Strange ticking noise, C200 diesel estate

[packard352]

I have a 2005, C200 diesel estate. Yesterday for the first time, a ticking noise started soon after I started the car. It sounded like it was coming from passenger side of the car, which prompted me to tap on the dashboard to little effect. I had just left work, so immediately stopped the car and turned off the engine. 20 seconds later turned the ignition back on with the ticking noise persisting. After about 5 minutes of listening to the annoying ticking, it stopped and I travelled back home, an hour's drive, in peace. However, when I turned the car off to open up the and put the car away for the night, the ticking noise returned as I turned the ignition 'On' - any ideas?

I'm very baffled by it (the noise).

Thanks for any suggestions or if someone might have had similar with their vehicle

 

[Trickythemerc]

A/C blend flap stepper motors could be the problem. If you get lucky some can be replaced without removing the dash.

 

[packard352]

A/C blend flap stepper motors could be the problem. If you get lucky some can be replaced without removing the dash.

Yeah, the noise does sound like it's coming from under the dash; have just been out in the car with the Mrs very surprised by the sound. Having arrived at out destination and turned the engine off and then deciding to put the car off the road, the noise persisted for a short while after I had turned the engine off and got out of the car - a first!

 

[packard352]

Short update.

I've noticed that if I turn the heater blower 'Off,' the ticking noise will start. However, if I turn the heater blower on to the lowest or first position, the ticking noise stops immediately.

I don't know if this will alter the diagnosis, but thought it worth sharing in case someone else has had similar experience with their car.

 

[Petrol Pete]

On this vintage S203 C class (mine is just one year 'younger' ) the little motor arms that move the blend flaps fail and they can not find their home position .

They are pretty cheap to buy but very very expensive to replace if you are paying a garage their normal hourly rate , unless (as stated by Tricky) the failed unit is one of the accessible ones otherwise (I believe) the dashboard has to come out.

Look a bit like this . The plastic arms break. Note in the image below there are about 6 of them in total. Years back Parkway Mercedes in Bristol had a W203 C class as a courteously car , when I got in it Ben told me to ignore the clicking sound until it stopped . He had no intention of repairing it as it would cost more than the car was worth (to him) and he is an Independent Mercedes Benz specialist !

I think the highlighted ones in this image (not my highlighting) are the 'accessible' ones. My car is a similar vintage to yours and I too am not looking forward to hearing the dreaded 'click click' . Next is for you to determine which one is faulty . Do you have access to a suitable scan tool ?

 

[packard352]

On this vintage S203 C class (mine is just one year 'younger' ) the little motor arms that move the blend flaps fail and they can not find their home position .

They are pretty cheap to buy but very very expensive to replace if you are paying a garage their normal hourly rate , unless (as stated by Tricky) the failed unit is one of the accessible ones otherwise (I believe) the dashboard has to come out.

View attachment 148062 Look a bit like this . The plastic arms break. Note in the image below there are about 6 of them in total. Years back Parkway Mercedes in Bristol had a W203 C class as a courteously car , when I got in it Ben told me to ignore the clicking sound until it stopped . He had no intention of repairing it as it would cost more than the car was worth (to him) and he is an Independent Mercedes Benz specialist !

I think the highlighted ones in this image (not my highlighting) are the 'accessible' ones. My car is a similar vintage to yours and I too am not looking forward to hearing the dreaded 'click click' . Next is for you to determine which one is faulty . Do you have access to a suitable scan tool ?

View attachment 148063

Hey there Petrol Pete,

Thanks for posting the diagram, which I've looked at a few times... and hoped that I'd get by this winter.

But, the dreaded ticking has now disabled the heating function /facility altogether and damn is it cold in the car.

I had heating in the car Monday morning driving to work. But, when I turned the direction of heat from feet to the windscreen, I lost heat to very mild, warm air. Tuesday was more of the same and today the car is in with the tame mechanics for a routine service. Their view; as the thermostat is working = no problems there (it was replaced 3 Yrs ago). Therefore, the issue is behind the dash somewhere and they don't have days set aside to pull the thing apart to find the problem. I work a 7-day week with the weekend in the car all day, so not really sure what the solution might be in the immediate short-term, other than to wear hat and gloves.

I've printed the diagram off and will show the tame garage this afternoon when I go to collect the car.

I viewed a YouTube video of a guy in the States, taking his daughter's dash out of her Mercedes (took him a week) and then another week to get the dash back in the car. The daughter assisted the father from time to time and I'm not sure I can afford to have the car off the road for 2-3 weeks while muddling through the dash coming out, etc.

It's a ballache whatever the decision will be.

BTW, the accessible ones highlighted in yellow, are they at the front, back or side of the unit - would you know?

Cheers for posting - it was much appreciated.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I really do not know . But I do know (from reading online and on here somewhere) that 2 of the actuators are (just about) accessible without removing the whole dashboard.

It is not a job that , thankfully, I have had to do myself.....yet. Sorry that I can't be of anymore help on this issue.

 

[Continental]

Just wondering if this thread might help at all

Stepper motor | Electronics and Audio

Hi, I have a really noisy steeper motor clicking from what sounds like just above the left hand side of my glove box. Anyone know if you can reach it/access it without taking the whole dash out? I'm just about at the point where I'm going to drive the thing through a wall and into an endless...

forums.mbclub.co.uk

 

[packard352]

Though I don't speak/understand German, this is one of the more impressive videos I've seen about replacing some the broken plastic parts inside the dash that restores the heating...

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I've collected various parts from the local MB dealership and plan on tackling the job later this month. Fingers crossed for the return of heating in the car

 

[packard352]

Still on this heater issue and as I look on eBay at 'W203 HEATER FLAP MOTOR ACTUATOR,' I see plenty of heater actuators for sale that are for C220 W203.

My question is - would this fit my car which is the base model C200D (2005)? If would fit, I'll get on it and get a unit sent to me, but I'm no sure... so any further comments or guidance would be much appreciated - thanks