Hello,
My 2000 Avalon, 203000 miles has just started a strange noise under the steering column. Sounds kind of like the speedometer cable is going bad. Minor noise, not ear shattering. Mostly heard while moving but sometimes the noise continues after stopping.
No major problem. Just curious if anyone has ever had similar experience.
Thanks.
Bill Poston
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203,000 miles on a 5 year old car is almost as much driving as I used to do!
A failing speedometer cable makes a squealing or clicking sound. It that the sound you're hearing? BTW, your car has an electronic speedometer and does not have any rotating parts under the steering column.
If you get the sound when you turn the steering wheel, it may be the clockspring for the air bag.
Thanks.
The sound is like a dull clicking. (made me think of the older speedometer cables clicking when going bad). I thought the speedometer was electronic but not sure.
Turning the steering wheel does not affect the sound. The really weird thing is that sometimes the clicking continuous after car is stopped.
Bill Poston
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On some cars with auto climate control, a small fan samples the air in the car even when car is off for a short time after a door is opened or closed. I don't know about the avalon though. If it has such a fan, that might explain the noise if it is going bad. Chrysler uses those fans with Auto climate control.
Hmmm, you don't have any enemies, do you?
Clicking noises are made by relays, solenoids, and bimetallic switches like turn signal flashers. Most relays are in the fuse panel so that leaves solenoids and bimetallic switches as possible sources of the sound.
If you have the shifter on the column, the shift lock solenoid is somewhere in the column, as is the solenoid that releases the ignition key. The bimetallic switches are the turn signal and hazard warning flashers.
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