Ear pain/Pressure help

[Pianewman]

Notch Peak: Based on 1 1/2 years + of experience, I don't believe the ear pain/pressure/fluttering/buffeting is related to cabin air pressure or altitude, but the fact that if the hatch stops (all 4 of them!) aren't fully supporting the hatch, the hatch flexes/twists, causing the sensation of fluttering/buffeting.

There may be other issues that play into the sensation that some feel, but after 47 pages of posts, I think it's pretty clear that the hatch stops adjustment is critical.

 

[JonB65]

This is how I look at them when referring inner vs outer.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this (and everything else!) Very much appreciated!!!

 

[ohmman]

I have noticed some deep rumbling in my Y compared to my X and S. I don't feel like I have the peak frequency problem that many have had, but definitely sensed that while the overall perception of road noise was lower on my Y, the low end noise was more extreme, including frequencies below my hearing capacity (feel, not hear). I took both on the same road and confirmed that indeed there is a lot more low-frequency noise in my Y compared to the X.

Model X:

Model Y:

Interestingly (or not), the Y also has a lot of noise at very high frequencies compared to the X, even though I sense more "road noise" with the X. However, it appears to have a sharper cut-off for noise at around 50Hz, so my initial thinking is that there's a sensory thing in that 50-100Hz range that is more noticeable.

I have adjusted my rubber bumper stops to grab/hold paper but haven't done anything else. I'm not sure how much the other fixes will work for a broader "low range" noise. I get the feeling the shape of the Y is just resonant at these lower frequencies, but I base that off of absolutely nothing.

 

[Happy Hippo]

I’m not understanding why Tesla does not fix or address this issue as it appears many people are having it. This makes me very nervous to take delivery of my MY. I am going my third test drive to see if I can hear it.

 

[ElectricAnt54]

I’m not understanding why Tesla does not fix or address this issue as it appears many people are having it. This makes me very nervous to take delivery of my MY. I am going my third test drive to see if I can hear it.

Could be some people are just more sensitive. I had a hearing test a few days ago and they asked if I have pressure sensations in my left ear or if certain activities cause me ear pain and headaches. They told me my left ear drum is a bit collapsed and could make me more sensitive to pressure changes or My ear needing to pop more often. I said no issues so the conversation stopped. That being said, I do not have issues driving in the model Y ever since tesla realigned my liftgate due to gaps and liftgate rattling around when going over bumps. As part of the procedure tesla/ body shop adjusted the liftgate rubber stoppers.

 

[Noflash]

Could be some people are just more sensitive. I had a hearing test a few days ago and they asked if I have pressure sensations in my left ear or if certain activities cause me ear pain and headaches. They told me my left ear drum is a bit collapsed and could make me more sensitive to pressure changes or My ear needing to pop more often. I said no issues so the conversation stopped. That being said, I do not have issues driving in the model Y ever since tesla realigned my liftgate due to gaps and liftgate rattling around when going over bumps. As part of the procedure tesla/ body shop adjusted the liftgate rubber stoppers.

I think this must be true. My other family members don't notice it.

I'll also add that I drove down my street with the hatch open and did not notice the booming. I plan on trying hatch stops again and also a service app't.

 

[ohmman]

I undertook the 5/16" OD vinyl tubing mod today. I used string trimmer line as fish tape. It worked quite well. I taped the end to keep it from snagging and pushed it through. When it would get hung up, I'd back it up to one of the existing holes in the weatherstripping and feed it back out, pull it through, feed it back in, and push it around from there. As seen here:

A note, though. Leave those loops at each of the feed areas (I did not) so that you can use those as midway points to pull the vinyl tubing through. I had to fish them back out with a pair of needle nose pliers and damaged two of the holes in the process. Quite angry with myself considering how well it had worked. Regardless, I was able to use a single piece of vinyl tubing, probably about 16-17' or so of the 20' I purchased.

After doing this, I had to readjust the bumper stops. I recorded a spectrogram this morning on the road outside of my driveway, and again after the mod. It appears to have made a difference. I still sense the cavernous sub-40Hz echo but it does seem to be better than it was. The before and after show in this GIF:

 

[EvilStryke]

I picked up a new MYLR on 9/30/22 and instantly felt the buffeting on the drive home. It has been causing discomfort and left ear pain since.

I adjusted the 4 trunk rubber stops using the soapy water method and it feels like a slight improvement. I’ve asked Tesla Service to investigate.

Since the rubber stops didn’t resolve completely, it’s likely a trunk alignment issue?

 

[EvilStryke]

I picked up a new MYLR on 9/30/22 and instantly felt the buffeting on the drive home. It has been causing discomfort and left ear pain since.

I adjusted the 4 trunk rubber stops using the soapy water method and it feels like a slight improvement. I’ve asked Tesla Service to investigate.

Since the rubber stops didn’t resolve completely, it’s likely a trunk alignment issue?

Yesterday I reached out to the general manager of a Tesla-approved body shop (had my Model 3 repaired here) explaining the pressure buffeting issue.

He replied that he has seen numerous Model Y’s for this issue and that it’s a common alignment issue from the factory.

I can’t wait 3 weeks for Tesla Service since the discomfort / ear pain is too much for me. And we all know the infamous “within spec / can’t reproduce” bs that can happen.

I’ll update y’all once the body shop evaluates and adjusts tomorrow.

 

[EvilStryke]

Yesterday I reached out to the general manager of a Tesla-approved body shop (had my Model 3 repaired here) explaining the pressure buffeting issue.

He replied that he has seen numerous Model Y’s for this issue and that it’s a common alignment issue from the factory.

I can’t wait 3 weeks for Tesla Service since the discomfort / ear pain is too much for me. And we all know the infamous “within spec / can’t reproduce” bs that can happen.

