Odd behaviors from air intake vents when off.

[Zythryn]

Has anyone noticed an issue with the Model 3 front air intake vents?
On ours, I noticed the vents were opening and closing repeatedly every few seconds. After a few minutes it would stop, and then start again in a few more minutes.

This seems to happen regardless of the proximity of the phone or keycards.

 

[Gwgan]

Yes. When I checked the phone the car was charging at the time. Topping off since it had completed charging many hours before.

 

[jomo25]

Ah! Perhaps that’s the noise I’m hearing on mine? Every 7-8 seconds. I posted in a separate thread. Does it make an ‘electric latch’ type of noise?

 

[Zythryn]

Ah! Perhaps that’s the noise I’m hearing on mine? Every 7-8 seconds. I posted in a separate thread. Does it make an ‘electric latch’ type of noise?

Sorry I missed your thread, I would have included mine in that one.
The sound I hear is of the electric motor as it opens and closes the vents. Next time you hear it, go in front of the car, get down low enough and look inside the grill at the bottom. If it is what is happening with mine you can see the vent flaps open and close.
It is difficult to describe the sound. Phonetically I suppose it makes a “vvvvvt” sound. It rises or lowers in pitch depending on it opening or closing.

Yes. When I checked the phone the car was charging at the time. Topping off since it had completed charging many hours before.

In my case I have heard it when it was plugged in, as well as when it wasn’t. One time we heard it over 24 hours since it was last charged.

I called support, they didn’t see anything odd in the logs. My service center will be contacting me during the week.

 

[jomo25]

I called the Scottsdale SC, and sent them the video file at their request. THey said they can’t remotely check logs on the 3 yet? But haven’t heard back (it was just Thursday I sent it to them). They said I might need to bring it in if they can’t determine what it might be from the file.

 

[jomo25]

Clicking & Clunking while Parked

Repeating Latching Sound

 

[jomo25]

Thanks Zythryn for posting this! It was driving my wife nuts (and beginning to bother me also).

But I confirmed that the sound is the air intake louvres opening and closing. It happens continuously while the car is parked and not in deep(er) sleep. Whether locked or unlocked, charging or not, it does it every 7-8 seconds. Only when its in deep sleep does it not do it, from what I can tell. I don’t know if it happens while driving but I dont hear it or notice it (and I think we would be able to).

I will call the SC and let them know and I did take a video I can share with them.

I don’t know if there would be any real negative implications of this, other than possibly the 12V battery being used more than needed.

 

[iluvmacs]

Mine's doing it too.

 

[Zythryn]

Update on ours, the service center is doing some more "in depth" digging through the logs.
They have some suspicions, and have ordered parts that may be required.
As we are getting freezing sleet and the roads are really nasty today, we asked to not bring the car in until tomorrow.