Just wanted to resurrect this thread...
The car is still making this noise, not every time I turn off the engine, but often enough to notice. I thought it had stopped, but it's been doing it the last few days, and it's actually changed a bit - I get the original loud creaking noise, but it seems to take longer and now fades out, sound a bit like a motorbike disappearing into the distance. I guess maybe the cold weather is making whatever it is take longer to close? But I'm concerned that whatever it is sounds like its struggling now, and may posisble one day stick on trying to close, and flatten the battery? Sounds like its coming from right at the front of the engine bay,drivers side. Could it be anything to do with the headlights? If it's the adjustermotor, can it be disconnected or a fuse removed?