POLL: Does your Model Y make this humming sound?

[fablau]

If you own a Model Y, please, check the following and post your answer below:

1. Make sure your car A/C is off.

2. Close all doors and let your car cool for 5 minutes.

3. Open the door: Do you hear a humming sound coming from the front-right side of the frunk that never stops? Can you also hear it from inside, sounding like a continuous humming sound similar to an airplane or a faraway lawnmower?

If so, please, post below your Model Y year and purchase date. We are trying to understand how many cars are affected by this problem, which may be caused by defective water pumps of the cooling system (octovalve system) or other related components as explained on this thread. You can also look at this video where I explain the problem:

It looks like newer Model Ys are affected by this problem, whereas older models are completely quiet.

If we get enough people reporting this issue, we can potentially open a case with Tesla and have the problem fixed for everybody.

Thanks in advance to everyone!

 

[fablau]

I can't believe I am the only one having this issue! Am I really the only one??!!

 

[ChrgdTeCHick]

I haven't checked this out with your steps but I've own a tesla since 2017 and they all have made humming or buzzing or some type of sound when on and off. I've come to just expect it as the norm. I just make sure to remember what my vehicle's norm is to be aware when something outside of its norm is happening.

 

[RatsFPV]

Have you put in a service ticket? Seems like if you think that there is a big issue that you would put in a ticket and get Tesla to look at it.

 

[fablau]

Please, read the thread I mentioned in my first post above to understand exactly what's going on here:

Model Y makes hum noise all the time

Hello here. I just got my new Model Y two days ago (long range, dual motor), and I have noticed that there is a continuous humming sound coming from the front all the time, either when I am driving or when the car is parked. Once parked, the noise will eventually go away, but it takes several...

teslamotorsclub.com

I have owned all Teslas since 2016, so I know very well what are the "normal" noises of them

And if you look at my last posting over there, you'll see that I have opened a claim at Tesla about this issue which is still in progress. It's a serious problem!

Thanks.

 

[Danzel]

I have a little noise also when I get inside the car. Even if my ac is off! And my car is also in the garage. I didn't thoroughly checked because I thought it was normal. I mean the car is on so it must make a little hum or something no?

 

[fablau]

I have a little noise also when I get inside the car. Even if my ac is off! And my car is also in the garage. I didn't thoroughly checked because I thought it was normal. I mean the car is on so it must make a little hum or something no?

All Teslas make a very little "buzz" when the A/C is off... barely noticeable though. If instead, it's something like the one I have described in my video above, which is quite noticeable (mostly from the interior!), and which sounds like an airplane or a faraway lawnmower which bothers you even when your radio is on (at low volume), that's not normal. And that's what I am experiencing with my new Model Y taken 6 weeks ago.

Do you have a Model Y? If so, when did you get it?

Thanks.

 

[Dennisis]

Hate to say it but if you haven't gotten responses to this yet it's because no one else sees this as a problem for them, but you're probably realizing that yourself....

 

[Peelz]

mine hums sometimes when we arent near it. Seems to do it most when its warm out.

from other folks with this model, Ive heard this could be the hvac fan running to keep condensation out of the heat pump/ac to avoid a moldy smell problem. Also heard battery and controller cooling.

it was built in May of this year.

Its a known quantity. My SA mentioned it will do that. it does not affect any performance-so I do not worry. Certainly not enough to take parts off of a warrantied vehicle lol

 

[fablau]

Hate to say it but if you haven't gotten responses to this yet it's because no one else sees this as a problem for them, but you're probably realizing that yourself....

I start thinking instead that just a few cars are affected by this. I went to the nearest showroom the past week and they had Model Ys produced in June (so, close to my own) and they were completely quiet. And yet, at the service, they showed me a Model Y newer than mine and had the same issue. Of course, whoever is coming from an ICE car won't probably notice it. But if you are used to Teslas, you know that's not right. As I said, it is super annoying, at least, to me.

 

[fablau]

mine hums sometimes when we arent near it. Seems to do it most when its warm out.

from other folks with this model, Ive heard this could be the hvac fan running to keep condensation out of the heat pump/ac to avoid a moldy smell problem. Also heard battery and controller cooling.

it was built in May of this year.

Its a known quantity. My SA mentioned it will do that. it does not affect any performance-so I do not worry. Certainly not enough to take parts off of a warrantied vehicle lol

Again, all that is not the problem I have. Please, read all my postings and you'll see what's the problem (hint: cooling system water pumps)

 

[Peelz]

Again, all that is not the problem I have. Please, read all my postings and you'll see what's the problem (hint: cooling system water pumps)

hmm.

Ive heard it make weird noises. but I didnt isolate them.

interesting.

 

[wechin]

I just got my Model Y yesterday (VIN: 241xxx) and it has exact the same humming sound.

 

[wechin]

I also have a 2018 Model3 and I've never heard this humming sound.

 

[jcanoe]

Based on the location of the component you identified as the source of the noise I believe the component is a coolant pump that sends coolant to the Model Y's integrated media control units (MCU) and Autopilot (HW) units. (From what I have read, in the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y these two units are collectively known as the ICE computer.)

The following article may hold the answer of why some Tesla vehicles make this noise, others don't.

