Todd Burch
14-Year Member
That sounds consistent with the arcing explanation above...although why they referred to it as turning into a plasma instead of just arcing is odd.
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Has anybody gotten their "balloon squeal" noise fixed?
- Thread starter Thud
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
That sounds consistent with the arcing explanation above...although why they referred to it as turning into a plasma instead of just arcing is odd.
Gizmotoy
Active Member
I had a pretty pronounced balloon squeal since delivery on my P85. It was making a clunking noise transitioning back and forth from acceleration to regen, so they replaced the drive unit. They replaced the contactors at the same time, since apparently mine qualified. Haven't had any unusual noises since. Maybe it will pop up, but it hasn't so far. It's been a few months now.
ChadS
Last tank of gas: March 2009
Our car was quiet when we first got it in Oct 2012. Then somewhere around April 2013 it started squealing. Somewhere around Dec 2013 it stopped squealing all by itself.
We've heard from people without squeal getting new contactors, and people with the squeal not get new contactors, so I'm not positive the contactor replacement program is related to the squealing noise. MichaelS, was it your service tech that gave you that explanation? While I too was told the noise was the contactors, I've always heard the squeal did not cause any harm, but of course not everybody at Tesla says the same thing...
We've heard from people without squeal getting new contactors, and people with the squeal not get new contactors, so I'm not positive the contactor replacement program is related to the squealing noise. MichaelS, was it your service tech that gave you that explanation? While I too was told the noise was the contactors, I've always heard the squeal did not cause any harm, but of course not everybody at Tesla says the same thing...
One more data point, I’ve always had the balloon squeal (VIN 3305) and a few months ago, I had the chainsaw humming around 8kw and they replaced my drive unit. I had hoped that would fix it, but it didn’t. Then I got an email from Tesla saying: "We have been notified that your vehicle has been remotely diagnosed, and that the Power Switch and Power Supply would benefit from the latest generation components.” (which I later found out means the ‘contactor’ issue described above). I had the work done a few days ago and the balloon squeal is GONE (yay).
Thinking about it, if the arcing is due to poor contacting, it can be due to a lot of different things. Contactors often need a certain amount of "burn-in" before they start contacting smoothly. On the other hand, they can also start warping and getting worse and worse. So it makes sense that some people's balloon squeals went away on their own, while other people's got worse and worse -- the latter group are the ones who needed new conductors.
I never had a balloon squeal until late last year, when I heard it for the first time. The squeal manifests itself around 160 kW and only is audible when you punch it. If you accelerate moderately to the same level, there is no sound. I was told that my VIN is not in the range for contactor replacement.
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
Point of interest: yesterday I heard a two distinct ballon squeals, simultaneously. I don't have AWD, and it was 78 degrees outside. I definitely hope this is normal, acceptable behavior. I believe I was told that by an SC long ago, but who knows what might have been learned about this by now.
Zarwin
Member
When mine squeals, it is sometimes a dual tone squeal and sometimes a single tone. I can hear the second tone come in a moment after the first starts under heavy acceleration. Also the squeal in general comes and goes on a day to day basis. I thought it was temp related as it seems to do it more in the summer, but at this point have no idea. I'll see if I can make an audio recording of the single to dual tone squeal. The squeal itself doesn't really bother me at all as I've gotten used to it being there. There was actually one time recently someone wanted to hear it, and I got nothing but silence with my foot to the floor, lol.
EDIT: also, another point, I had a S60 loaner that was a much lower VIN and it would squeal (dual squeal if I recall) at a much lower threshold and was much louder than my squeal.
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
Zarwin, that is precisely what I heard. And mine is sporadic as well. It wasn't bothering me until this thread suggested a link to contactor failure, which I hope is not the case. I am fine with the squeal, so long as it isn't an indicator of an impending problem.
That's interesting, re: temp relation. Mine has done the squeal only once (knock wood), and it was when it was very, very cold outside (though the car was fully warmed up).
I see the balloon squeal is still alive and well in current cars (70d in this case). Must not be an issue for Tesla to worry about. At least with the dual-motor cars it's somewhat obscured by the front motor whine.
Tesla Model S 70D - 0-60 0-80 MPH Test - YouTube
Tesla Model S 70D - 0-60 0-80 MPH Test - YouTube
I had the balloon squeal really badly (one or two warbling notes, kind of chintzy sounding and embarrassing, and I noted it each time I brought the car in for regular service. Each time I would go on a short drive with one of the service technicians or foremen, and of course it would not really present itself as loudly as it would normally, and so they said it was "normal". The last time I brought my car in, they said I needed a "power switch" replacement. I don't think it was a service bulletin kind of thing, but maybe my car was calling home occasionally with measurements/readings and telling them that the piece needed replacement? In any case, they said it would also fix the balloon squeal problem, and it in fact did fix it 100% completely.
Mine comes and goes. I had a drivetrain replacement in my P85 recently, and didn't have a squeal. Then one day I floored it, got the squeal, and from then on I would get the squeal on much more moderate acceptation (still heavier than normal). Then about a week ago, the squeal went away even under very heavy acceleration.
I haven't had a squeal sound since my drive train was replaced.
I thought it was supposed to be the contactors in the battery that made the sound...???
I thought it was supposed to be the contactors in the battery that made the sound...???
Hmmm.. I NEVER had the squeal, but now have it after drivetrain replacement. Maybe I got your reman unit and you got mine?
