Electrical clicking under passenger side dash

[spieg]

Ok, the car in question is a 1996 firebird. Recently a clicking noise began under/behind the glove box area on the dash. It sounds almost like an actuator of some sort or something. This occurs every 12 seconds on the dot when the key is in the ignition in any position other than off. I saw this thread and it sounds like this may have been a similar issue. Is there an easy fix for this?

Thanks in advance

[silvachris1]

Sounds like the Body Control Module is acting up. I don't know what the cause is but I've heard the click before when I was messing with the wires. I set it up to unlock both doors with only one click of the remote. The click has to be in the BCM though, I've heard it before.

[mrbako]

this prob comes up every time it gets cold. the older cars seems to have a prob w/ the bcm.

[spieg]

Any chance its just a relay or something?

Its weird that its exactly every 12 seconds. What exactly does the BCM do?

Thanks guys!

[Die Ford V8]

It is the IBCM (Integrated Body Control Module) for sure. I did several hours(or days) of research on this part. Several 96 camaros do it. There are two types of IBCMs for the 96 v6. they make one for remote door locks and one for w/o remote door locks.

Let me guess your dome lights dont work either?

I tried to swap plugs like an idiot and fried something in mine after mine did the clicking thing. And yes mine is something like a click every twelve seconds too.

Also im sure when your car is cold it clicks like no other for a few seconds then finally you can start your car.

It is somewhat easy to get to if you dont mind sitting backwards in your seat upside down for an hour or two.

If im correct, there is a one or more resistors that are blown inside the IBCM then as soon as the relay clicks back on too much current is sent through and it turns off, only to reset 12 seconds later and turn off again and to continue doing this till you replace it. Its also not just a relay. It is a little black box containing a circuit board, made from like Singapore or something.

Go to the dealership and you will be quoted approximately $210. Ask for a discount, if they dont give it to you plead and beg and talk to the manager. They will knock the price down to $179. MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE MANAGER SIGN SOME SORT OF WARRANTEE!!!!!

You can also go to a junkyard and get one for about $75. This is kinda scetchy because they wont really warrantee it.


I emailed this email(i will see if i can find it) ok, cant find it. simply buy a new one and replace it, Make sure you dont plug the wires in the wrong place or you will surely destroy it. then you should be just fine.

anyway i emailed miguel santos and told him to buy a new one and carefully replace it. he did and is happy. here is the email

Hey Jeremy,

That Body control module worked! No more clicking, and no more long
starts, I had one of my friends who works at this car stereo install
place and it was just a basic swap, everything started working, my dome
lights worked, and power door locks as well. Thanks alot for the info,
and whoever is having this problem we should definately get a recall for this.


Thanks,
Miguel


sorry if this is long and drawn out, i just wanted to tell you all i know on the subject.

[vampyr]

are you having any other trouble with the car? mine did this and at the same time I lost a lot of my electrical things (radio,some lights,Etc.) it turned out to ba a power connection that goes through the fire wall had rubbed and shorted to the fire wall.

[Die Ford V8]

by the way, the little relays cannot be changed. sorry. mine has done it for a year now. if you can live without dome lights, just turn your radio on and ignore the clicking.

just remember, you might get stranded somewhere if it decides to die on you. one guy from the forum got stranded. but thats only one. Id say your good until you change it.

Good luck and happy relay hunting [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Die Ford V8]

i never lost my radio (maybe because its aftermarket) all i lost was my dome lights. but i think i read something that the security of your stock stereo is tied in somehow to your dome light. so maybe.


by the way vampyr check my sig, our cars are identical. if the reason the bra is on your car is because of front end damage, then my car might just be your car.

[spieg]

Ok, im convinced. :D

My dome light works, it just wont stop working. About a week ago it began coming on whenever the car wasnt sitting perfectly level or leaning forward (hard cornering or hard acceleration and the dome light came on). Shortly after that, it would stay on constantly except when i was braking hard. At that point, I figured there was a short of some sort in the dome light circuit, so I pulled the fuse and added it to the "things to fix once it gets warmer out" list. I started noticing the clicking a few days later.

I havent run into the excessive clicking prior to starting problem yet. The second the ignition switch moves to any position other than off, I get the first click sound, and then another one every 12 seconds. I do seem to be having some VATS issues if the key is at all wet (dry off your keys if you drop them in snow!) but I dont think that is related to this. As long as the key is dry, no issues at all.

No radio problems yet either.

Am I understanding correctly that the problems clear up when it warms up? Im in Michigan, so its been 0-30F the last month or so. I can handle pulling the dome light fuse and turning up the radio in the winter, but im not sure I can handle 12 months a year of clicking.

Thanks again!

[97rs]

my car clicked every second right before my power locks stopped working, it was stopped by the time i came back out an hour later though, locks still dont work :(

[Rabid Dog]

I have a 99RS, that was recently in a front end collision. I'm repairing it, but I'm getting a similar click on the passenger side. I'm also getting a voltage drain to the tune of about 3 volts a day. My overhead lights work, as do my locks and windows. Could this be it? I was under the impression that the BCM was phased out before the 98 and ups?

I've also heard a harsh click from around the driver's side under-hood fuse area.

I'm stumped. :(

[silvachris1]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't phased out. I was working on it under the passenger side of my dash on my 99. Well, I guess that was it, it controled the locks and alarm and such, cause I had it set up to unlock both doors with one click of the remote.

[Rabid Dog]

I read my manuals today, and I'll be damned, the 99's have them like you said.

I don't know if the ignition-related clicks are 12 seconds apart exactly, but I only get a few clicks with the ignition on. When it's NOT on, and I touch the car, I get multiple clicks about 1 second apart, until i turn the ignition on, or disconnect the battery.

If the BCM is at fault, would it drain my power whether the ignition was on or not? Would it do the rapid clicking?

Airbag glitch?

[Die Ford V8]

for the guys with a 99 the IBCMs are different with that of a 96. the 96 was only made like that year i think

also. there is only intense clicking when your car iscold like 45 or lower.


THE CLICK EVERY 12 SECONDS WILL NOT GO AWAY WHEN IT GETS WARMER OUT. the intense clicking is just when you first turn your key on.

just replace it and it should be ok.

as far as i know the chip or conductor in the key turns the IBCM on so then your cars computer and everything else will turn on. so if your key has a chip or conductor in it YOUR CAR WILL ALSO HAVE AN IBCM!!! (im almost 98% sure)

[Rabid Dog]

It was colder than 45 that day when it was clicking; in fact, about 26 degrees or so.

[edit]

The chip is for the VATS system, not the IBCM.