Extremely loud air conditioning and while charging

[powaking]

I have noticed that when I have my AC set to Auto with the temp set to 73 if it is really hot out not only can I hear the AC fans kicking in like a jet engine I can also feel a slight vibration in the pedals. It does die down once the internal temp adjusts to the predefined temp setting. I have also heard the fans kick in while parked during a recent cookout we had where I had to keep the car in the driveway instead of the garage.

 

[Joe F]

Thanks! Your answer is increasing my feeling that my system needs to be tested. In 95F weather, it never got the car below about 80 in an hour's drive on Saturday, even with 30 minutes of pre-cooling.

Definitely a problem with your car!

 

[Helmuth]

I was told by the Service Center that it’s normal for weeks, too!
Until the A/C failed and they charged me $3.500 to replace it since I was out of warranty already...

Make sure you get everything reported! Just in case...

 

[Ande]

Make sure front louvres open as they should, otherwise the fans will quickly hit max speed, and help little.

 

[brkaus]

Make sure front louvres open as they should, otherwise the fans will quickly hit max speed, and help little.

I was going to recommend the same thing. The louvres are in the openings under the headlights. They will open and close as needed. When the AC is super fast/loud they should be open allowing more airflow over the radiators.

I will say my S has been louder recently, but ramps down pretty quickly. I've been guessing it's related to the battery fire mitigation but it also maybe that it's just hot out.

 

[4EVar]

I was going to recommend the same thing. The louvres are in the openings under the headlights. They will open and close as needed. When the AC is super fast/loud they should be open allowing more airflow over the radiators.

I will say my S has been louder recently, but ramps down pretty quickly. I've been guessing it's related to the battery fire mitigation but it also maybe that it's just hot out.

I also have a very loud fan during supercharger sessions and when the ac is on.

I've looked for the louvre openings - the centre one is open but the ones under the headlights are not. Is this an issue?

 

[brkaus]

I also have a very loud fan during supercharger sessions and when the ac is on.

I've looked for the louvre openings - the centre one is open but the ones under the headlights are not. Is this an issue?

The ones under the headlights should open "when needed". Can you tell if the fans are on behind the louvers? It seams like I could feel air trying to be pulled through.

I just went out ad turned on the AC in my car sitting in the sun. The AC and fans spooled up pretty quickly. The louvers opened after about 30-45 seconds

 

[brkaus]

Oops - didn't upload photo

 

[Super Dude]

OK, sort of an update. I had mobile service come out to replace my 12v battery and I told them about the AC issue. Super great experience with mobile service, BTW. Tech said it did sound a little loud but he tested the cooling system and didn't find any errors. He said that it might be low coolant (AC, not battery I presume) and that this could tax the system, making it work harder and louder. Doesn't explain the vibrating noise at a certain fan speed, but I guess I'll have them check it next time I'm in.

 

[Super Dude]

The ones under the headlights should open "when needed". Can you tell if the fans are on behind the louvers? It seams like I could feel air trying to be pulled through.

I just went out ad turned on the AC in my car sitting in the sun. The AC and fans spooled up pretty quickly. The louvers opened after about 30-45 seconds

Cool, I never even knew these existed. I've never seen them open, I'll have to check them out next time I'm out.

 

[brkaus]

Cool, I never even knew these existed. I've never seen them open, I'll have to check them out next time I'm out.

I've seen mine open in the middle of the night. Car packed in garage. It's really strange. Restless sleep perhaps?

 

[Big Toys]

My compressor make a humming sound at specific notes and at specific note intervals. It's pretty loud. I've heard this is NOT normal in that it should not be that loud.

 

[Brian-MS90D]

Chiming in with a few notes / thoughts:

• The cooling system increasing in effort / noise for the summer and hot temperature is not unique to BEV. This happens with ICE too. However, not everyone notices with ICE b/c the constant fuel explosions drown out the cooling system's noise. Modern ICE vehicles may even run the cooling system (off battery power) for a period after engine is turned off if the engine is really hot.
• Tesla cooling system sounding like a jet engine is normal and every summer people post about this.
• We all know the supercharger situation has changed. First, your car is now preheating the battery as it nears the supercharger. Second, the superchargers are charging faster. Both of these changes will require more cooling than before.
• How things sound may change daily for humans. As we age, our hearing ability changes. Our ears may be more or less clogged with wax. I work in manufacturing with ultrasonic technology and troubleshooting issues by how they sound day to day (to humans) is a really bad way to go for higher frequency, constant noise type things.

 

[sakimano]

I gotta think this isn't normal. I've never heard a car this loud before. And it's not like it's always been this loud, it started a few months ago. As for having to move a lot of air, cabin's smaller than any SUV, so that's not the issue. For supercharging, I've never heard another Tesla this loud at a supercharger. It's tough to just say "it's loud" without actually being able to hear how loud it really is. Sounds like it's an issue for others as well.

make a video

 

[David29]

Definitely a problem with your car!

Appointment made!

 

[TSLA Pilot]

I was told by the Service Center that it’s normal for weeks, too!
Until the A/C failed and they charged me $3.500 to replace it since I was out of warranty already...

Make sure you get everything reported! Just in case...

PLEASE tell us that you got that $3,500 back since your reported it prior to the warranty expiration?

Please?

 

[ucmndd]

It was 108 degrees and humid here today. Car was over it. Got this message several times sitting in traffic on the freeway...

 

[Helmuth]

PLEASE tell us that you got that $3,500 back since your reported it prior to the warranty expiration?

Please?

I got nothing back! Orlando Service Center is the worst.
The Se4vice Manager agreed to a 50% reduction but called us 30 minutes later and told us his boss pulled him back, he is not allowed to talk to us anymore and the 50% offer is off the table.
The reason was: “You had so many issues fixed under warranty already”! Really!?!
Because we had over 20 different issues with the car (which isn’t our fault!) you don’t honor a new one?
And the headquarter is no help either (so far).

After that incident we switched to a different SC but have to drive 4 hours (one way) each time we need something...

 

[Chaserr]

The Se4vice Manager agreed to a 50% reduction but called us 30 minutes later and told us his boss pulled him back, he is not allowed to talk to us anymore and the 50% offer is off the table.

He admitted it's a warranty issue and was told by Legal to stop talking, it's what any competent lawyer will tell a client. You can get them to cover it fully but it will cost more than the parts and they know it.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

He admitted it's a warranty issue and was told by Legal to stop talking, it's what any competent lawyer will tell a client. You can get them to cover it fully but it will cost more than the parts and they know it.

Well, then, it's time to follow up with more aggressive action, and you may not even required arbitration.

First, try HQ again, via hard copy letters (FedEx or USPS Certified Mail), with copies of your service visit paperwork.

Advise them that you reported a specific problem PRIOR to the expiration of the car's warranty, yet nothing was done by the Orlando SC.

Post-warranty, you're out $3,500, and you expect to be reimbursed, as is required by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act:

Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act - Wikipedia

Advise that if you do not receive an affirmative response to your claim by September 1st, you will have no choice but to "pursue other avenues to be reimbursed for this warranty repair, a warranty repair that I was forced to pay out-of-pocket due to the Orlando SC's failure to diagnose the problem."

Not a lawyer, but this sounds like a no-brainer case.

It's worth your time to pursue, and it will hopefully get Tesla to behave better as well.

(Maybe.)

Keep us all posted!