Annoying DU whine: Model Y

[Brown1428]

My Model Y LR AWD (16xxx) exhibits a high pitch tone at speeds from 40-65mph that's very annoying to me. The tone sweeps (2.5kHz to 6kHz) with speed and is only present when the DU is under load. Tesla service has tried to fix it but ultimately determined that the sound is normal and nothing can be done to eliminate it. I'd like to know just how normal it is. Just be clear, this is the whine that I hear:

The tone is at about 5.5kHz @ 50mph, and not all speakers will accurately reproduce it. I've found that it's most representative when played from my phone speakers. ymmv.

 

[Lozzy]

I hear that noise when the battery is conditioning on the way to a super charger but not normally

 

[Brown1428]

I hear that noise when the battery is conditioning on the way to a super charger but not normally

Thanks! Would you mind casting a vote?

 

[mrbloons]

I hear a very subtle high pitched noise, only during hard acceleration. It’s barely noticeable though, so I’d consider it ‘basically silent’. Definitely not concerning or bothersome to me. Also the car seems quite good as far as wind noise, no problems hearing or talking to passengers in the rear seat from front, even at high speeds 85+mph.

 

[adecker]

You will have a whine during heavy load, more accurately, when the inverter is dumping lots of current into the motors. That is a normal effect from the electronics. I don't have anything when I just drive around normally. I also don't think the heavy load whine is that high pitch but that is just my ears and I have no measurements to back that information up. Oh and I enjoy the heavy load whine... It's akin to loud exhaust under heavy acceleration in an ICE to me but I am weird like that.

 

[Brown1428]

You will have a whine during heavy load, more accurately, when the inverter is dumping lots of current into the motors. That is a normal effect from the electronics. I don't have anything when I just drive around normally. I also don't think the heavy load whine is that high pitch but that is just my ears and I have no measurements to back that information up. Oh and I enjoy the heavy load whine... It's akin to loud exhaust under heavy acceleration in an ICE to me but I am weird like that.

Thanks for your feedback and I agree, I'd have no issues with it whatsoever if the whine was only present during heavy load.

 

[MrTemple]

Poll will definitely be biased by age and hearing capability of respondents.

All EVs whine. You’ll have to find a nearby Y to see if yours is louder than normal.

 

[Brown1428]

Poll will definitely be biased by age and hearing capability of respondents.

All EVs whine. You’ll have to find a nearby Y to see if yours is louder than normal.

Thanks. I've been in two other LR and one PUP and all three were essentially silent.

 

[newtnyc]

Just noticed it today. Regardless of speed, if I push down rather hard in the throttle, I hear a high pitched whine which disappears very quickly. Assuming this is pretty normal?

 

[VaxAce]

Just noticed it today. Regardless of speed, if I push down rather hard in the throttle, I hear a high pitched whine which disappears very quickly. Assuming this is pretty normal?

normal.. get into it and think of it as your rocket taking off...

 

[newtnyc]

normal.. get into it and think of it as your rocket taking off...

Yeah, somehow it felt normal. And it was consistent every time. Put it in the category of perception over reality. If it does not bother me, then I perceive it to be a non issue.

 

[Brown1428]

Thanks to all who participated. The sample size of this poll is obviously very small, but the results are consistent with my own (albeit limited) experience.

My car's whine may be within the limits Tesla has established but that doesn't mean that what I'm hearing is typical for the Model Y.

 

[juli1]

Just found this poll and post! Yes, mine has such a noise when accelerating (see post). Seem normal then, we are probably just sensitive to this noise.

 

[JimAvera]

Yes. I have become increasingly irritated by the noise to the point that it puts me on edge and I don't enjoy driving hilly roads any more, where the noise is prominent.

In my MY the noise occurs mostly between 40 and 45 mph and includes an oscillating "nyin-nyin-nyin..." component which sounds like some kind of mechanical instability or bearing problem. As others have said, it is worst under load, either accelerating or regen braking.

West Sonoma County has lots of hilly roads where 40-45 mph is the right speed, and it's driving me nuts.

 

[FrankH99]

I hear that noise when the battery is conditioning on the way to a super charger but not normally

I had the exact same experience