There's a few other factors here. 1) it usually doesn't happen until after the DU has about 20k miles, and I find a lot of ppl don't drive as much as ppl like me do, so the true numbers are yet to be seen as lots of ppl just don't have the mileage yet for it to become apparent . 2) you have to have the ears for it. Many people can't hear it just due to their hearing loss or the low subtle sound of it. I'm an audiophile so my ears are tuned to hear crap that other ppl wouldn't usually recognize. It's very easy to have this milling sound but not notice it.
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Drive Unit Replacement Poll
- Thread starter nleggatt
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
There's a few other factors here. 1) it usually doesn't happen until after the DU has about 20k miles, and I find a lot of ppl don't drive as much as ppl like me do, so the true numbers are yet to be seen as lots of ppl just don't have the mileage yet for it to become apparent . 2) you have to have the ears for it. Many people can't hear it just due to their hearing loss or the low subtle sound of it. I'm an audiophile so my ears are tuned to hear crap that other ppl wouldn't usually recognize. It's very easy to have this milling sound but not notice it.
mknox
Well-Known Member
My high pitched "angry mosquito" buzz is loud enough that passengers ask what it is and my wife is insisting it's getting louder. When I'm by myself, I usually have the audio cranked up so it doesn't bother me as much :smile:
Funny thing - mine started somewhere after 10k miles and the time between when I noticed it and when my wife mentioned it was a matter of a few days.
19k miles and I've got the DU blues. I stopped by my local service center to confirm the "angry mosquito" buzz was indeed cause for a DU replacement.
Now in the club. 24k miles and change. Classic 2012 P85. Have noticed increased whine for a couple of months. SC confirmed today that they will replace, unit on order, surgery sometime next week.
FWIW, they said at SC that there's a local procedure to fix this that will be released "very soon" and that they are in final stages of testing it. Just as we've heard reported with batteries, selected SCs may soon have ability to fix (rather than wholesale replace) certain drivetrain issues.
FWIW, they said at SC that there's a local procedure to fix this that will be released "very soon" and that they are in final stages of testing it. Just as we've heard reported with batteries, selected SCs may soon have ability to fix (rather than wholesale replace) certain drivetrain issues.
My neighbors actually complained, plus people kept getting out of my way in parking lots. Not good if the whole point is to sneak up on them.
Father Bill
Member
I just got my drive unit replaced with 17350 miles. They got it yesterday and are delivering it today(because my loaner hit something in the road and blew a sidewall). Tesla Service is incredible, thanks to all the guys at the Saint Louis SC, especially Cameron!
mknox
Well-Known Member
Wow. I don't think mine is that loud. Before I had the a/c compressor retrofit done, I did have a neighbor walking by comment that my "engine" sounded funny one time!
Forty Creek
Member
I'm about at this point myself. My wife just asked me what that sound was so I'm quite sure it's getting louder. Just had the car in for the 60,000 km service and I wondered if they would pick up on it at the service centre. They didn't, but now I'm wishing I had brought it to their attention. At least the balloon squeal has totally gone away since that service visit.
mknox
Well-Known Member
My car has about 84,000 km and it's only had one "annual" so far. I pre-paid for them, so I suppose I should use them. It just seemed to me that whenever I brought the car in for other stuff, they did a lot of the so-called "annual" stuff like inspections, retrofits, alignments and such anyway.
I thought I heard the "balloon squeal" once, but even then I'm not sure. I think it might be something that the Performance models were more prone to. I have made an appointment for an "annual" service and I will remind them of the drivetrain whine.
Forty Creek
Member
There is no mistaking the balloon squeal. If you have it, you would definitely know. The milling sound however is most noticeable at lower speeds and when applying 5-10 kWs. I can reliably modulate the sound by gently pressing/releasing the accelerator pedal. It's tough to know what is normal or acceptable. I'm certain it has gotten louder over time
I'm having my DU replaced next month due to the milling sound. I decided against waiting for the fix-in-place, which is still without ETA.
Milling? Balloon squeal? I guess I'm bad with the analogies. I dunno, just know that it used to be dead silent, and now there's an audible whine under any sort of load. Cannot modulate.
mknox
Well-Known Member
Once, and only once, I stepped on it hard and heard what really sounded like a loud "balloon squeal". It only did it once and for all I know, it could have been just a coincidence with some external noise happening at the same time. The other sound I hear as you describe. I'm not sure I would call it "milling" as that seems to me to describe more of a gear noise. What I'm hearing definitely sounds electrical.
When people say "milling" are they referring to this high pitched electrical whine that you can modulate with the accelerator or is this the gear problem that can lead to a mechanical failure?
When I first mentioned it to Tesla, they said something like, oh that's just the sound of "power". Earlier they had diagnosed the drive-train "clunk" as normal and within tolerance, but after they heard the whine, they said while it is just "cosmetic" they would fix it once parts became available. I thought they meant a replacement drive unit, but seeing these other posts about a potential repair on-site, maybe that's what they meant.
As far as I know, the balloon squeal is addressed with a contactor replacement. It has nothing to do with the motor. The squeal also seems dependent on temperature, so you may or may not always hear it. Mine comes and goes. I was also told it was normal, and that my VIN is not eligible for the contactor update.
I'm VIN 05837 and they just took my battery apart last week because the contactors got stuck ("car needs service, unable to start" error), and they replaced the parts ... why would your VIN not be eligible?
mknox
Well-Known Member
That might explain why I've never heard it again. My contactors failed on me and were replaced.
Mine had no baloon squeal before the contactor replacement, and now it does. It was also not on the list for contactor replacement, but they still did it while the car was in for other issues. I really doubt that some early cars got good contactors that don't require replecement, they were all of the same parts. The reason that Tesla is doing them in batches is most likely to avoid the word "recall" in the news.
I called service and asked them, they said the contactor retrofits are proactive and apply to specific VINs.
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