For a Luxury Car my Model S sure is noisy

[BestRadar]

Am I the only one or does everyone experience wind noise in their Model S. My wife always asks me if I have a window open when on the highway. Not sure if its the sunroof or just the poor design of not using door frames but my car is definitely not quiet like my wife's MB. I expected much better when spending over $100k on a car.

 

[BLKTSLA]

No everyone has noise on their tesla S and X it varies on how much though. Its a design flaw/oversight plain and simple but shouldn't be attributed to the price you paid for the car. You pay for the cutting edge technology in the car thats why they cost so much not because they are the pinnacle of luxury...that certainly can go to German automakers.

Cars without the premium sound have it worst, but the premium audio adds additional sound proofing to help a bit. Also those without a sunroof also have less wind noise. Everyone typically listens to music to drown out, but if its unbearable visit your service center and if they agree on how bad it is they can add some more sealant to the sills where the noise might be coming from.

 

[CmdrThor]

Model S is not a luxury car. It is a premium electric sedan.

 

[oktane]

Yes all my passengers ask me that when we reach highway speeds. It's embarrassing. The window seals are really bad. You can actually stick your finger through them from the interior to the outside. The car is definitely NOT a luxury car.

There's a small chance your SC can improve it somewhat, but I doubt it. I have just accepted it and gotten used to it. I only notice it when I drive my MBZ and remember what I am missing with proper seals and suspension. I remember what a luxury car is supposed to drive like. The Tesla feels like a rental car inside and out. If only I could get the EV drivetrain in my MBZ.

 

[BlueRocket]

Model S is not a luxury car. It is a premium electric sedan.

As someone on TMC put it, is a $40k car with $60k of technology

 

[SDRick]

I hear very little wind noise through the seals at speed, I do hear of some road noise though. I agree that soundproofing should be improved as this is such a quiet car by nature of its propulsion. If you are hearing wind, I would have the window seals checked.

 

[BlueRocket]

Am I the only one or does everyone experience wind noise in their Model S. My wife always asks me if I have a window open when on the highway. Not sure if its the sunroof or just the poor design of not using door frames but my car is definitely not quiet like my wife's MB. I expected much better when spending over $100k on a car.

It's fairly quiet... If excessive noise, I would get it looked at : Auto Decibel Database 3dB difference is about double the volume of I remember correctly.

 

[chillaban]

I think with a Tesla you are spending over $100k primarily on the EV tech. If you're comparing NVH with a recent model year Mercedes-Benz or Audi or BMW, it probably will sound noisy. Some of those cars have impressively low wind noise. Heck, the lowly 2017 A4 has a highway cruising dB rating that beats the $100k+ S class of the previous generation.

I hear more wind noise on my Model S compared to other cars. But with that said, I did receive a loaner once that had absolutely horrendous wind noise. If you're not sure if it's normal, I'd definitely pay the service center a visit.

 

[DIL]

This is the first I've heard that "premium audio adds additional sound proofing"

Can you (or someone) please verify?

It would make me much more likely to get the upgraded audio if it were true.

No everyone has noise on their tesla S and X it varies on how much though. Its a design flaw/oversight plain and simple but shouldn't be attributed to the price you paid for the car. You pay for the cutting edge technology in the car thats why they cost so much not because they are the pinnacle of luxury...that certainly can go to German automakers.

Cars without the premium sound have it worst, but the premium audio adds additional sound proofing to help a bit. Also those without a sunroof also have less wind noise. Everyone typically listens to music to drown out, but if its unbearable visit your service center and if they agree on how bad it is they can add some more sealant to the sills where the noise might be coming from.

 

[chillaban]

For those who haven't before, it might be worthwhile to book a quick test drive of a Mercedes E-class, S-class, or an Audi A8 / BMW 7 series.

Sometimes it feels like long-time Tesla owners tend to believe all ICEs sound like farm tractors or propeller planes. The tech has gone a long way, and some luxury cars at similar or lower price points are absolutely serene even up to 90mph.

 

[KidDoc]

Mine is pretty silent I've never had issues. (solid roof). I'm gonna download a decibel meter and measure it on the way home.

 

[Canuck]

Mine has more wind noise than it should too. It's not bad enough for me to worry about though -- but Tesla does have to tighten things up.

