Tapping noise in my Zafira

[Rod Cambridge]

Hello!

I've had an Opel Zafira, (imported to the UK), for just over a year.
It's been fine, but last night, while driving home, I noticed a
tapping noise.

This noise is not coming from the engine or engine compartment. It
seems to be coming from behind the centre console in the dash -
roughly just behind where the heater controls/ash tray is.

The tapping sounds like I've left the indicators on - it has a similar
frequency but is a little louder. (The indicators and all other
electrical items work fine so I do not think it's a fuse playing up).

In trying to find out where the sound is coming from, I've found that
by turning down the heater temperature knob right the way down to
blue, the noise stops. It doesn't fade away as I tunr the switch or
anything, it just stops. If I try turning the knob back towards the
red, the tapping kicks in again.

Does anyone know what that knob does when it's turned to the blue
section?

Any ideas?!?!?!

Thanks!

Rod.

[Eric]

Rod Cambridge wrote:

Temperature control simply moves the air-mix flap. What happens if you
turn the blower right off?

Eric

[Andy Coleman]

I guess something's got drawn into the fresh air inlet... I once had a
leafy twig do the same thing !!..
Easy in a Sierra... a nightmare I imagine on most modern cars....

"Rod Cambridge" <rod_ca...@nai.com> wrote in message
news:65f86409.0111...@posting.google.com...

[Guy King]

The message <9tj92s$r0v$1...@uranium.btinternet.com>
from "Andy Coleman" <andy_c...@btinternet.com> contains these words:

> I guess something's got drawn into the fresh air inlet... I once had a
> leafy twig do the same thing !!..
> Easy in a Sierra... a nightmare I imagine on most modern cars....

Nip down to the vets and ask to use their endoscope.

--
Skipweasel...
Get thee behind me, Santa.

[Sean]

Rod Cambridge wrote:

Not pipes expanding as the heater matrix heats up by any chance. Possibly
something rubbing off the cabling?

[Rod Cambridge]

Hehehee... I might just do that :o)

Thanks for the information and pointers, guys - I really appreciate
it.

The blower makes no difference - the noise is still there whichever
setting it's on. The only thing that stops it is turning the
temperature control right down. If there is a foreign object in there
then maybe once this control is turned right down so that the flaps
are completely closed, this traps object... sounds feasible - thanks
for that idea!

In fact, It does sound likely that something has been drawn in the
into the inlet - I opened the bonnet this morning and the leaf
collector thingy had seemed to have collected a lot of... ummm...
leaves and other thingies... Having said that, the grilles that stop
these things getting inside were fairly fine.

Over the weekend, I'll see what I can poke around with and may even
attempt to take off part of the centre console to see if I can get a
better look...

R.

Guy King <guy....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message news:<200111221...@zetnet.co.uk>...

[Sponix]

On 22 Nov 2001 02:24:33 -0800, rod_ca...@nai.com (Rod Cambridge)
wrote:

>I've had an Opel Zafira, (imported to the UK), for just over a year.
>It's been fine, but last night, while driving home, I noticed a
>tapping noise.
>
>This noise is not coming from the engine or engine compartment. It
>seems to be coming from behind the centre console in the dash -
>roughly just behind where the heater controls/ash tray is.

Maybe it's a goblin who's got stuck in the heater duct and is knocking
so you'll let him out?

;)

[Matt]

<Sponix> wrote in message news:3bfe344b...@news.demon.co.uk...

> Maybe it's a goblin who's got stuck in the heater duct and is knocking
> so you'll let him out?

Idiot - Don't be so bloody ridiculous!!

Everyone knows that Goblins are terrified of heating ducts. I'd try looking
for him in the windscreen wash reservoir.