Relay clicking sound from behind dash...
 

I noticed today that there is a random clicking noise from behind the dash, on the left side of the gauges, that sounds like a relay. It's pretty frequent, every few seconds, even when stopped. Has anyone heard of this before? (4.8is)

Found the clicking noise... the small speaker in the door piller is buzzing and clicking so I'm guessing it's blown. Might be a good excuse to get the BSW speaker kit. :D

I've had that same noise for years!!! And it's not the speaker!!!!
I change the speaker and heard the same noise I think it's the wiring or amp, please let me know if they diagnose the problem !!!!!

I have the same problem! I brought the truck to the dealer and they replaced the tweeter on the left door and the amp. I am driving home and poof the sound comes back. I put my ear to the speaker and it just sounds like white noise but no music coming out of it. And the thing keeps clicking. I noticed two things:

1) When I first start driving everything is normal - seems as if after I drive for a bit with the radio on thats when the problem starts.

2) When I turn DSP on/off it the click sound happens as I turn it on and off. Not sure if these means that the problem is rooted in DSP or the amp? Maybe faulty wiring?

I know nothing really about stereos but I do know that I just brought the thing in and I am fuming that it still doesn't work properly...please help!!

It's intermittent, and I haven't heard it in a couple of weeks so I don't know what the deal is but if it starts clicking again I'll have to figure something out.

I have the same problem! Driving me nuts!!

BTW I have 2006 4.8is.

Well, mine will click for a day or two, then no noise for several days. Makes it tough to take to the dealer so they can hear it.

I was thinking of swapping the amp with someone for a few weeks to see if the problem follows the amp or not.

I also have an E39 M5 with DSP... wonder if the amps are the same?
Hmmmm...

I have the DSP also, if that means anything.

I think they are they same, but if you are in Austin, that is right up the road from me, SA, maybe we could meet and I can let you hold my DSP amp and see if that corrects your problem....

I had a noise that i thought was coming from the dash, then i thought it was coming from the sunroof area (either the sunroof or the front light console where sunglasses go). I couldnt narrow it down. I even thought it was a bad speaker. I thoroughly investigated all of these things and i found nothing! I sucked it up and took it for one hour at the dealership. It turned out to be the parking brake. While driving and the noise is bothering you, slightly pull up on the brake. If it is the same prob that i had, the noise will go away when you do this:thumbup: ...this means that the parking brake needs to be adjusted. My noise went away after it was adjusted:D

My noise seems to be coming from the speaker in the front dash, drivers side. When I turn the radio off, I think it goes away

ANy udpdates?

Hey guys, while i took my X for a radiator water tank change, i asked the guy over there for that problem ....

ANd as i assumed he said that this was a resistance problem found in all X5 E53 (corrected in the E70) ... and there is absolutely no solution for it ...
Yes, there's ONE mistake bmw made :P

However, i think that this sound is very low and would not bother me ...

Did he identify it exactly?

nope =) even if he did, it wouldnt have mattered :P

Would have mattered to me. ;)

lol, why you some kinda electrical engineer or somethin ? :P

Nope, just an owner with a clicking problem I want to resolve. :thumbup:

haha ok :P

Sorry to dig this one up from the dead, but figured it's better than making a new post. My '05 IS is at the dealer right now getting my laundry list done and I am having this issue. It is an intermittent "pop" with constant faint static coming from the driver's side front speaker (right under the windscreen). Once it starts, it will stay on with or without the stereo on. When you switch DSP on and off it pops. Once the new wheel bearings have sealed they are working on this issue. SA says that they have ruled out the speaker itself, looking into possible amp issue. Has anyone else found anything new out about this? I like to hope it is not some known unfixable problem as previously conveyed.
Thanks,
Scott

Mine was never resolved. I have almost completely forgot about it. Please post any diagnosis that you get. Thanks.

Mine has been quiet for a while now... almost forgot about it.

I should hear something tomorrow afternoon, but won't be in town to check it out until at least Tuesday. I'll post all intel here.

Didn't forget about you guys. I haven't gotten her back yet. They have replaced the amp, now they are waiting for the BMW programming computer to come back. It has been offline since last week.

Okay, got her back tonight. The amp replacement appears to have fixed the issue. Drove a good half hour with multiple shutdown/startups and nothing, so hopefully it's done.

Waiting to get mine back in a few days, same thing, amp replacement. I'll let you know if I have the same luck.

Just drove home from the dealer. New amp installed seems to have fixed the problem with the front speaker hiss/clicking relay noise. Originally I thought it may be related to the phone input (searching for phone suspected to cause clicking) but after a few calls on the road today, no clicking. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Good, mine hasn't come back yet either.

I have the same problem. I read that is it the amp so i called the BMW dealer... The price of the amp is about €1.200,- + 1 hour programming at about €100,-, so €1.300,- in total. IS that correct. Did you guys also paid that much for the new amp (about $1.600,- for the not europeans).

Mine was covered under warranty so can't be any help to you on the price. I have seen a used one on craigslist recently for a couple of hundred dollars (US). Good luck.

Scott

Tomcat,

I have the same problem you described. When you mean covered under warranty, is that the original factory warranty or a CPO warranty?


Thanks!
MANGO

Original (4/50k). I don't think it would be covered by CPO.

Scott

I was afraid of that!

Thanks though Scott...
now to go digging around for a spare amp to try...

My 4.8is did it as well when I bought it, about 2 months ago. It went away like a week after and hasn't come back. I am thinking water gets in the amp somehow, but it looks all nice and dry in there. When it warms up a bit, I am having my friend take a look at it. He rebuilt a bose amp for me once, maybe he can do something here. I'll let you guys know.

DRAT! This is exactly the problem I'm having. (2006 4.8) Even with radio off, the left front door tweeter is putting out white noise, and there is the highly annoying, random clicking sound. DSP on or off doesn't matter. I really don't want to replace the amp with new or used. I don't crank the volume that much - is there any way to just bypass the amp completely? This is a ridiculous problem.

I guess I'm glad I read this thread before I replaced the tweeter.....

Mine stopped doing that. I don't get it. I say disconnect the damn tweeter.

Tweeter
 

Yes, i did that too. I cut the tweeter wire. You can hardly notice it and it keeps about $1.500,- in my pocket...

Agree a "simple" fix (if I can figure out how to get the tweeter off the door/window itself - please don't tell me I have to take the door panel off to access the tweeter!)

But it gets annoying that such expensive machines have the silliest of problems on the simplest of their systems. I say again, it's ridiculous, and I'm slowly getting fed up with my 2006 4.8. From what I read on here, it seems typical, but I don't need the constant nickel and dimeing (and hassle) from the "ultimate driving machine". Seems I barely get 3 or 4 months out of it before something else breaks (above and beyond normal wear and tear) or decides to just stop working. (alarm sensor, PDC sensor, washer pump, door chime, failed fob (not battery), air strut, alternator, CD changer, headlight washer... really guys?)

So why do I keep it? Because of what happens when I put my right foot down in such a comfy and stylish SAV. I am in love with the 4.8 drivetrain. I don't think it can be topped, but I am getting very tempted to go test drive the SRT Grand Cherokee....

SRT looks nice but comes last or close to last in a lot of car comparisons.

Listen the support group here is great, so you at least have that. That being said;

Door panel comes off easy. I can take mine off in literally 1 min.

Search here, pop that thing off and check the wire. Or disconnect it. It might take you 30 min if you are slow and not prepared. An hour if you really take your time to get to know the car. Lol.