Model X AC Making Loud Grinding Noise

[salman]

My Model X was delivered in late December, 2017, so around 3 months ago. Since I have gotten it, the AC has occasionally made this loud grinding noise that goes on for a little less than a minute. I have noticed that it specially happens when I park under the heat for a few hours and open the AC right away once I'm inside the car. Sometimes turning off the AC and turning it back on fixes the issues, and sometimes I just wait until it goes away on its own. However, it has been bothering me more recently and since where I'm living is going to get hotter in the coming months, I do not want to keep hearing it on a daily basis.

I shot a video earlier today, which you can watch below, where it happened again. Can anyone let me know if this is a technical issue that would require me to visit the service center or I shouldn't be too worried about it?

 

[unpollo2]

i believe that is the battery cooling fan kicking on while running the AC. how hot is it?

 

[salman]

i believe that is the battery cooling fan kicking on while running the AC. how hot is it?

It was 34°C at the time of recording. However, in the next few months the weather will be getting even hotter where it'll go above 45°C. Does this mean I'll be hearing the noise every time I get in the car?

 

[unpollo2]

looks so:

AC Noise - Loud!

 

[Big Earl]

It sounds like something is vibrating as the compressor speed ramps up. Once it’s up to a certain speed, the noise goes away, although it probably comes back if the compressor slows down.

I’d have the service center check to make nothing is loose.

 

[hill]

looks so:

AC Noise - Loud!

hahahahaha too funny ... one of the poor slobs in that thread posts, "it's normal"
normal .... it's like a model X ghosting deja vu.
.

 

[Mickeymammoth]

Hi Salman, what was the resolution to this? I have a new model X that has this exact same problem.

 

[salman]

Hi Salman, what was the resolution to this? I have a new model X that has this exact same problem.

Hey, it turned out to be a very simple issue and I had it fixed at the service center within 24 hours. Two parts seemed to be rubbing against each other when the compressor turned on, producing the loud grinding noise. The service center just installed a spacer between them and that fixed the issue.

Haven't faced any problems since then.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mickeymammoth]

Thank you so much! I will provide this info to the service center.

 

[gjunky]

Hey, it turned out to be a very simple issue and I had it fixed at the service center within 24 hours. Two parts seemed to be rubbing against each other when the compressor turned on, producing the loud grinding noise. The service center just installed a spacer between them and that fixed the issue.

Haven't faced any problems since then.

Hope this helps.

Do you still have the loud turbine sounding noise you can hear from two parking lots away? Ours does this in the Phoenix sun 40+C here today as well (109f). This AC is incredible loud and has been since we got it. Curious to hear if this fix also fixed some of that.

 

[Mickeymammoth]

Ugh, service center says "it's normal" which makes me think they weren't able to reproduce it. SC is an hour away, so this is quite a bit of hassle for me. Plus, they never even called to tell me what was up; just got an email with an invoice saying they didn't do anything.

 

[FamilyT3sla]

I also have an extremely loud AC but after thermal checks etc, it is "normal"

 

[alcibiades]

Mine didn't used to make a noise like this, but now it has started to make terrible sounds like the OPs. Can't wait to be told it is normal.

I'd link to a video I took, but I don't know how to post a .MOV

 

[Nerdy_Engineer]

Hey, it turned out to be a very simple issue and I had it fixed at the service center within 24 hours. Two parts seemed to be rubbing against each other when the compressor turned on, producing the loud grinding noise. The service center just installed a spacer between them and that fixed the issue.

Haven't faced any problems since then.

Hope this helps.

My AC makes the same noise. What service center did you have yours repaired at? I'd like to be able to point them to someone that my service center can reach out to in case they have questions. I want to minimize the chances of my service center telling me it's normal because they don't know how to fix it.

 

[Peteski]

Listening to a selection of ICE car cooling systems sitting on full blast today in the heat (30+ C in the sun) while picking the kids up from school, I'd say my X is one of the quietest!

 

[alcibiades]

Listening to a selection of ICE car cooling systems sitting on full blast today in the heat (30+ C in the sun) while picking the kids up from school, I'd say my X is one of the quietest!

That is great for you! Either this proves that our X's are broken or that you like to post irrelevant comparisons or both.

I'll type this bigger:

My Model X's AC used to not make an oscillating pitch grinding noise and now it does. I do not care what an ICE does.

 

[Peteski]

That is great for you! Either this proves that our X's are broken or that you like to post irrelevant comparisons or both.

I'll type this bigger:

My Model X's AC used to not make an oscillating pitch grinding noise and now it does. I do not care what an ICE does.

What's your issue? The OP got the problem fixed if you didn't notice. Maybe yours is still broken and you are sore about it. I'm just saying they don't ALL make this noise when working correctly.

 

[alcibiades]

What's your issue? The OP got the problem fixed if you didn't notice. Maybe yours is still broken and you are sore about it. I'm just saying they don't ALL make this noise when working correctly.

That the OP got his fixed doesn't entail that @Mickeymammoth and I didn't/aren't having problems getting ours serviced.

My issue is that I paid 100k+ for a car that has an obvious problem, but Tesla service centers try to pass it off as normal. As a result, we either have to live with it or go service center shopping. I'm not a stockholder, so in my world this is completely unacceptable.

Oh, by the way, I took my car to a different service center and it turns out my compressor needs to be replaced. Duh.

 

[Peteski]

That the OP got his fixed doesn't entail that @Mickeymammoth and I didn't/aren't having problems getting ours serviced.

My issue is that I paid 100k+ for a car that has an obvious problem, but Tesla service centers try to pass it off as normal. As a result, we either have to live with it or go service center shopping. I'm not a stockholder, so in my world this is completely unacceptable.

Oh, by the way, I took my car to a different service center and it turns out my compressor needs to be replaced. Duh.

I'm all broken up for you, but what has that got to do with my post above? I was just saying that ICE cooling systems make a a LOT of noise and a normal functioning Tesla is actually RELATIVELY quiet IMHO, even though you tend to notice it more because there is no additional engine noise. It wasn't even aimed at anything you posted, just an observation after reading this thread and listening to a few other vehicles in the recent heatwave.

Anyway go rant at your SC, not me!

 

[75Dchgo]

That the OP got his fixed doesn't entail that @Mickeymammoth and I didn't/aren't having problems getting ours serviced.

My issue is that I paid 100k+ for a car that has an obvious problem, but Tesla service centers try to pass it off as normal. As a result, we either have to live with it or go service center shopping. I'm not a stockholder, so in my world this is completely unacceptable.

Oh, by the way, I took my car to a different service center and it turns out my compressor needs to be replaced. Duh.

Which service center did you go to(I can see you're from IL)? We have this problem occasionally but when we took it to the SC, they said its normal. We go to the one in Grand