Gurgling noise from dashboard

Does it happen all the time or only when you are moving? Does the sound change as the engine revs or when the car moves faster?

If the sound only happens when the heater or A/C is on and the fan blowing out air, it could be the condensate hose is plugged. When the A/C is run, water condenses and is allowed to drain through a little hose out the bottom of the car. That's the puddle you see under cars in the hot summer. To clear the hose, you just blow some air backwards and the clog will usually clear.

If the sound only happens when you are moving, it could be the speedometer cable got kinked when the 60k tune-up was done. You could ignore this until one day it may break and you can replace it then. If you replace it now, it would be cheaper labor wise, but I had a car that went for years and never broke the cable.

If the sound changes as the engine is revved, it could be a vacuum line disconnected or loose for the control of the heater ducts.

Maybe that mechanic should give you a discount for failing to diagnose the problem correctly. Yeah right....that will never happen. It bugs me when a mechanic does not diagnose a problem correctly and still charges a customer full price.

I hope this helps, Rich

A 60000 km service on the galant entails changing the anti-freeze My guess is that it has not been completly filled, and the gurgling noise is air mixed with anti-freeze whooshing through the heater system . which is in the middle of the dashboard , A missing or defective seal on the radiator drain plug will also produce this sound , as the engine cools down a slight vacuum forms and air gets sucked into the radiator. When the engine is started again,Then the fluid/air mix is circulated producing this gurgling noise.

Rich & Jonny! Thank you very much, for your responses. I apologize for not providing the enough details. I am getting this noise at the time of initial pickup. For example when I stop at the light and apply gas to move then I can clearly hear this noise that's it I don't hear it anymore until I stop & start it again at next light. Hope this gives you an idea why am I getting this noise. So, if I take it to the mechanic again, what should I tell and do I have to be more specific about what needs to be fixed?

Regards, Katekaneni

Hi Katekaneni , Im in doubt , Its air in the cooling system , When the engine is cold ,take off the radiator cap . It should be filled to the brim and on the point of overflowing . If its not then theres your gurgling sound source.

I'd still check the condensate drain.

Other than that I'd check the vacuum connections for the heater-A/C actuators. There are little doors in the system that move to control where you want the air directed. (At the floor or out the dash vents) Not sure on your car exactly, but most cars have these controlled by vacuum lines from engine. If you have a bad vent door or a partially disconnected vacuum line, it can make noises. What I'd do is disconnect the vacuum feed line from the engine and see if the noise stops.

That's all I can think of without actually seeing the car.

I hope you get this annoyance figured out,