AC Noise - Loud!

[shonline]

There are two separate noises that come from the AC system:

1. The compressor. The electric refrigerant compressor is variable-speed, and has a fair amount of vibration. You will notice the vibration when the unit changes speeds in response to the cooling load. Note that the refrigerant compressor may run even if the cabin cooling doesn't demand it, as the refrigerant is also used to cool the battery/motor/charger coolant loops.

The Tesla compressor is different from other automotive compressors in that almost all ICE refrigerant compressors are variable positive-displacement design that use a variable swash plate and several axially-oriented pistons/cylinders. This design is quiet and can cope with the requirement that an ICE compressor deal with variable shaft speed. The Tesla compressor is a hermetically sealed scroll compressor like a house AC unit. It's far more efficient in terms of amount of refrigerant pumped per watt of power (very desirable in the Tesla), but is inherently noisier.

2. The radiator fans. The two fans in the front of the car may cycle on to increase refrigerant cooling. These fans are loud, and are the same fans your might hear when supercharging. There is also a passive radiator in front, but it can't cool the refrigerant sufficiently in very hot weather.

If you are sitting in stop-and-go traffic on a 95F+ day, expect to hear both sources of noise.

In my case, it is the compressor - which sounds like a noisy old refrigerator.

 

[bancroftc]

I've been having these exact same AC symptoms - loud as hell when the AC is on high and then occasionally I get a really annoying vibration that I can feel across the floor boards, the dash and the steering wheel. I took delivery in Oct 15 and only seems to have become an issue recently.

It's loud enough that several different passengers have asked me that noise is. I was originally going to just let it slide until my one year service visit, but then - as someone noted - I thought to myself, this is not acceptable for a >$100,000 vehicle. Not acceptable for a $30,000 vehicle. So I now have service scheduled to pick it up in a couple weeks.

Hopefully they can resolve the issue.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

I always thought the engine was cooled with a radiator based system that is separate from the interior climate control system.

You are correct; I misspoke. What I meant to say is that in the vast majority of ICE vehicles, the same FAN has to pull air through the condenser and radiator, thus providing cooling airflow for both the HVAC and the engine as well.

There are a handful of exceptions, but for the most part, the same fan (or fans if more than one) pulls all the air required for the heat exchange for both the radiator and the HVAC system, almost always in the same air flow path.

And you rarely hear these sounds as objectionable in high-end automobiles, but both the intensity and pitch (and vibration) are in the Tesla Model S, despite years of production.

I hope that Tesla is reading this will accept my suggestions above as an easy, no-cost solution in that the people that design these systems for a living are the likely the best place to go for solutions . . . .

 

[shonline]

I've been having these exact same AC symptoms - loud as hell when the AC is on high and then occasionally I get a really annoying vibration that I can feel across the floor boards, the dash and the steering wheel. I took delivery in Oct 15 and only seems to have become an issue recently.

It's loud enough that several different passengers have asked me that noise is. I was originally going to just let it slide until my one year service visit, but then - as someone noted - I thought to myself, this is not acceptable for a >$100,000 vehicle. Not acceptable for a $30,000 vehicle. So I now have service scheduled to pick it up in a couple weeks.

Hopefully they can resolve the issue.

Please post back when you get some results. My SC said it is expected and normal....

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Please post back when you get some results. My SC said it is expected and normal....

Shonline, as an aside, I've noted that you have a S70--no "D?"

If you have a single motor Model S, please be advised that the compressor mounting is different on the rear wheel drive models (of which there are far more BTW). The solution offered for cars with Dual motors is likely to be different than your solution.

All just FYI. The Dual Motor cars mount the AC compressor directly to the front motor, AFAIK, and rely on the front motor's isolation to absorb the extra vibration from the compressor. We're not sure if that's all that effective, but we've only had one summer with our 70D thus far, and our new P90D is untested as of yet.

Please consider asking for a comparison with another Model S at your next SC visit to see if your system is abnormally loud. In the interim, please keep posting and complaining to Tesla HQ. If enough of us in hot weather states do so, we'll be more likely to get Tesla to step up and resolve these chronic issues.

Tesla fans will put up with a lot--the general public? Not so much . . . .

 

[bancroftc]

Please post back when you get some results. My SC said it is expected and normal....

Will do - they didn't push back one bit on the phone, so hopefully they will take it seriously.

 

[shonline]

Shonline, as an aside, I've noted that you have a S70--no "D?"

If you have a single motor Model S, please be advised that the compressor mounting is different on the rear wheel drive models (of which there are far more BTW). The solution offered for cars with Dual motors is likely to be different than your solution.

All just FYI. The Dual Motor cars mount the AC compressor directly to the front motor, AFAIK, and rely on the front motor's isolation to absorb the extra vibration from the compressor. We're not sure if that's all that effective, but we've only had one summer with our 70D thus far, and our new P90D is untested as of yet.

Please consider asking for a comparison with another Model S at your next SC visit to see if your system is abnormally loud. In the interim, please keep posting and complaining to Tesla HQ. If enough of us in hot weather states do so, we'll be more likely to get Tesla to step up and resolve these chronic issues.

