanks for your replies. How easy is the motor to get out? or disconnect? And how is this motor accessed?? My haynes manual does not describe this :-(

By the way, when disconnecting it, how can I make sure the flap is in "normal" position?

Hope you guys can help me a this, as its really annoying.

Kindest regards

This is all from memory: we traded in the 406 last weekend.

First lift the bonnet and remove the plastic grill/trim just under the windscreen on the passenger side of the car. This will reveal the air intake. Look down into it to see if the flap is open or closed. The servo motor will probably still work enough to open it if it is closed. Don't put the grill back just yet.

Remove the glove box. It's held in place by two white nylon pegs that act as the hinges and simply slide out. Once you have that out of the way, you should be able to see a small inspection plate (~10 cm square) that is held in place by one (I think) Torx screw (can't remember what size). Remove the plate and look up into the dark void above using a torch to light your way. If you feel around, the main object up there is the motor. If you are not sure that you have identified it correctly, turn the re-circulation on and off a few times. You should be able to feel the motor vibrating slightly.

To disconnect the motor, feel around for the pair of wires and disconnect them: it's a simple pull connection. BUT FIRST, check that you really have left the re-circulation flap open. You can now put the grill back under the bonnet.

I never tried to get the motor out, so cannot help you there.

Once the motor is disconnected, the light on the re-circulation botton on the dashboard will still work. That's good when you come to sell the car: no awkward questions from potential buyers.

Hope this helps,

Raymond

I found the most essential piece of equipment was an agile son-in-law, as you are working under the glovebox in front of the passenger, at times on your back.

You should find that the flap still opens and closes (closed when the light is on, open when it is off) but the motor continues running and clicking when the flap reaches its limit of travel. You can also see the flap by removing the grid outside under the passenger side wiper and the filter below it.

Remove the glove box by taking out the plastic hinge pins. Behind it there is a black panel, secured if I remember correctly by one screw. Remove the panel. The motor is through the hole and round to the right, put your hand through and you will find it. Operate the recirc button and you will feel the motor running. If you want to remove the motor it is held by two pozidriv type screws, in opposite corners. Otherwise follow the wires and find the plug, it is tough but will pull out. I tried to get a replacement motor (also apparently called a servo) from a scrappy but could only get the later type which will not do. This link will take you to pictures of both the original and later type motors.

"Keith Willcocks" skrev i en meddelelse news:d8rr7t$rbf$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdmz02.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

Thanks for the tips from both of you. :-)

I will try and find a replacement, and then try and replace the motor.. I hope everything will go smoothly (otherwise, I might return with more questions, hope that is ok :-)

Kindest regards

If you are replacing the motor you will need to be aware that there are two separate motors depending on whether you have automatic air conditioning (climate control) or bog standard manual. Your car, like mine, should be the early model and should have the type of motor referred to as original in the web pictures. I decided, after having problems getting a replacement, not to put the motor back and, to be honest, I haven't missed it. I don't think I used it hardly anyway.

One other point. A number of people have said that you can buy the gears for the unit from model shops and, apparently, there are matching ones in Range Rovers. I do not, however, think that changing them will make a very lasting cure as there is an electronic device inside which I suspect detects the increased load when the flap reaches the end of its travel and cuts the power. This is only guesswork but it seems the sort of thing that is done these days and I could not find any other system for detecting when to stop the motor.

I will be interested to hear how you get on.

Good Luck,

Keith

That's small motor which changes the air-intake (recirculating) when you press the button. It is broken and you need a new one (expencive!!) This is standard repair on 405,406...)...