Dashboard Squirrel Sound?

Get a cat!...

 

I would suggest removing the glovebox and pulling out the cabin filter to check to see if there's anything relevant present. From there you can also view one side of the HVAC system.

 

I've had the flexible speedometer cable create a scritchy-scratchy sound in other cars before. I'm not even sure if the Kona even has a mechanical cable linkage...but maybe?

 

Yes, my Kona has done this since day one (~21 months / 36k miles). Your description of a 'chattering solenoid' is spot-on to my impressions. Mostly seems to do it for a period after startup, maybe more often during cold weather?.

I always thought it was odd that nobody else here mentioned it, or maybe it was just me, but since it didn't seem to cause any problems I've been ignoring it. I figured I wouldn't be able to duplicate it on-cue for the dealer anyway, and I don't look forward to performing my vocal rendition.

 

Are you sure it is not the dreaded tick, tick sound driving away from a start up to about 10 mph? That would mean a motor and reduction drive replacement. Other thread about that on this forum.

 

It makes this sound when the car is absolutely still, not moving, in Park. But it can also persist as you take off.

Even with Climate Control 'off'.

No discernable pattern to it at all. Like some kind of high-frequency alien Morse Code. Or maybe the sound of an old, spinny hard drive from back in the day, when your PC didn't have enough memory (?!) and it had to be swapped out to the disk.

I've tried recording it, but the sound is too faint for my phone's mic to pick up.

 

Yup, something else then. No idea...

 

Other than HVAC there's the steering wheel lock which I believe is a motor-drive actuator, the electronic power steering actuator, a relay box and the HUD if equipped. A stethoscope might be the go to find this.

 

I too have had this problem for a while now. It does sound like something "scratching" in the area of dashboard, but so far there has been no issue with the car's performance.

I am wondering if you or anybody has experienced the "strange glowing light" that illuminates from the front Hyundai badge. When this little light illuminates, the charging port and dashboard also illuminates. It shuts off automatically or when I open the driver's door is opened. I have noticed that this happens more and more frequently at all hours of the night (I keep my car in my garage). I'm wondering if it's a software update or if some other form of communication is occurring between my car and perhaps BlueLink. Have you ever experienced this yourself? I'm not sure if it's related to the "scratching" sound, but then again it might.

 

The light in Hyundai emblem on the front of the car is the12 volt battery top-up in action. Take a look in the owner's manual for a full explanation ( and many, many threads and posts on this forum). And yes, it's happening more often recently because the software updates instituted to monitor battery health calls for more frequent checks.

 

Can you explain further? Are you referring to the "scratching" sound or the "strange glowing light"- or both?
Thanks!

 

He is referring to the glowing light in the front Hyundai emblem.

 

Thank you. This is helpful because for a while I thought my car was being hacked. I can rest more easily now.

 

Random peanut gallery comment: any chance the noise is coming from the scroll fan for the HVAC?

Even with the HVAC "off", IMO the HVAC fan is still pushing a small volume of air into the passenger compartment .