Tesla fans will put up with a lot--the general public? Not so much . . . .

Thanks for the differences. Much appreciated. Yes, I went non-D on purpose. actually. This may be an unintended consequence!

 

[davidc18]

agree the a/c noise embarrassing.

 

[jerry33]

To limit noise:

1) If you have an older car, be sure that the sound deadening cover for the A/C is installed.

2) Start at a higher temperature than your desired temperature. It will still feel cool compared to the hot interior and won't make as much noise, as the cabin cools lower the temperature until it's where you want it. It's also will use less energy.

3) If it starts out loud, turn the A/C off and then on again. This will often lower the volume considerably.

 

[Ingineer]

The compressor noise is normal, and it's a very large and powerful compressor because it must also cool the battery. It's larger than other cars, and larger than some residential A/C compressors. ICE compressors are usually engine driven, so don't run very fast at idle where the engine is masking it's noise. Because the compressor is electrically driven, it cn run up to high speed without waiting for you to rev the engine, thus cooling the car faster.

I, for one, and glad it can run like that, and don't think it's too noisy for the benefit it gives. As other's have pointed out, if the noise bothers you, run it lower and suffer in hot silence. =)

 

[pedriscoll]

I have found it to be the loudest when I precondition the car. Once I am driving I don't find the AC noise to be overly loud.

 

[CHG-ON]

Yup. It's loud. I used to be embarrassed. Now I just don't care. I'm cool in the car and it hasn't blown up. So I'm good!

Reminds me of the old Lockheed L-1011s on takeoff!

 

[TSLA Pilot]

agree the a/c noise embarrassing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^And this sums it up^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

We're currently on our fourth and fifth Model S's now and I'm damn tired of making excuses for things that should have been addressed in the first months of production, let alone the FOURTH YEAR of production.

Come on Elon, you can do better here. Please, step it up with both future production and effective retrofits for those of us that brought you to the party.

Please ignore the "fan club" comments, especially from those that aren't living in hot climates and don't experience what we're experiencing. The kinds of noises and vibrations we get at high HVAC cooling demand are simply inappropriate. They would not be tolerable in even average priced cars, and they're grossly UNSAT in cars at 6-figure price points.

Thanks.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Yup. It's loud. I used to be embarrassed. Now I just don't care. I'm cool in the car and it hasn't blown up. So I'm good!

Reminds me of the old Lockheed L-1011s on takeoff!

Yes, a typical line in the advertisements for premium automobiles . . . but not related to the noises and vibrations we in the hot parts of the world get to endure.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

I, for one, and glad it can run like that, and don't think it's too noisy for the benefit it gives. As other's have pointed out, if the noise bothers you, run it lower and suffer in hot silence. =)

Didn't know there was a disclaimer for those in the hot parts of the globe: Spend huge sums of money " . . . and suffer in hot silence."

Ingineer, you live in San Francisco. Try putting up with temps in the 3-figures on a regular basis and with high HVAC loads. Having a "premium" automobile that subjects the driver to constant steering wheel vibrations and noises so loud that the car can become embarrassing to drive is UNACCEPTABLE; every year we're going to get repeated complaints here as the temps warm up, and rightfully so.

By any measure, Tesla can do better. Stop with the excuses as they will allow Tesla to continue this behavior into the M3 and MY, and the current MS's as well.

Frankly, it is possible that Tesla's success may help ensure the survival of life on this planet. Thus, Tesla needs to succeed. One way to help make that happen is to stop shooting ourselves in the foot on such basic customer "pain" points as this one . . . .

Thanks.

 

[jeffro01]

I really do not see what the issue here is. It's been explained technologically why the AC compressor in the Tesla is noisy, so what exactly do you want Tesla to do about it? I'm sure they'd love to reinvent the wheel here and build a ultra quiet AC electric AC compressor but the reality is they have a multitude of other engineering challenges and goals that are, quite frankly, far more important. I'll happily deal with a "loud" AC compressor in exchange for not having to burn dead dinosaur remains running said AC when the car is simply sitting there...

Call it unacceptable or whatever drama word you want to use, it doesn't really matter. It is what it is. If it bothers you that much perhaps you should take it upon yourself to invent an ultra quiet electrical AC compressor which no one else has invented to date. You'll make a ton of money and you won't have to worry about whining endlessly about your "loud" AC...

Yikes...

Jeff

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Jeff is right. Do I wish the AC compressor wasn't as loud as it is? Yep. But it's not. And it's not gonna be. End of story.

 

[Skotty]

I wonder how it will sound when the cars start emitting extra sounds through a speaker by mandate so that pedestrians can hear them?

 

[shonline]

Hey all,

I simply wanted to know if it was normal. I got my answer thanks to everyone here. Might be time to move on...

 

[madhav]

Iam getting the same exact noise (more like a whistling sound). I got some work done recently by a tesla authorized body shop (replaced bumper and few other stuff attached to bumper) and was wondering if they did something.

It is very audible while driving and i see that the sound is coming when i am charging the car in the garage. I need to take it to the service center.