Annoying whistle noise, when driving relatively slowly – Is it normal?

[Toke_Holledig]

It is driving me nuts! I don't know if it is referred as ‘Moter whine’. I hear the noise when driving relatively slowly around 30-70 km/h. Sometimes it is worse. It will start when slowly using the pedal at some speed. The sound/whine/whistle is also there when regenerative breaking.


All help is a appreciated. For info. This is a model 3, and my first Tesla. I don't remeber hearing the noise the first couble of weeks. Tesla

I have some footage of the sound. Please use high volume:

Best regards
Toke

 

[Tam]

I...use high volume...

Normal road noise drowns out what you try to point out.

I can't hear any anomaly.

 

[Beaver]

Sorry I can't hear it either.

 

[SoccerMan94043]

Dito... sounds normal.

 

[StellarRat]

I hear it. That's normal. The motor does whine a little at certain speeds between (30-40 mph IIRC). However, compared to Leaf it's barely noticeable. That's part of electric driving. Compared to an ICE vehicle it's nothing. I actually like that sound because it sounds so futuristic.

 

[Toke_Holledig]

I hear it. That's normal. The motor does whine a little at certain speeds between (30-40 mph IIRC). However, compared to Leaf it's barely noticeable. That's part of electric driving. Compared to an ICE vehicle it's nothing. I actually like that sound because it sounds so futuristic.

Thanks mate. But the problem is, that it is not all time time (if you understand). Is it not continuous. It is normal pretty bad after 30min driving.

 

[Mdoss]

I can faintly hear the whine you are talking about. Not sure why it only happens sometimes and not all the time??
But yes, my Leaf is super annoying with its artificial noise when driving slow (to alert pedestrians) and the [beep] [beep] [beep] when in reverse. SO ANNOYING!!

But maybe what yours is doing is normal, and most drivers either don't hear it, or their music drowns it out..

 

[StellarRat]

Thanks mate. But the problem is, that it is not all time time (if you understand). Is it not continuous. It is normal pretty bad after 30min driving.

Well, I don't think we're thinking the same thing then. If you are under 25 years old you can probably hear higher frequencies than us old guys, perhaps mine makes the sound you're talking about as well, but I just can't hear it.

 

[BlueWRXPride]

Interesting, I just posted the same thing this morning. High pitched whine from front - LR Model 3 I hear it in your video and think I have the exact same noise in my car. I took my friend's RWD M3 for a quick drive earlier today and didn't hear the noise. So it's certainly not present in every car, but I also don't know if it is necessarily a sign of anything wrong.

 

[ATC@LWSK]

Model S AWD was always noisier than MS RWD due to the front motor. Could this be the case with M3 as well? I can't hear anything wrong in the video too.

 

[JBT66]

The front motor in an AWD definitely emits a whining sound similar to an electric golf cart and in my opinion it’s totally awesome.

 

[zhu-]

Might be the microphone but I'm not hearing anything unusual. Is it louder in person?

I noticed a much louder whine in my car when regen braking on certain cold days below 30F. Above freezing I haven't had much noises.

 

[JBT66]

Listened to it a bit louder and I do hear the whistle sound. I’d say that’s abnormal.

 

[aspec818]

I have a certain whine/whistle in my car as well at like the 40% acceleration point. Does not really bother me and sounds cool to be honest. Reminds me of jet noises.

 

[ChrisH]

I hear it in your video. My LR RWD does not have that sound, at least I don’t think it does. I usually have the radio on.

 

[spurs10]

I heard it
I have something similar when car is going at 80mi or above on highway.
It doesn’t happen all the time, it came from the passenger side l, I can’t pin point where is from either.
It’s quite annoying especially yours happens even at low speed

I watched the video again, yours is more constant, sound like it’s from the wheel?

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

No it's not! Was that a rhetorical question?

 

[ngogas]

Get it looked at and see if it’s normal. Or go to a Tesla shop and drive another model 3.

 

[fabian]

That's crazy, these people saying that's normal need to get their hearing fixed or get better speakers/headphones. That's not normal, I don't have it on my M3.

 

[Toke_Holledig]

Interesting, I just posted the same thing this morning. High pitched whine from front - LR Model 3 I hear it in your video and think I have the exact same noise in my car. I took my friend's RWD M3 for a quick drive earlier today and didn't hear the noise. So it's certainly not present in every car, but I also don't know if it is necessarily a sign of anything wrong.

Thanks for sharing. I agree, nothing performance wise is wrong. But it is just a bit frustrating, that your car is giving you tinnitus. The service center in Denmark, say they can’t hear it. So, I think I need to compare it with another AWD with them.