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Ear pain/Pressure help

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Feeling really defeated. Got a call from the service center manager. To sum up really all they can do is drive around and can't hear anything. They wasted a *sugar* ton of time hoping the hear something versus trying to take scientific approach. they submitted to customer resolution and will hopefully hear back tomorrow if they can do anything. Overly dramatic but feel like my best friend betrayed me. I have been a huge fan and multiple tesla over 6 years. With shitty service and waits I can't defend anymore. I have some interest from local tesla group so maybe closer to resolution through getting rid of.

Thanks for the update OP. I'm in the same boat. The SC doesn't feel the ear pressure, so they can't fix it. Please let me know what happens.

In my Y, there is no real sound associated with it. I just feel ear pressure/pain, like being in an air plane. I do feel and hear every little bump, kind of like polyphonic54 was describing. When I had an S as a loaner, I also felt and heard every little bump, but never the ear pressure.

I desperately want to do something to measure it so they can fix it. I bought a barometer but that doesn't show any pressure increase.
 
@scott_mccool does yours both you if while just sitting with the vehicle stopped?

I really feel like there may be similarities here with my e-tron. The other thread is long but contains some recordings towards the end: Rear suspension noisy? - AudiWorld Forums

We don’t have a great perception of the loudness of ultra low frequencies, like booms. It’s more felt (over time) than “heard.” That’s why I feel this may also be involved.

This likewise bothers me to no end about my car. I also didn’t get the time of day with the Audi dealer. No discussion whatsoever. Just “it’s fine.”

If anyone wants to upload audio I can send it through a spectral analyzer to give clear a data point to show the service center.
 
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@scott_mccool does yours both you if while just sitting with the vehicle stopped?

I really feel like there may be similarities here with my e-tron. The other thread is long but contains some recordings towards the end: Rear suspension noisy? - AudiWorld Forums

We don’t have a great perception of the loudness of ultra low frequencies, like booms. It’s more felt (over time) than “heard.” That’s why I feel this may also be involved.

This likewise bothers me to no end about my car. I also didn’t get the time of day with the Audi dealer. No discussion whatsoever. Just “it’s fine.”

If anyone wants to upload audio I can send it through a spectral analyzer to give clear a data point to show the service center.

My wife says she has felt the ear pressure with the car sitting in the garage. I'm not sure. To me, after I drive for 5 or 10 minutes my ears start to hurt. I can't narrrow it down.

Yeah, I'm wondering if it is a low frequency. I have tried a spectrum analyzer on my phone. but those don't seem to go so low. Should I buy or rent a better piece of equipment?
 
Feeling really defeated. Got a call from the service center manager. To sum up really all they can do is drive around and can't hear anything. They wasted a *sugar* ton of time hoping the hear something versus trying to take scientific approach. they submitted to customer resolution and will hopefully hear back tomorrow if they can do anything. Overly dramatic but feel like my best friend betrayed me. I have been a huge fan and multiple tesla over 6 years. With shitty service and waits I can't defend anymore. I have some interest from local tesla group so maybe closer to resolution through getting rid of.
Please let us know of any updates. I completely understand since I am going through the same thing. I had been thinking about getting a Tesla for 6 months. I was so excited. It's very frustrating.

What is the procedure that they are going through? What is their customer resolution? How are you getting help for a local tesla group?
 
Please let us know of any updates. I completely understand since I am going through the same thing. I had been thinking about getting a Tesla for 6 months. I was so excited. It's very frustrating.

What is the procedure that they are going through? What is their customer resolution? How are you getting help for a local tesla group?
We have a local tesla group on Facebook for Charlotte. A few local owners have offered to drive it to see if they can feel it and have a few people offering to buy. They really were rushed and didn't want to give much detail on the customer resolution. Sounds like they have to submit paperwork on background of what the issue is. I have a feeling its a group at corporate that decides what they can do. My gut is nothing because they claim nothing is wrong.
 
We have a local tesla group on Facebook for Charlotte. A few local owners have offered to drive it to see if they can feel it and have a few people offering to buy. They really were rushed and didn't want to give much detail on the customer resolution. Sounds like they have to submit paperwork on background of what the issue is. I have a feeling its a group at corporate that decides what they can do. My gut is nothing because they claim nothing is wrong.
Don't mean to be disrespectful or demeaning in any way - but perhaps getting rid of the car is the best thing for you. I guess there is some sensitivity that you and/or your wife (and some others) may have to noises in certain ranges or pressure changes that are causing these issues. Perhaps all the other sounds in an ICE vehicle kind of mask this for you.

