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Model 3 with battery popping sound while charging, should I be worried?
- Thread starter ZackZack
- Start date
I've noticed a few sounds when supercharging. To me, it sounded like metal expanding, probably due to the heat generated when charging at high rates.
Have a P3D VIN 63,XXX and heard a similar sound while driving on the highway back form Pittsburgh to DC last weekend. It happened 3 times over 200 miles @ highway speed. It also happened once while supercharging. I wondered if it was a faulty contactor. Car is currently at the service center because the car wouldn’t fully wake up after charging at home last week and had a blank center screen. Would still drive. No work yet from engineering. I mentioned about the popping sound, couldn’t tell whether it was mechanical part of the battery or bodywork. Definitely a concern
Mine just sounds like a piece of metal getting warm and expanding/popping. I just heard it a couple of times but wasn't concerned at all. I don't think we heard it at all when driving...just when supercharging.
frankholdem
Member
I have also experienced this when supercharing as well. And I also tend to experience it when climbing a hill in colder temperatures (around 5 C or or colder). I recorded the sound using my phone and am including a link to an audio clip below. The sound happens 3 times in this sound clip at 00:01, 00:03, 01:03. Does this sound like the same noise that you guys are hearing?
Dropbox - model3-sound.m4a
that's the same sound I get, while charging AND while starting to drive a semi steep hill (always felt like i was damaging the bottom of the car).
frankholdem
Member
I chatted further with my Tesla service centre about this and they told me that Tesla is now aware of the issue and is investigating. They are assuming at the moment that it is indeed the metal expanding between the battery pack and the floor of the vehicle and that the noise isn't dangerous or damaging to the car in any way.
Glad to hear it isn't damaging but hoping they eventually find a solution.
Glad to hear it isn't damaging but hoping they eventually find a solution.
5_+JqckQttqck
Active Member
Hi. Thanks for raising this issue. I have experienced this several times while supercharging. It sounds like someone has taken a sledge hammer to the underside of the car. I am a bit worried as the car also now makes a creaking sound when accelerating or slowing down as if it is stretching and contracting. I am not able to get in for servicing until mid december. I hope it's nothing too serious.
MacGreiner
5YJ
As Erik/David said above, I believe it is a thermal expansion noise. I experienced the same thunk a few minutes into supercharging in 30 Deg. F weather.
I hear the sound coming from various places under the floor when the battery is either charging or discharging rapidly. It happens every time we Supercharge and often when climbing mountain passes. Occasionally we'll get a pop when taking a steep driveway transition.
Seems like normal metal expansion sounds to me. I'm not too worried about it, although some sort of fix to quiet it down would be nice.
As an extra data point, we also have the hollow floor sound in the back seats.
Seems like normal metal expansion sounds to me. I'm not too worried about it, although some sort of fix to quiet it down would be nice.
As an extra data point, we also have the hollow floor sound in the back seats.
MacGreiner
5YJ
SCW-Greg
Active Member
Yep. I’ve had this as well... two types of sounds for me though. One that sounds, and feels, as if I’m scraping the bottom of the car, and I can feel it under my feet too. I literally got out of my car twice to check and see what was dragging. It happened twice pulling into my driveway after a long commute home. The other sound type I’ve heard is that popping sound (dare I say small exploding sound ) almost as if an idividual cell was popping. Seems to occur after the car has had time to warm up, but never while cold? I’ve heard these events I think on 5 occasions now. I set the car to charge at 2am, and I haven’t yet been to a Supercharger to know if this occurs while charging. Car is 3 weeks old, Dual Motor.
And so... I just got my car back yesterday for some squeaks they were fixing, and had them look into this battery issue too. The Service Center here is saying the same thing as yours, but he added “normal... until further notice.”
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How is it NOT normal if everyone is reporting the same thing?
If its happening to everyone then that would mean IS normal.
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