I’ll update y’all once the body shop evaluates and adjusts tomorrow.

Update:

We did a test drive and he instantly heard the "booming" sound. Based on his experiences, it's the suspension and interior design of the glass roof. The suspension is a bit stiffer to compensate for the weight of the two motors and battery pack. The sound was considered normal to all of the Tesla's he has repaired.

Since the overall design is based on the Model 3, he said that there are specific characteristics of the Model Y that will inherently sound and feel different. He evaluated the lift gate and found it to be bolted down really well, so no unnecessary movements. He also verified the suspension and mine is torqued to the right specifications.

Overall, he said the lift gate rubber stops are the best way to ensure the right amount of contact. He also suggested to wait 3,000-5,000 miles for the suspension to break in and softens a little. Since it's brand new, all the bushings and other pieces are super rigid. He also showed me that Tesla actually did a good job of their insulation foam that they spray when they adhere stamped parts together.

Right now, I do not experience as much ear pain, but I can definitely attest that the booming sounds are present. Hopefully my body and the driving experience evens out as time goes on.

Not the answers we are looking for, but hopefully my perspective helps in some way.

 

[Pianewman]

EvilStryke: I can't remember...have you or did they adjust the hatch stops? FYI, I started with unsettling boominess, fluttering, and after adjusting the stops, and 34k miles later, the boominess/fluttering is a total non-issue. I don't think I've just gotten used to it, either, as I'm a classical pianist/teacher, perform regularly with various stringed instruments, value my hearing (and my wife's!) and I honestly believe the noise issue is gone.

Sorry you haven't been able to eliminate your issues.

 

[EvilStryke]

EvilStryke: I can't remember...have you or did they adjust the hatch stops? FYI, I started with unsettling boominess, fluttering, and after adjusting the stops, and 34k miles later, the boominess/fluttering is a total non-issue. I don't think I've just gotten used to it, either, as I'm a classical pianist/teacher, perform regularly with various stringed instruments, value my hearing (and my wife's!) and I honestly believe the noise issue is gone.

Sorry you haven't been able to eliminate your issues.

Yeah, I adjusted the lift gate rubber stops and it has improved a bit. But I definitely hear the boominess.

Interestingly the body shop manager said the exterior C-Pillars will be slightly misaligned due to the stamping process.

I’m going to continue to play with the rubber stops since I believe it’s the best and only thing we really have to help.

I’ve been searching around and found that Mach-E and E-Tron drivers have reported similar issues.

 

[ilovecoffee]

I’m going to continue to play with the rubber stops since I believe it’s the best and only thing we really have to help.

No! It's not the only thing! Don't give up!

 

[Chaucerino]

Yeah, I adjusted the lift gate rubber stops and it has improved a bit. But I definitely hear the boominess.

Interestingly the body shop manager said the exterior C-Pillars will be slightly misaligned due to the stamping process.

I’m going to continue to play with the rubber stops since I believe it’s the best and only thing we really have to help.

I’ve been searching around and found that Mach-E and E-Tron drivers have reported similar issues.

I added the silicone hosing and it made a world of difference for me.

 

[EvilStryke]

I added the silicone hosing and it made a world of difference for me.

What’s the silicone hosing that you added?

 

[Chaucerino]

5/16 OD to the inside of the liftgate seal.

 

[Noflash]

Update:

We did a test drive and he instantly heard the "booming" sound. Based on his experiences, it's the suspension and interior design of the glass roof. The suspension is a bit stiffer to compensate for the weight of the two motors and battery pack. The sound was considered normal to all of the Tesla's he has repaired.

Since the overall design is based on the Model 3, he said that there are specific characteristics of the Model Y that will inherently sound and feel different. He evaluated the lift gate and found it to be bolted down really well, so no unnecessary movements. He also verified the suspension and mine is torqued to the right specifications.

Overall, he said the lift gate rubber stops are the best way to ensure the right amount of contact. He also suggested to wait 3,000-5,000 miles for the suspension to break in and softens a little. Since it's brand new, all the bushings and other pieces are super rigid. He also showed me that Tesla actually did a good job of their insulation foam that they spray when they adhere stamped parts together.

Right now, I do not experience as much ear pain, but I can definitely attest that the booming sounds are present. Hopefully my body and the driving experience evens out as time goes on.

Not the answers we are looking for, but hopefully my perspective helps in some way.

Thanks for saving me the service appointment trip.

 

[ilovecoffee]

What’s the silicone hosing that you added?

Here you go! Firstly, guys, please be gentle---- this is my first YouTube video lol. And it was a lot more difficult than I expected to make one!

I should clarify that this doesn't contain any NEW information that isn't already on this forum. But it's a good summary of every effective noise reduction method discussed here.

...and that image of Elon in the thumbnail, I made with Stable Diffusion's AI image generator LOL.

I recommend checking out this video I made that pretty well summarizes this entire thread. It was posted a few pages back.

 

[EvilStryke]

Question for y’all: When driving at highway speeds, do you feel air flow between thr B-Pillar and door trim?

 

[ilovecoffee]

Question for y’all: When driving at highway speeds, do you feel air flow between thr B-Pillar and door trim?

Definitely not.

I'd double check you still have that sensation with HVAC off, first.

But sounds like a misaligned door. The driver door seems to be notorious for misalignment. Even mine is misaligned (I had them align it but then it caused wind whistling, and the fix resulted in it becoming slightly misaligned again lol).

Alternatively, there have been many reports of the driver-side lower corner of the windshield against the A-Pillar having a gap resulting in wind noise/airflow penetration.

You can always do a tissue test. Tape a tissue on the inside or outside, and use compressed air (or something powerful like a Dyson hair dryer) aimed at some of the areas of concern, and see if the tissue moves.