"Click-click-click" "Click-click-click" "Click-click-click" Coming From Trunk
 

2008 Miata Grand Touring with Advanced Key Entry (AKE).

The car has started exhibiting the following behavior. Car has been unlocked with the remote key card but is not started.

a) If I open the driver door or the passenger door, a "click-click-click", "click-click-click", "click-click-click" sound comes from the trunk. Three clicks and a pause. When I close the door, it stops.

b) If I open the trunk, with either the remote, the dash switch, or the trunk latch switch, I get the same "click-click-click", "click-click-click", "click-click-click" sound. When I close the trunk it stops.

c) If I put the keyless remote into the trunk while open, the sound changes from a "click-click-click" to a "click-bzzt", repeating again after a couple of seconds.

d) The sound itself seems to emanate directly from the latch area in the trunk, as though it is trying to release the latch. But, even when the trunk is closed and the door is open, and the "click-click-click" sound can be heard, the trunk does not open.

I found some old archived threads on this forum that attribute the problem to corroded connectors to a relay. But the threads are old, the pictures are gone, and I'm not sure that it is an AKE system being referred to.

https://forum.miata.net/vb/archive/i.../t-523082.html

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthrea...trunk+clicking

I took the back panel off the trunk and found what I think is an AKE receiver. I would clean the connectors in the plug, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to take it apart.

I'd appreciate help in figuring out the problem, identifying the part, and learning how to separate the connector. The part number didn't turn up much for me.

Many thanks.
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Folks, I pulled the cover off the back end of the trunk next to the latch. I found that the relay below is what is ticking. If I unplug it, it stops ticking. No noticeable corrosion anywhere, ie, never seen water.

But, I still don't know what is causing the tick-tick-tick.

Failing this, I reckon it's time for a trip to the stealer for a resolution.

TIA

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