New M3 makes whistling noise at 78+mph

[Tezla1]

Got a new 2021 M3 ST+ 2 weeks ago.

On the highway, speeds between 78-83 mph, I notice a faint whistle/flute like sound.

Thought it was my music at first, but have since been able to replicate this “flute like” sound many times going over 80 mph.

What in the hell is going on? What do I even tell the service center?

 

[rwiegand]

That you are driving too fast? (assuming you are on a public road, not a track)

 

[dhrivnak]

It could be as simple as the windshield wipers not fully retracted. Push them lower with your hand and see if the issue goes away

 

[jjrandorin]

That you are driving too fast? (assuming you are on a public road, not a track)

In CA, there are plenty of freeways where the speed limit is 70 MPH, and the actual speed of regular traffic (if its not gridlocked) is 80 ish MPH, so 80MPH is not "track speed" here. Its "driving the flow of traffic" on multiple freeways.

 

[KenC]

check the trim on your car to see if anything seems out of place that can be snapped back into place. Particularly look around your side mirrors, the bottom plate, and the triangular trim piece on the side window.

 

[Baluchi]

check the trim on your car to see if anything seems out of place that can be snapped back into place. Particularly look around your side mirrors, the bottom plate, and the triangular trim piece on the side window.

This is what happened to me. I got a whistle from my new car, though it was at lower speeds than OP's. Since this seems to be a fairly common problem, the next time at the SC, I'm going to scour all the new cars and try to find one with the mirror trim out of place. Then I'm going to drag one of the SAs out to show them. It'd be a good idea for the SC to check this before every delivery--it'll save new owners a lot of headaches.

 

[Tezla1]

Put in a request for Tesla Service. They want to charge me $205 to diagnose the issue.

My car is less than 2 weeks old. Less than 400 miles on it.

What a joke

 

[Nine]

Put in a request for Tesla Service. They want to charge me $205 to diagnose the issue.

My car is less than 2 weeks old. Less than 400 miles on it.

What a joke

I'm fairly sure I've read that Tesla will always give you a price quote for repairs but won't actually charge you if your repair falls under warranty. If I recall, rattles/noises are covered for the first 1,000 miles so it would most likely be covered here. I would call in and ask about it in advance though.

 

[COsborn11]

Is this the sound you're hearing? iCloud

 

[Tezla1]

Is this the sound you're hearing? iCloud

No, mine is whistling sound

 

[Sophias_dad]

See if it changes when you ask for a wipe of the wipers. I've had the same super annoying sound ever since I changed wiper blades. Its driving me nuts. For me its from ~72-90.

I believe it is coming from directly in front of the driver, either from the base of the passenger wiper or the beam of the drivers wiper. I've been meaning to do some experiments to figure out exactly where, but that'll take like an hour or more of my time, driving up and down the highway stopping at every exit to change things.

 

[Baluchi]

No, mine is whistling sound

I posted this a couple weeks ago in another thread, but here's a video I made of the side mirror trim defect that can cause a whistling noise on a Model 3. My experience was the whistling happened at lower speeds than you're describing, but it's still worth checking your side mirrors to be sure this isn't causing your problem.

 

[ExcitedOwner]

I posted this a couple weeks ago in another thread, but here's a video I made of the side mirror trim defect that can cause a whistling noise on a Model 3. My experience was the whistling happened at lower speeds than you're describing, but it's still worth checking your side mirrors to be sure this isn't causing your problem.

Thank you for the video post. I just got my 23 tesla last Saturday. As I drive 45 miles out I hear the whistling noise. I tried to find out if there are other places, trying to feel any wind coming in on a window but can't find anything else. It was so annoying that I requested a warranty service for tomorrow. They could not just troubleshoot it n the chat but I have to bring it in. I snap the trim back and will check on my drive home.

 

[Baluchi]

Thank you for the video post. I just got my 23 tesla last Saturday. As I drive 45 miles out I hear the whistling noise. I tried to find out if there are other places, trying to feel any wind coming in on a window but can't find anything else. It was so annoying that I requested a warranty service for tomorrow. They could not just troubleshoot it n the chat but I have to bring it in. I snap the trim back and will check on my drive home.

Hope it fixes the problem for you, but I'm pretty sure it will if that piece wasn't fitted well on your car. Hard to believe Tesla is still making this basic manufacturing mistake.