POLL: Does your Model Y make this humming sound?

[Nyc_rock]

My ONLY hope is that if more of us complain to Tesla, they will have to fix or replace our coolant/water pumps that belong to the overly complicated Octovalve heat pump that is responsible for this noise. It is honestly louder than my last V8 Range Rover and our Land Rover Defender!!!!! It is taking away all the enjoyment of my brand new MY Performance. I feel like I do not have an EV!

I find that banging noise more disconcerting.

 

[Nyc_rock]

My ONLY hope is that if more of us complain to Tesla, they will have to fix or replace our coolant/water pumps that belong to the overly complicated Octovalve heat pump that is responsible for this noise. It is honestly louder than my last V8 Range Rover and our Land Rover Defender!!!!! It is taking away all the enjoyment of my brand new MY Performance. I feel like I do not have an EV!

Personally, i find it to be a non issue. It’s a very low pitched hum and I usually have to stick my head in the wheel well to determine if its actually happening. Then, it goes away so I do chalk it up to just the regular sounds of a Tesla. Of course this is my first Tesla, so I have no reference point.

 

[fablau]

Yes, mine does that as well. I thought it was the battery cooling system engaging. It happens whenever I get back from a drive or whenever I open a door, as in your video.

I also noticed that “bang” noise when you opened your door. Mine does that as well. What is that noise??

I am sorry to hear you have the same problem. That noise is a relay that starts the cooling system. That's actually normal since all Teslas I have owned before used to make that noise (maybe a little bit softer than my Model Y), but that's still ok. It's the humming noise that starts after that that it is terrible. and ruins the whole experience. Even my 2019 Model 3 makes that "bang' (softer though), but then it's super-quiet. And I love it!

Have you contacted your Tesla SC about it? Please, let me know. I am gathering information from dozens of people having this same issue, and I guess, many people don't even know that their cars should be much quieter unless they have driven another Tesla previously or have driven another, quieter one.

 

[fablau]

Personally, i find it to be a non issue. It’s a very low pitched hum and I usually have to stick my head in the wheel well to determine if its actually happening. Then, it goes away so I do chalk it up to just the regular sounds of a Tesla. Of course this is my first Tesla, so I have no reference point.

Glad your noise is softer. It is my understanding that some cars have a softer humming noise, and others have a louder one. The other new Model Y I compared to mine had a much louder noise than mine. So, in the end, I am still "lucky"... But I still hate the noise and I don't like to drive it. If I can, I prefer to drive my 2019 Model 3 which is super-quiet.

 

[fablau]

My ONLY hope is that if more of us complain to Tesla, they will have to fix or replace our coolant/water pumps that belong to the overly complicated Octovalve heat pump that is responsible for this noise. It is honestly louder than my last V8 Range Rover and our Land Rover Defender!!!!! It is taking away all the enjoyment of my brand new MY Performance. I feel like I do not have an EV!

I agree and I feel your pain! I am organizing a petition about it. Be sure to add your name to the list:

Model Y and Model 3 Humming Noise Issue

Is your new 2021 Tesla Model Y or Model 3 making a humming noise? Please, check if you have this very annoying issue!

modelyissue.com

Scroll down and you'll find a form to fill

It's really disappointing that some ICE cars are quieter than a new Model Y. It is almost shameful I'd say. And I think it'll scare away many people.

As I wrote on another thread on these forums, I think this issue should be taken more seriously by anyone, even by people that think it is not such a BIG issue. If you think about it, what you think is not a problem, it may be for someone else. And so, if you have bought your Model Y or Model 3 recently and have this problem, think about the time you want to resell your car. And think about the possibility that in 6-9 months Tesla changes its production again and put back quiet pumps. You'll end up having a car with this kind of "defect" and I bet we all will have a hard time reselling our cars 5-10 years from now. Anyone will come up saying "What year was your car produced? Spring-Summer 2021? Oh, I see, so it's one of those "noisy" Model Ys.... well, no thanks."

I said it all!

 

[Deutsch100]

Personally, i find it to be a non issue. It’s a very low pitched hum and I usually have to stick my head in the wheel well to determine if its actually happening. Then, it goes away so I do chalk it up to just the regular sounds of a Tesla. Of course this is my first Tesla, so I have no reference point.

Mine is most loud while in the car, especially at low speeds and worst at stop lights. Outside my car, the noise is almost not there!

 

[fablau]

Mine is most loud while in the car, especially at low speeds and worst at stop lights. Outside my car, the noise is almost not there!

