Model 3 annoying beeping sounds like 'morse code'

[NOCO24U]

Hi,

I took delivery of my Model 3 (#4000-ish) last week and there are 2 things that really bother me about this car. One is the ridiculously loud blower fan, the other is I have an intermittent high pitch beeping, which sounds a lot like morse code, in the cabin. I can hear it driving at low speeds and of course when the car is sitting.

I noticed that the sound can be affected by the LED headlamps. If I sit in the car, and switch the headlamps from AUTO to OFF, the beeping stops for a bit, and then will eventually go back into its 'morse code' like pattern. If I switch the lights from OFF to PARKING, the intermittent beeping turns into a constant beeeeeeeeeeeep, which sounds a lot like tinnitus or ringing in the ears.

If I toggle between OFF and PARKING and OFF and PARKING, I can control the long beep. It sound a lot like a piezo buzzer. I'm guessing this has to do with the LED light drivers on the headlamps.

If I switch the lights into AUTO, or ON, the beep is still there, but it is masked a bit by the LED cooling fans on the lights. Putting the lights in PARKING keeps those fans off so you can isolate the beep.

I'm 33 years old, and have better than average hearing. My girlfriend can hear it, but my parents cannot.

Does anyone else have this issue?

 

[DFibRL8R]

Haven't heard that yet (blower is annoying however). My kid's young ears haven't picked anything up either.

 

[Stoneymonster]

Yup. Doesn’t sound like an intentonal beep from an audio source though, sounds like coil whine from something.

 

[JonathanD]

OP have others heard this in your car, or is it just you? You might be sensitive to a certain frequency.

 

[NOCO24U]

my girlfriend and sister can hear it too.

 

[Stoneymonster]

I will say, to me, it's not particularly annoying and mostly covered by other ambient noises. I'm used to weird sounds from the Model S too

 

[swaltner]

If you're on an iPhone, does SpectrumView on the App Store pickup the noise? I'm guessing there are similar apps for Android or Windows/macOS/Linux if you don't have an iPhone.

One of the nice things about getting older is losing my hearing sensitivity for high pitches. I no longer go bonkers listening to power supplies in TVs.

 

[NOCO24U]

If you're on an iPhone, does SpectrumView on the App Store pickup the noise? I'm guessing there are similar apps for Android or Windows/macOS/Linux if you don't have an iPhone.

One of the nice things about getting older is losing my hearing sensitivity for high pitches. I no longer go bonkers listening to power supplies in TVs.

ha! i will check out SpectrumView now, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ServerDude]

Mine (#25xx) does this with an iphone4S when I make a call the very 1st time I make a call.
No help yet from Tesla on it.

 

[Stoneymonster]

Mine (#25xx) does this with an iphone4S when I make a call the very 1st time I make a call.
No help yet from Tesla on it.

I think that’s different. That sounds like 2G network interference with the audio system.

 

[NOCO24U]

here are the SpectrumView results, thanks to swaltner for the suggestion.

The "morse code beep" is at about 3625 Hz. One pic shows the spectrum peak as a snapshot in time. The other 2 show it with time as the x-axis (one is zoomed more than the other). You can see that it is intermittent.

 

[Errantpixel]

Hi,

Does anyone else have this issue?

Yup. Mine does this as well, even my > 40 ears can pick it up. Seems to be coming from the rear/right area, and somewhat related to throttle position, but not regen -- if that makes any sense. Turn off lights/hvac/etc and do some steady-state uphill driving at ~ 30mph, and it'll present readily.

Other comment about it being like a coil-whine feels right -- it has that 'bad ground loop electrical whine' quality.

 

[Big Dog]

"et, phone home"?

 

[NOCO24U]

Yup. Mine does this as well, even my > 40 ears can pick it up. Seems to be coming from the rear/right area, and somewhat related to throttle position, but not regen -- if that makes any sense. Turn off lights/hvac/etc and do some steady-state uphill driving at ~ 30mph, and it'll present readily.

Other comment about it being like a coil-whine feels right -- it has that 'bad ground loop electrical whine' quality.

how does one fix a "bad ground loop electrical whine"? where can we report this? i'm still awaiting a call back from the service center. any other channels to bring this to Tesla's attention?

 

[Errantpixel]

I have an appointment (well, had, they canceled it overnight "per my request" that I never made) Wednesday at my local SC for a "Contact Tesla Service" alarm that came up after the recent firmware update -- was planning on bringing it up then.

 

[NOCO24U]

I have an appointment (well, had, they canceled it overnight "per my request" that I never made) Wednesday at my local SC for a "Contact Tesla Service" alarm that came up after the recent firmware update -- was planning on bringing it up then.

ok, please let us know how it goes. feel free to use the spectrumview recordings i posted.

 

[ntam]

Have you tried rebooting the car?

 

[J1mbo]

I wonder if it's the audio amp picking up something that is badly earthed?

My MS makes a digital "chirping" noise which is very similar to an analog modem (could be described as "morse") when I press on the brake. It is very quiet, and I can only hear it at low speeds in my parking garage.

 

[pdxgibby]

This is fascinating. My money is on a poorly grounded wire. Tesla will be able to identify and isolate this for sure.

 

[NOCO24U]

This is fascinating. My money is on a poorly grounded wire. Tesla will be able to identify and isolate this for sure.

oh good, there was about to be a Model 3 for sale in Chicago.