I do wonder whether it would be the same in another EV. Since I know you said that you feel the ear pressure just sitting in the vehicle, maybe you can check with your local Ford dealer to see whether they might have one of the Mustang Mach-E touring cars coming in, and make arrangements to sit in that? They aren't doing test drives until later this year, but maybe you can get a sense of whether that one might work for you by sitting in it, at least.... Then you could potentially determine if it's really Tesla-specific or something that might affect you with any EV.

I have an inner ear disorder called Meniere's Disease which can cause unexpected episodes of vertigo at any time. Fortunately, I have a mild case controlled with a diuretic, low-sodium diet and drinking a lot of water. But I do have low-level tinnitus and some hearing loss. I didn't experience anything like you in my 30-minute test drive but have been following this thread very closely.

It really stinks that you're having an issue with a car that you obviously want to really like.
 
Have you done lots of tests to try to narrow down what specifically is causing your discomfort?

For example:
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off except the music.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, but with the A/C turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, with the A/C turned on.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set high enough so that it is heating.
  • Repeat prior three tests but with a higher fan speed.
  • Driving at slow speeds with climate control totally turned off.
  • etc.
Yes, it will take some time and effort, but you should be able to narrow down what is causing you the discomfort that then would allow some further research into the problem and possible solutions.
 
From the video I clearly hear a high pitched sound. I would start on the high end of the sound spectrum, which fortunately cell phone microphones are going to pick up better than subsonic frequencies, so you may be able to use a spectrogram app to find the component emitting it.

I think one of the bigger problems is that the HVAC system has quite a few modes and it may be only making the sound in a few of them. Check out this video series on the different modes:


There's four parts that operate continuously - two pumps, the cabin fan, and the compressor. If it's the HVAC it has to be one of these.
 
Have you done lots of tests to try to narrow down what specifically is causing your discomfort?

For example:
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off except the music.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, but with the A/C turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, with the A/C turned on.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set high enough so that it is heating.
  • Repeat prior three tests but with a higher fan speed.
  • Driving at slow speeds with climate control totally turned off.
  • etc.
Yes, it will take some time and effort, but you should be able to narrow down what is causing you the discomfort that then would allow some further research into the problem and possible solutions.

I agree. I took some similar steps, but was less organi
Don't mean to be disrespectful or demeaning in any way - but perhaps getting rid of the car is the best thing for you. I guess there is some sensitivity that you and/or your wife (and some others) may have to noises in certain ranges or pressure changes that are causing these issues. Perhaps all the other sounds in an ICE vehicle kind of mask this for you.

I do wonder whether it would be the same in another EV. Since I know you said that you feel the ear pressure just sitting in the vehicle, maybe you can check with your local Ford dealer to see whether they might have one of the Mustang Mach-E touring cars coming in, and make arrangements to sit in that? They aren't doing test drives until later this year, but maybe you can get a sense of whether that one might work for you by sitting in it, at least.... Then you could potentially determine if it's really Tesla-specific or something that might affect you with any EV.

I have an inner ear disorder called Meniere's Disease which can cause unexpected episodes of vertigo at any time. Fortunately, I have a mild case controlled with a diuretic, low-sodium diet and drinking a lot of water. But I do have low-level tinnitus and some hearing loss. I didn't experience anything like you in my 30-minute test drive but have been following this thread very closely.

It really stinks that you're having an issue with a car that you obviously want to really like.

Yea, its tough because I want to love it so bad and have an all Tesla garage. I don't want to go back to a ICE, but given how bad the SC has been with 3 week waits every time, pushing back on other small stuff like trim, and not really even trying my wife is not going to green light another Tesla. I have had an S, and 2 model 3s(one of them was totaled in an accident) over the last 6 years and none of my family has ever had any issue with them. I know what I need to do is get rid of it I just have a hard time giving up.
 
Have you done lots of tests to try to narrow down what specifically is causing your discomfort?

For example:
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with everything turned off except the music.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, but with the A/C turned off.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set fairly low, with the A/C turned on.
  • Sitting in the car with with the fan on a low speed, temperature set high enough so that it is heating.
  • Repeat prior three tests but with a higher fan speed.
  • Driving at slow speeds with climate control totally turned off.
  • etc.
Yes, it will take some time and effort, but you should be able to narrow down what is causing you the discomfort that then would allow some further research into the problem and possible solutions.