The window seals are really bad. You can actually stick your finger through them from the interior to the outside.

If there are gaps large enough to stick your fingers through what happens when it rains? It must come inside the vehicle. Mine's not nearly that bad -- I would definitely take it to service if I could stick my fingers through.

 

[EV-lutioin]

Interesting.... my MX is by far the quietest car I have ever owned and everyone who rides in it comments as such. Of course, I went from a Jetta and a Prius to my MX, so the comparison is relative. My question is, if the MS/MX is not quiet enough, how quiet does a car need to be? At some point it seems like you would start to feel detached from the driving experience.

 

[brettneu]

Not sure if applies to you, but I had excessive wind noise in my MS coming from the gap between the windshield and the all glass roof which is a known issue according to the SC and was corrected by removing and reinstalling the windshield with a change in pitch allowing the air flow to be directed over rather than into the gap between the two.

 

[oktane]

Mine has more wind noise than it should too. It's not bad enough for me to worry about though -- but Tesla does have to tighten things up.



If there are gaps large enough to stick your fingers through what happens when it rains? It must come inside the vehicle. Mine's not nearly that bad -- I would definitely take it to service if I could stick my fingers through.

Not a problem in the rain but can get a little ingress with pressure washing. If it is raining you can definitely stick your finger outside and get water.

 

[chillaban]

Interesting.... my MX is by far the quietest car I have ever owned and everyone who rides in it comments as such. Of course, I went from a Jetta and a Prius to my MX, so the comparison is relative. My question is, if the MS/MX is not quiet enough, how quiet does a car need to be? At some point it seems like you would start to feel detached from the driving experience.

I mean, that's exactly it. The last time I sat in a Prius was an Uber, after buying $60,000+ cars for the last 6 years…. And it was a very grounding experience in what the mass market cars actually feel like on freeways, particularly imperfectly paved ones.

I don't know if everyone here is mortally dissatisfied with their Tesla's noise level. It's quiet-ish but certainly not a leader in the market, particularly anywhere near its price point. I strongly believe it's okay to criticize something you own and would continue to choose. Every product has strengths and weaknesses.

I didn't buy a Tesla for its quietness at highway cruising. I bought it because it was satisfactorily quiet for my needs and it has a lot of features I really wanted. I have a laundry list of complaints about how the fit/finish/ride feels in a Tesla compared to another car of similar cost, but that doesn't mean I dislike my Tesla. Wouldn't have bought a second one if that were the case.

 

[cbdream99]

I suggest take it to the SC and have the tech ride with you to determine where the noise come from. When I got mine two months ago, the replaced windshield on arrival was such a lousy job that it leaks air above 40 miles and on highway is much worse. It took them two tries and finally replaced the windshield again to fix the issue. If all passengers questioned about open windows, then it's likely a leak somewhere.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

I don't have any wind noise issues. Solid metal roof. Definitely some road noise on rough freeway pavement. Like a dream when on a smooth a road.

 

[oktane]

I mean, that's exactly it. The last time I sat in a Prius was an Uber, after buying $60,000+ cars for the last 6 years…. And it was a very grounding experience in what the mass market cars actually feel like on freeways, particularly imperfectly paved ones.

I don't know if everyone here is mortally dissatisfied with their Tesla's noise level. It's quiet-ish but certainly not a leader in the market, particularly anywhere near its price point. I strongly believe it's okay to criticize something you own and would continue to choose. Every product has strengths and weaknesses.

I didn't buy a Tesla for its quietness at highway cruising. I bought it because it was satisfactorily quiet for my needs and it has a lot of features I really wanted. I have a laundry list of complaints about how the fit/finish/ride feels in a Tesla compared to another car of similar cost, but that doesn't mean I dislike my Tesla. Wouldn't have bought a second one if that were the case.

You hit the nail on the head with this. 90% of Americans are satisfied with absolutely terrible cars. Those of us shopping for Teslas are spoiled and many of us used to a much higher standard than what most drivers would consider "acceptable". I've never owned a car with an MSRP less than $100,000 and so I am used to quiet interiors and luxurious suspensions.

 

[BlueRocket]

I've never owned a car with an MSRP less than $100,000 and so I am used to quiet interiors and luxurious suspensions.

I wish I was rich... Oh wait, that's right, I am