Exactly the same experience. Outside I can hear it only when I am in the garage and there are no other sounds around. Inside it's very, very annoying. I just drove it today and I couldn't listen to my favorite music (film music) without having this continuous humming sound ruining everything. I just hate it.

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Thank you for reporting this, and I am sorry to hear that, again, they keep saying that "it is normal." Of course, appears to me that on the newest models that's probably a "regular thing", but it shouldn't!! And it is NOT the heat-pump. It is the water-coolant pumps.

I'd have personally filed an engineering ticket anyway, just to push again with Tesla. The more people open tickets about this issue, the more easily they realize it is bothering people so much that maybe they'll take action against it.

But from your description, it looks to me, that they have probably realized this issue is bothering people, but in the end, they don't care because it is not hurting people, and it is not compromising safety, etc... so they have decided to keep making cars like that, which is quite disappointing, and sad. In my opinion, a big mistake.

And what do we all plan to do when the next generation of Model Ys will be back to be super quiet again just because they changed their water-pumps suppliers and such again? I guess we'll still accept the situation and we'll keep our noisy cars that we'll have a harder time reselling later on because of this damn noise...

Thanks again for your report.

Well mine came back a few days ago from the service center. Told that the sound level was normal compared to the other Y's. Also told that it was the heat pump and that it will be normal for it be in use a lot. What I'm not sure of is how often and how long it should be running. In my case, it's literally on all the time. Now I don't know if the sound is amplified or changes when using other components like HVAC vs supercharging given other temperature differences.

I was watching this video series on the octovalve for the heating / cooling. It's a 3 part series. https://youtu.be/rgmBpEQtJ1s Makes me believe everything is connected --- HVAC, battery management, coolant, etc.

So with this mind, I have no frame of reference whether this is ALWAYS supposed to be on vs on demand for when needed. If this on-demand, then i might speculate there might be some bad sensor possibly and related to this article (there's a thread on this forum as well but i can't find it) where the three heat pump sensors on 2020/2021 Y's are defective and need to be replaced.

Either way, i'm going to monitor for a while and document usage and times. I was asked on my SC appointment for times and dates when this happened so they can compare to logs and events. After i've driven and enjoyed the car a little longer, i'll have them look and check if my car is impacted by the sensor issue which might be causing my constant humming.

 

[Deutsch100]

Exactly the same experience. Outside I can hear it only when I am in the garage and there are no other sounds around. Inside it's very, very annoying. I just drove it today and I couldn't listen to my favorite music (film music) without having this continuous humming sound ruining everything. I just hate it.

SAME. I drove my car for 10 mins today and I have to make the music uncomfortably loud to drown out the humming/buzzing water pump/coolant pump noise. I cannot believe Tesla did this to us!!!! I feel so deflated!

 

[Deutsch100]

Personally, i find it to be a non issue. It’s a very low pitched hum and I usually have to stick my head in the wheel well to determine if its actually happening. Then, it goes away so I do chalk it up to just the regular sounds of a Tesla. Of course this is my first Tesla, so I have no reference point.

If it goes away, then you are not affected by the same thing that several of us have Lucky you, sad us!

 

[fablau]

Well mine came back a few days ago from the service center. Told that the sound level was normal compared to the other Y's. Also told that it was the heat pump and that it will be normal for it be in use a lot. What I'm not sure of is how often and how long it should be running. In my case, it's literally on all the time. Now I don't know if the sound is amplified or changes when using other components like HVAC vs supercharging given other temperature differences.

I was watching this video series on the octovalve for the heating / cooling. It's a 3 part series. https://youtu.be/rgmBpEQtJ1s Makes me believe everything is connected --- HVAC, battery management, coolant, etc.

So with this mind, I have no frame of reference whether this is ALWAYS supposed to be on vs on demand for when needed. If this on-demand, then i might speculate there might be some bad sensor possibly and related to this article (there's a thread on this forum as well but i can't find it) where the three heat pump sensors on 2020/2021 Y's are defective and need to be replaced.

Either way, i'm going to monitor for a while and document usage and times. I was asked on my SC appointment for times and dates when this happened so they can compare to logs and events. After i've driven and enjoyed the car a little longer, i'll have them look and check if my car is impacted by the sensor issue which might be causing my constant humming.

