Low humming/whining noise near infotainment touchscreen

[Pasquinel]

I'm an owner of a new 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid, having been a previous owner of a 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance. I have noticed that there is a low humming/whining noise near the 17-inch landscape orientated infotainment touchscreen that never fails to shut off, even when I reboot the touchscreen. Is this noise coming from a fan that is actively cooling the more powerful AMD Ryzen APU? My previous 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance touchscreen was dead silent, but also running a much lower spec Intel Atom GPU.

Any Tesla Model S owners with the newer landscape style touchscreens running the AM Ryzen APU have the same issue?

 

[vcor]

There is a tiny fan just above the phone chargers to better monitor the cabin temperature. You can see the holes if you get down low. Put your ear to the area and see if that is the source of the noise.

There is no fan in the display nor CPU (unlike MCU1 and MCU2 in the older S/X). The CPU module is now water-cooled, so you shouldn't hear any noise there.

 

[Pasquinel]

There is a tiny fan just above the phone chargers to better monitor the cabin temperature. You can see the holes if you get down low. Put your ear to the area and see if that is the source of the noise.

There is no fan in the display nor CPU (unlike MCU1 and MCU2 in the older S/X). The CPU module is now water-cooled, so you shouldn't hear any noise there.

Thanks for providing these additional details. After putting my ear near the phone chargers, this small buzzing noise is indeed coming from that area. So is this typical?

 

[vcor]

I've never noticed the sound in my car or several others I've been in, so it could be the fan is defective. I only know about it from taking the car apart. The car is under warranty, so hopefully Tesla can replace it. You might also see if there is an S in the showroom to compare.

 

[Pasquinel]

I've never noticed the sound in my car or several others I've been in, so it could be the fan is defective. I only know about it from taking the car apart. The car is under warranty, so hopefully Tesla can replace it. You might also see if there is an S in the showroom to compare.

I'm generally sensitive to even small noises, so immediately picked it up when compared to my dead silent 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance that had no charging pad once I parked it in the garage. I'll have mobile service or visit a nearby SC to have it checked. Hopefully an easy fan swap if it turns out to be the case. Thanks.

 

[Pasquinel]

Update. I stopped by the Tesla service center in Costa Mesa, CA and they stated this noise was a normal characteristic of the vehicle. Thankfully, it's subtle enough that it's only noticeable while parked with everything else turned off.

 

[Tim Deng]

I’m hearing the same noise in my Model X. I took a video here:

The noise feels pretty loud to me. Does it sound louder than yours?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Does the noise go away if you turn off the HVAC completely? It does for me.

 

[Tim Deng]

Does the noise go away if you turn off the HVAC completely? It does for me.

No, it's always there even after I turn the AC off.

 

[Tim Deng]

The noise is not noticeable when driving. But when parked or stopped, it's pretty obvious.

 

[scot]

If it REALLY bothers you, find a noctua fan in then same size and see if you can replace. Obviously this is not warranty, and you have to deal with whatever differences there are in terms of the fan type (DC/AC/pwm and wiring) but there are super silent fans out there.

make sure the CFM is similar while in use.

 

[Pasquinel]

I’m hearing the same noise in my Model X. I took a video here:

The noise feels pretty loud to me. Does it sound louder than yours?

Thanks for posting that video. My plaid has about the same loudness. I also sat inside a Tesla Model X in the showroom while the service center was diagnosing this noise and it was just as loud. Just have to learn to live with it.

 

[RAtDaddy]

I believe most the new models of tesla has a tiny fan under the infotainment screen. My model 3 just started making an annoying rattle/vibration under the screen. I popped off the vent cover that has the fan screwed on it. Unplugged it and removed the fan from the vent cover. There is a plastic cover that can be popped off. It has a circular price that holds the rotor to the fan. If you add any dielectric lubricant like WD-40 to the circular piece and reassemble it. The noise should be gone. I did this to mine and I no longer hear it.

 

[asterothe]

@Pasquinel any updates about this? I opened this thread for a similar issue:

Low humming noise from center console

I have a new S and it has been quite silent for a few weeks . Then I heard humming noise one day on my way back home. I did soft and hard reset but they did not help. Later in garage, hold or cold it did not make it go away. Then a SW update later it seemed to go away. Then yesterday morning...

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