Researcher Discovers That Old Tesla Media Control Units Are Full Of Owner's Private Data Even After A Factory Reset

The ICE computers can generate enough heat that they require liquid cooling. The article identifies a software bug where some Model 3 vehicles capture a screen shot every time the Model 3 is powered on. This action together with other software routines that may be running may trigger the Model Y to turn on the coolant pump. Further investigation is needed to learn if this component turning on is related to Dash Cam being active, FSD and Summon.

 

[WindPower]

I have a relatively short commute of 15 miles to the office (about 30 miles round trip). When I get home in the evening, I most times hear a pretty loud sound coming from the frunk area. I’ve asked other members on this forum about this noise and the consensus was that it was the cooling system running to cool the battery pack.

Since I don’t drive that much and charge the car about once a week, I’ve often wondered if the low range I’m getting on my Y (in the summer I can drive about 200 miles over 7 days on a 80% to 10% charge) is related to energy used when the car is parked.

If you have anything you want me to check, I’d be happy to.

 

[fablau]

I just got my Model Y yesterday (VIN: 241xxx) and it has exact the same humming sound.

Thank you for posting this! I am sorry to hear you have the same problem, but I am glad to know I am not alone.

I'd strongly suggest you contact your Tesla service center and report the issue. Tell them that other people have the same problem, like me. You can mention that the Tesla Service Center in Lake Forest, CA, has already opened an engineering case on this issue and they are trying to solve it. In my case, "my" technician Kevin is waiting for a measurement tool to come over in my place to take some measurements from my car that Tesla has asked him to take in order to continue with the investigation. The more people report this issue, the more chances we have to have the defective pumps replaced.

Also, important: If at the service they insist that the noise is "normal", ask them to compare it with a mother Model Y (but not of the newest ones). I had to insist and ask for comparisons before they admitted there was actually a problem.

 

[fablau]

Based on the location of the component you identified as the source of the noise I believe the component is a coolant pump that sends coolant to the Model Y's integrated media control units (MCU) and Autopilot (HW) units. (From what I have read, in the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y these two units are collectively known as the ICE computer.)

The following article may hold the answer of why some Tesla vehicles make this noise, others don't.

Researcher Discovers That Old Tesla Media Control Units Are Full Of Owner's Private Data Even After A Factory Reset

The ICE computers can generate enough heat that they require liquid cooling. The article identifies a software bug where some Model 3 vehicles capture a screen shot every time the Model 3 is powered on. This action together with other software routines that may be running may trigger the Model Y to turn on the coolant pump. Further investigation is needed to learn if this component turning on is related to Dash Cam being active, FSD and Summon.

Hmmm... the article you have linked doesn't mention any cooling system or issue. Did I miss something?

Regarding my Model Y issue, I doubt it is something related to the computer. The noise starts as soon as you either open a door, or you select it from the Tesla app... or even if you just connect or disconnect the charging plug. And then never stops until the car is parked for at least 10-15 minutes. It looks to me that those pumps are needed to always run, but it's that loud noise that they shouldn't make. I have a 2019 Model 3, which has a completely different A/C system, but it still has the battery cooling system similar to the Model Y, and the same exact thing happens: when you open a door, you can hear a very quiet buzzing sound coming from the front which sounds like a very quiet pump running, but as I said, it is barely noticeable when you are in a completely quiet environment (such as in your closed garage). I guess the Model Y should make the same quiet noise, but instead, it is a very annoying, loud humming sound which gives the impression something is not right with either the pumps themselves or their connection to the cooling system (i.e. they vibrate excessively to cause the noise).

 

[fablau]

I have a relatively short commute of 15 miles to the office (about 30 miles round trip). When I get home in the evening, I most times hear a pretty loud sound coming from the frunk area. I’ve asked other members on this forum about this noise and the consensus was that it was the cooling system running to cool the battery pack.

Since I don’t drive that much and charge the car about once a week, I’ve often wondered if the low range I’m getting on my Y (in the summer I can drive about 200 miles over 7 days on a 80% to 10% charge) is related to energy used when the car is parked.

If you have anything you want me to check, I’d be happy to.

Thank you for helping, that's really appreciated.

From your description, doesn't seem you have the same issue I have. As I said, my reported problem is present all the time, even when the car has been parked in the garage for a week and it is completely cool.

As for your charging issue, the car can use some energy when parked and it is not plugged, mostly if you live in a hot place (i.e. batteries need to be kept cool, the "cabin overheat protection" system kicks in, etc.), but I don't think that dramatically to reduce the range too much. Of course, that depends on how long you keep it parked unplugged though.

By the way, what year is your Model Y? Did you get it in the past 2-3 months?

Thanks again.

 

[jcanoe]

Hmmm... the article you have linked doesn't mention any cooling system or issue. Did I miss something?

The article includes a post from @greentheonly that states - "every time a model3 wakes up - a screenshot of the display is captured and stored on EMMC. I guess this was some sort of power management debugging thingie that somebody forgot to disable? MCU2 does not do that. Last 50 such snapshots are stored. We'll see what else I find."

If this is the case then every time the Tesla vehicle with this same software bug wakes up the Tesla will save a screen shot. This may trigger the coolant pump for the ICE computer to turn on or pump faster. Also consider whether the following are active when the Tesla is parked or when turned on:

When the Tesla is parked, is Sentry Mode active?

When the Tesla wakes up, is Dash Cam set to operate?

If the Tesla vehicle has FSD is Summon active?

These features could cause the Tesla ICE computer to require additional cooling, increasing the coolant pump output and the noise.