Well, if you have the same problem I and other people have, it is not the heat pump making noise but one or both the water pumps of the cooling system. Also, Tesla told you that the noise is "normal" compared to other Model Ys... be careful, they tend to dismiss anything that is not related to safety or major technical issues, so I wouldn't trust them on that. First of all: did they compare it to previous Model Ys? Or to recent model Ys?

It is my understanding that those pumps should be running always to cool the whole system (batteries and computer included). I hear a very subtle buzzing sound running all the time on my Model 3 as well, but it is so quiet you can barely hear it in the garage with no other sound around. And I had the same kind of buzzing with my previous Model S and Model X. So, I think that's normal for those pumps to start running every time the car is "engaged" in some way. But they definitely shouldn't make that loud noise!

If I were you, I'd ask for clarifications from your SC. I'd go there personally, asking for the technician who took care of your car and diagnosis and ask him to open the frunk and show you where the "normal" noise he's talking about is coming from. If it is coming from the heat pump, you'll understand right away because the heat pump is located in the middle of the cooling system. If instead, the noise is coming from the far left (if you look your car from the front), that's the water pumps!!

Then I'd ask him what other production Model Y he has compared the noise to. And if he tells you it is one of the oldest ones, ask him to do it again "in your presence." If instead, he tells you that he compared it with another newer Model Y, ask him to compare it with an older one (6-8 months, at least) because the difference is between the new cars and the older ones.

As I said earlier, we all have to insist on all this. Service centers want always to dismiss problems brought up by customers as much as they can.

Thanks!

 

[fablau]

SAME. I drove my car for 10 mins today and I have to make the music uncomfortably loud to drown out the humming/buzzing water pump/coolant pump noise. I cannot believe Tesla did this to us!!!! I feel so deflated!

I know, it is VERY disappointing. But I am sure they'll do something about it, sooner or later, because too many people will complain about it. The problem is "when." That's why we have to push the timeline to make that happen sooner than later

 

[fablau]

If it goes away, then you are not affected by the same thing that several of us have Lucky you, sad us!

Agreed. That's not what we have.

 

[Deutsch100]

Agreed. That's not what we have.

Also...the owners that are complaining about lower range than expected, I wonder if these faulty water/coolant pumps are affecting EV range as well?!

 

[fablau]

Also...the owners that are complaining about lower range than expected, I wonder if these faulty water/coolant pumps are affecting EV range as well?!

Good point. I haven't noticed any difference in that personally. I think the pumps should draw the same energy as the other ones, I guess. But of course, that's something that should be investigated.

 

[Gigaron]

My July 2020 Model Y sits in a garage in a very quiet semi rural area. It is completely silent. I could probably hear a butterfly flapping its wings.

When I drive it also is very quiet and I don’t need to “crank the music” to hide any sounds.

EDIT: I live on the coast. The ambient temperature in the garage is 64-70 degrees.

 

[fablau]

My July 2020 Model Y sits in a garage in a very quiet semi rural area. It is completely silent. I could probably hear a butterfly flapping its wings.

When I drive it also is very quiet and I don’t need to “crank the music” to hide any sounds.

You are a lucky guy! I wish to have my Model Y like yours.

This confirms older ones are just as quiet as all Teslas should be.

Thank you for letting us know about this.

 

[fablau]

Hey guys, our "story" went mainstream, my friends Zac And Jesse of the Now You Know YT channel (highly recommended!) just included an excerpt of my video on their show:

And they feel my pain... but they don't know the whole story! Which is that I am not the only one having this problem!!

I'll let them know because I sent them the video 2 weeks ago, and a lot happened in the past two weeks (a lot of people got back to me having the same issue!)

The fight has just started

 

[MatildaModelY]

Have this humming sound too. VIN 257xxx. It's a non-issue for me. It's been hot here in Chicago, and it either comes out for what I think would be to cool the battery, or if the A/C is running. I haven't tried it with heater mode yet. It's a low buzz and once the cabin gets cooled to the proper temp the humming noise goes down to almost zero.

 

[Deutsch100]

Have this humming sound too. VIN 257xxx. It's a non-issue for me. It's been hot here in Chicago, and it either comes out for what I think would be to cool the battery, or if the A/C is running. I haven't tried it with heater mode yet. It's a low buzz and once the cabin gets cooled to the proper temp the humming noise goes down to almost zero.

You do NOT have the same issue that some of us are having then. Your situation sounds normal, and seems to be in in line with older Model Y and the S, X and 3.

The issue that I am having and fablau (and others on this board)....the humming buzzing does NOT go way (like ever) and is present without or without HVAC!