Hello all! I've got a 2013 Toyota Landcruiser with a strange clicking/knocking sound coming from the glovebox area. When you are driving it sounds like the sound is coming from inside the engine compartment, but then when outside it's most definitely from inside. About 20 clicks/knocks quickly, then 5 or so more spaced apart. The HVAC system also freezes until the clicking stops. When you turn off the car, the clicking starts again (when the car is off). It literally sounds like a little elf with a little hammer tapping from inside the glovebox trying to get out. Any ideas? Might be related (might not): The alarm system goes off spontaneously when you set the alarm.
knocking Elf in the glovebox
- Thread starter eminaise
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Sounds like a recirc door that is on its way out. Open glove box, remove access door, and change from recirc/fresh air setting. See if you can identify the white damper adjusting position with a flashlight.
- Thread starter
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Original Toyota alarm. Lock the doors with the key fob and walk away. My wife claimed it happened a couple of times and i was suspect.... then it happened to me x2 (likely what i deserve for not believing my wife). The first time it went off, I was at the post office and lost my place in Covid-19 line when i left the line to turn it off the alarm (horn honking, lights flashing). The second time it sent off, i just let it go and stayed in line. Local Toyota dealer can't recreate the problem. We will see if it continues.
I didn't mention it earlier, but the HVAC system freezes when first engaged (while the clicking/knocking is occurring upon start). I thought it was due to the clicking sound. After about 5 min driving, all I can do is "auto" HVAC and the buttons are unresponsive. Toyota dealer says I've got a bad HVAC control module, which they are replacing under warrantee (I got sucked in and bought a comprehensive used car warrantee, now feeling a little less suckerish if that's a word).
Elf issue resolved. When i took it in to Toyota for regular maintenance a month ago, they said it needed the cabin filter to be replaced desperately. I'm somewhat handy, so I said no thinking I'd address it at some future time myself. Then the clicking started. I did some internet searching and thought the filter was the culprit, more likely that something was blocking the door. I followed the instructions on www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2013_Toyota_Land_Cruiser_5.7L_V8/air_filter_cabin/replace and was very careful to replace the filter the exact same way it came out, but the clicking continued so i took it in. Apparently the clicking/knocking means that the guy servicing the car didn't put the old dirty filter back the right way and the recirc/fresh control door was being blocked or impeded somehow. They also fixed that for free.
now all i have to do is capture that elf that's triggering the alarm!!
Ack! OMG! The instructions for the cabin filter replacement you linked to on carcarekiosk are absolutely wrong! Manually opening the recirc/fresh door breaks the control mechanism. If either you or the dealer did it that way, it’s very likely the noise has stopped because the door is no longer working. Only use the recirc/fresh button to open that white door, as I mentioned above. It’s a VERY expensive repair, so confirm whether the door is operating by using the button and if it is not, see if the dealer will admit their tech broke it in the original “inspection” when it started making the noise.
Edit: and BTW, next time use the instructions in the owner's manual and not ever carcarekiosk for your vehicle care.
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