The radio/cassette player in our 1997 Dodge Caravan refused to release the tape and would clatter everytime time the radio was turned on. I have been able to remove the tape by opening the front of the radio, but the cassette holder still chatters for several seconds every time the radio is turned on. The radio plays and I am not interested in repairing the player. I just want to stop the clattering everytime the radio is turned on. Thanks
You could trying “encouraging” the tape to eject with some tweezers. Once it’s out the noise will likely stop. Otherwise you can just pickup a cheap AM/FM CD player and replace the unit.
Something is stuck in there and it thinks it’s in the play mode but can’t, and the gears are ticking.
Maybe you can move something with a long skinny screw driver on a trial basis throught the front opening but it’s hit and miss .
Generaly I would have it out of the vehicle and on the work bench. With the top off I would power it up and watch the levers attempting to move and help them back to the zero position, just to quiet the ticking.
Then check for ; tape wound around drive spindle ; belt(s) off or broken ; bent carriage / levers ; debris inside ; and damaged drive gears.
. Sometimes they’re fixable 
- sometimes they’re not 
Disconnect the tape drive motor.