I have a clicking of a relay or solenoid in my daughters car. The key is off and it clicks on and off every 20 seconds or so. Any ideas?
Thanks
Dan

Nothing stock on a 91 should act like that; 20 sec. cycle with key out. If it does go away with fuse 8 out, check the courtesy light delay relay.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

Thanks Art, it remains a mystery but apparently is no longer occurring. I love it when things fix themselves!

It is my daughters car that was visiting for an oil change, she had not noticed this before. I will try to make it happen again and if it does remove #8 fuse.

Dan

If no one (e.g., a previous owner) has rewired the car, and if there are no aftermarket upgrades like a remote (key fob) door lock control, then there are just a few possibilities that remain powered when the key is removed.

One thing is the power door locks. But there may also be (depending on the year of your car) a time-delay relay for the dome lights.

And it may even be the clock's stepper motor (this keeps the spring wound -- it's a spring driven clock that's wound with an electric motor, not a true electric clock like a home alarm clock). It pulses briefly every ten seconds or so (suspiciously similar to your observation).

But it would have been more helpful to put in the year of your car, too.

Nevertheless, to track down the relay, start by pulling fuses one at a time, to determine from which circuit the relay is being powered. Start by pulling those fuses that power circuits and accessories that are independent of the key switch (i.e., powered all the time). Again, I can't tell you which specific fuses unless I knew the model year of your car.

Good luck.

I put the year in the title, it's a 91. One door was open, I pulled a few fuses but it kept clicking. If it was a door lock relay it was not actuating the locks. It may have stopped when I closed the door?
Raining like crazy now, stuck inside.

Not sure if it was inside or outside. Will the OD solenoid cycle like that?

Thanks
Dan

too bad about the weather. I was going with door lock relay . I don't believe the OD is powered without the key , it would drain the battery.
I think #8 should be that circuit, along with the dome lights so you wont be able to see. Old wires and aftermarket parts really dont mix.

Going out on a limb here, but is there a chance the ignition switch is going bad and causing this phantom problem? My 190 dl 245 on start up loose, the radio and other things or all the warning light would come on and "strobe". This was all resolved by manipulating the key while the problem was occurring. Of course when the new switch arrives it is now flawless.

I learned my lessons with the 1997 965, it had major phantom problems here one day, not to show up until next week. Then I replaced the ignition switch and it was gold then.

Good Luck