Weird Crinkling noise coming from center console
 

Hey Everyone,

I've searched the forum and online and could not find any thread or topics relating to this. I've been experiencing this issue twice within the last week - it is inconsistent and I've never had it happen to me before.

Whenever the car is moving there would be this noise coming from where the head unit/HVAC controls are. The noise is best described as foil crinkling.

I've tried removing the USB, pressing my hand against the head unit/plastic pieces area and knobs - no luck. When the car is stopped the noise goes away and not sure if it's in my head but it seems to get slightly louder as speed increases. I also checked the A/C vents and nothing is loose. Turning on/off the A/C and heater makes no difference - noise still there.

I checked under the hood and no bite marks from rodents nor any dead animals. When I turn off the vehicle and let it sit for a bit (i.e. overnight) - next day the noise disappears.

My car has the 2016 Scion BeSpoke head unit - so there's no CD player on there. Crazy idea, but do you guys think it might be the navigation module making the noise as it does its thing (whatever it is doing) - but to my knowledge, the navigation module isn't hard drive base? Or is it?

Any comments or suggestion for trouble shooting would be appreciated! Thanks!

are you sure its not steering wheel or glove box? I had similar issue and traced it to steering wheel top plastic where leather/soft plastic cover is.

Definitely not the glove box as I don't really have much in there and the stuff in there has been there since Day 1. I will look at the steering wheel...but i really dont think that is either since the noise is very subtle but not subtle enough to ignore...but not loud enough to easily replicate...

I am getting it in the left side of the dash? I never noticed til now as I always drive with the windows open. It's the first winter and I've had the windows up so it was probably there the whole time. As soon as I hear mine, I stop to notice where it comes from exactly and it goes silent.

Ahhhh........since it's getting colder, it must be that the speedometer cable is dry ...... :thanks:

Oh, our cars don't have a speedometer cable ..... ?? ..... :bonk:

Well, then it must be the throw out bearing .... :D

Sorry got to go ..... it's past ma med time ...... :sigh:


humfrz

Yup that happened to me after I installed a new head unit. I also heard the clicking noise so decided to take it out again to inspect and found out the wires and its head connector are the cause. They constantly knock on each other or on metal parts around the inner bezel when driven over bumps and driving vibration. Solution was to tape all the loose wires together so they can't move freely. Hope this will help :)


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Yeah I assume it was the head unit- I will check it this week. Thanks

A vid would help

I tried recording it with my phone and the noise cannot be captured...but I will check my dashcam to see if it captured anything.

I have the tin foil noise too from the center console, I think it's part of the car rattle symphony

Here's a video of the noise. Any thoughts?https://vimeo.com/153195187

Freaky 😳

If you've changed the head unit it probably wasn't installed correctly, maybe remove it and pad it with a thin layer of sponge

I have exactly the same noise but everything in my car is factory, no new head unit. Sounds like it comes from the steering column and only happens when I turn left with steering wheel at a certain angle (very slight left). If I pass the angle this sound stops.

Did you solve it?

Does the new Head unit have a cooling fan? It sounds like some wire is on it's edge is getting rubbed into the fan.