My 940 wagon has been making a strange noise that I have been trying to figure out for weeks - and I can't. It's a clickety-click that sounds like a relay working - only 10 times as loud. Only happens when the car is moving(so not fuel pump). Sometimes it's inconsistent and sometimes it's steady. It seems to be coming from the bottom, backside of the front passenger seat. I've taken the seat out and it still did it. Put foam rubber under everything and it still did it. Finally, one day, just by chance I notice it was happening when the sunroof was open. When I closed it or just pulled the wind flap down it pretty much stopped. Aha! That told me wind though the drain holes was activating it. Just to check I stuffed a rag in the passenger side drain and sure enough it stopped. So I tested the drains with some water and they both flowed freely. Then I looked at the hollow body channels under the door sill and plugged all of them with rags. Still did it. Took off both door pillar moldings and any nearby seat belts, plugged every hole I could find and still it did it. Took out the center console and taped all wiring down and still it did it. Took out the back seats and pulled the carpet back and couldn't find anything loose. Looked under the car to see if the heat shield above the exhaust was loose and it's not. This may put me in a mental hospital. Anybody experience anything close to this?

 

Sounds like you got it solved: rags in the drain holes, sunroof closed, no clicking!

 

That would admit defeat, which my nature will not allow.

 

As annoying as this car has been to him, he wont be satisfied until the interior is as quiet as a library.

I'd just get a more quiet car myself, why not a Mercedes or a decent Toyota?

 

ding ding ding...round two

 

I'm not a quitter.

 

sunroof.. yes a source of noise. mine has been making ghost like noises for 2 years.. and it has never been opened! more with a wind blowing outside

 

Are you sure about that? /sarcasm

I cant argue that, you are quite determined with your quest for peace.

 

Let me give you a tip: don't stick your head out the window. It'll be worse.

 

It's a good thing I'm not your mechanic - you'd go broke.

 

Now I know what people mean when they say Volvos are expensive to keep going!

Joking aside, whenever I would chase down noises on my Volvos (or any old car), I would first look for any missing tabs or bushings. 80% of an old cars interior rattles can be fixed simply by replacing missing or worn parts.

What you need to do is examine your sunroof mechanism and find out whats flapping around. Could be something little or out of alignment.

 

That's what's so bizarre about this whole thing: the sunroof works perfectly, no noise there. But when it's open there's a clicking sound under the passenger's seat. When it's closed, it's gone. Obviously wind flowing through the cabin is flapping something loose?

 

Could be a small rock or some sticky candy, I would get a vacuum and get cleaning since youve removed the seats, see if that solves it.

Id inspect the seat rail bolts too, make sure they're tightned down.

Isnt the AbS computer underneath tbe passenger seat? If it is, the wind moght be hitting the "door" making it rattle.

 

Did all that - nothing. ABS is not under the passenger seat, in fact, nothing - it's manual. I would best describe the sound as a micro switch clicking on and off(but loud enough to hear with the windows open). In fact, I pulled my center console to check the micro switch and solenoid on the shifter lock out mechanism - no luck there. On further examination, it seems to come from the base of the rear seat. But, like I said, I pulled the seat and couldn't find anything loose.