Tapping Sound below rear tail light

[notlob]

Started the van running this afternoon and got a loud consistent tapping sound from behind the vented panel below the rear bed and just below the rear lights on the drivers side. Phoned VW, it was so loud they could hear it over the phone. Lad in the workshop said there was a heater behind the panel that may be the source. Just to be clear, this isn't the slight ticking noise of the auxiliary heater of the Cali, its a heater that's standard to the van I understand. It is also a lot louder as it can be heard from the front with the engine running. Typically 2 minutes into the conversation with the dealer the ticking stopped. It had probably been ticking for 5 minutes in all with the engine being switched off and back on in that time. Agreed to keep an eye (or should that be ear) on it and will contact them if it happens again/becomes a problem. It happened again when I stopped at the services but ceased after about 10 secs.

Anybody had this problem and found a fix?

Thanks

 

[snowy55]

What Cali type? SE, Beach. T4, T5? Year? Engine size?

 

[sandalfarm]

? been through Calais, could be a stowaway trying to get out!

 

[Isa Neal]

Hi it could be the water pump, if the water tank is empty but you haven't got the tap switched off fully.
Do you have a left hand drive or right hand drive?

 

[Hotel California]

@Isa Neal
Lhd or Rhd ....the watertank is always on the left in the Cali...
As he mentiont the fan in the booth beeing on the driversside it will be a Rhd....

There is a tread here on the forum on somebody who removed the grill- panel to get acces to the fan ....
Try to search it up and see how that pannel can be removed to check things behind ...if you are sure the sound is coming from overthere.

 

[Hotel California]

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/extra-electrical-outlet-in-the-boot.10229/
Did the search...
How to open that panel.

 

[notlob]

2015 plate, SE 140 4 Motion. Its not the tap and we have only been to Scotland recently!

The panel is the one in question. I'll have to have a look behind it when it is tapping but the dealer believed it could only be the heater as there is nothing else in there. Wondered if anybody has had similar problems with this heater?

 

[snowy55]

To get the panel off that covers the rear heater, take out the shelf, get hold of the edges of the panel and pull it towards the centre line of the vehicle, not up or down or forwards or back but parallel with the ground towards the cupboard opposite.
Hope this helps.

 

[Rob H]

Check the exhaust rear box support rubbers, Give it a wiggle ...

Rgrds,

Rob H.

Started the van running this afternoon and got a loud consistent tapping sound from behind the vented panel below the rear bed and just below the rear lights on the drivers side. Phoned VW, it was so loud they could hear it over the phone. Lad in the workshop said there was a heater behind the panel that may be the source. Just to be clear, this isn't the slight ticking noise of the auxiliary heater of the Cali, its a heater that's standard to the van I understand. It is also a lot louder as it can be heard from the front with the engine running. Typically 2 minutes into the conversation with the dealer the ticking stopped. It had probably been ticking for 5 minutes in all with the engine being switched off and back on in that time. Agreed to keep an eye (or should that be ear) on it and will contact them if it happens again/becomes a problem. It happened again when I stopped at the services but ceased after about 10 secs.

Anybody had this problem and found a fix?

Thanks[/QUOT

 

[motacyclist]

Learned something new! Why is there a heater in the boot?

 

[WelshGas]

It is the fan for the rear heating/cooling of the passenger compartment. The vent on the internal panel is the air intake. You have a fan and the aircon cooling/heating matrix then ducting to take the air to the roof/rear window vents. There are a couple of electric motors and actuator rods there. Maybe something rubbing on the fan blade?

 

[motacyclist]

How does that work then, is it a separate aircon unit that works in reverse to produce heat when needed?

 

[WelshGas]

Aircon unit and heater matrix , exactly as you have in the front, IF you have rear aircon fitted. Refrigerant circulates to the aircon unit from the engine driven Aircon compressor and engine coolant also circulates to the back as well.

 

[motacyclist]

Does the heater use heat from the engine, or does it utilise the a/c unit in reverse?

 

[WelshGas]

Heat from the engine.

 

[motacyclist]

Wow, that's long way to pipe the water. No wonder Cali's cost so much, they're not just a plumbers van with a bed and cooker in!

 

[WelshGas]

No, they are not, but people still make the comment that they are just a van with a kitchen. That's called a "Conversion". The California SE has a lot, lot more than many people realise or understand.

 

[notlob]

An update to my original post...... Had the van booked in for other work and got them to sort out the tapping sound. Recently it only occurred for say 2 or 3 seconds when starting the engine perhaps once a day, usually starting the engine 3 or 4 times a day. They replaced the motor on the fan of the heater unit mentioned above. Apologies, I didn't go into detail with them as I collected the van at the death on a Friday, we all had better places to be! Thanks for all your advice regarding possible sources for the noise. To anyone who may have a similar problem, when it happens it is so loud and obviously coming from behind the vents that it is very likely to be the heater motor.