Thanks for the reply. I have tried to do this to some extent. One challenge is that its slow onset and slow to go away. If I drive for 30 minutes I am going to feel for most of the rest of the day. I am a little gun shy too because of this. I have from multiple trips narrowed it down to not being the radio. I have also turned off air on multiple trips and had windows down. I have found on multiple occasions the pain occurring while the car is parked and its conditioning battery. I have confirmed on multiple occasions the pain with the car off, the radio off, parked and just conditioning battery. This leads me to believe its either the octo pumps or an electrical component that is driving them. Anyone else reading experiencing I would recommend trying to stand in front of the car while its just circulating to condition the battery to see if you feel it.
 
Thanks for the reply. I have tried to do this to some extent. One challenge is that its slow onset and slow to go away. If I drive for 30 minutes I am going to feel for most of the rest of the day. I am a little gun shy too because of this. I have from multiple trips narrowed it down to not being the radio. I have also turned off air on multiple trips and had windows down. I have found on multiple occasions the pain occurring while the car is parked and its conditioning battery. I have confirmed on multiple occasions the pain with the car off, the radio off, parked and just conditioning battery. This leads me to believe its either the octo pumps or an electrical component that is driving them. Anyone else reading experiencing I would recommend trying to stand in front of the car while its just circulating to condition the battery to see if you feel it.

For us it seems to cause pain/pressure while we are driving. A slow build up and then feel it after we get out of the car, which led me to believe it's a seal/fit issue either windshield/roof or the hatch, but will try this today as well. I have an appointment at the service center to drive the car with one of the techs to troubleshoot some more.
 
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Can you find someone with a Model Y that would be willing to trade vehicles with you for a few days?
Or maybe get Tesla to give you a loaner Model Y for a few days?
That way you can find out if all Model Y's have the problem, or if it's just yours.

If they all have the problem, you will probably have to get rid of it.

If it's just yours and if you have the patience, you can have Tesla continue troubleshooting.
Or you can do an early trade for another Model Y, understanding that you could get another one with the problem. Maybe go for a demo vehicle if they will let you drive it for a few days before committing.

I feel for you. Hope you work through this and Tesla treats you right.
 
My wife says she has felt the ear pressure with the car sitting in the garage. I'm not sure. To me, after I drive for 5 or 10 minutes my ears start to hurt. I can't narrrow it down.

Yeah, I'm wondering if it is a low frequency. I have tried a spectrum analyzer on my phone. but those don't seem to go so low. Should I buy or rent a better piece of equipment?
If your wife felt it just sitting in the garage it is NOT a pressure issue. The pressure would remain constant sitting still. Someone had suggest it was a visual thing with the eyes and windshield. I now suspect that is correct. Or it could be Psychosomatic disorder.
 
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I've noticed a lot of really deep rumblings with the Model Y that I haven't noticed with other cars. I'm not really sure what they come from, but they happen at low enough speeds that it doesn't seem to be buffeting. It doesn't really bother me, but it definitely strikes me as odd.
 
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Yeah, I'm wondering if it is a low frequency. I have tried a spectrum analyzer on my phone. but those don't seem to go so low. Should I buy or rent a better piece of equipment?

my iPhone 8 couldn’t pick up much below 100 Hz. The ‘boom’ range is probably around 30-60 Hz. A dedicated handheld recorder mic like a Zoom should be able to pick up lower frequencies just fine.

In an earlier post the 10 KHz noise was loud and clear (outside of the car). Annoying sound for sure, but I just don’t think that is the cause of this particular issue. High frequencies are easier to control anyway. I wonder if the octovalve has the acoustic jacket installed.
 
I've adjusted my hatch, which helped a lot. I have some boominess still, but have learned to ignore it. I have noticed some very, very low boominess sitting still. Fan speed 4 with the ducts set just right will do it.

If you have already adjusted the hatch, try turning the climate control totally off to eliminate that variable. Also, try stuffing pillows between the rear seat and the roof and perhaps on the trunk floor (an experiment, not a solution) to disrupt a standing wave that may be forming. If the hatch isn't it, the climate fan isn't it, and there isn't a low frequency standing wave, I'm stumped.