Subtle closed charge port door noise

[OnceAScottie]

I have a very quiet clicking sound coming from the charge port door, every 5 seconds or so when the charge port door is closed.

I first noticed it ~8/25 right after I updated to 2018.32.3. It might have started before that update, but I only noticed it right afterwards. I can only hear it in a silent garage or if I put my ear near my port door. I had my charge port door replaced mid April.

Anyone else hear it too?

 

[Vip]

Any update? My charge port stopped working properly. The door will open but the port will not unlock so I can plug it in. I can hear the clicking sound for about 30 seconds before it finally stops.
Thanks

 

[outdoors]

I have a very quiet clicking sound coming from the charge port door, every 5 seconds or so when the charge port door is closed.

I first noticed it ~8/25 right after I updated to 2018.32.3. It might have started before that update, but I only noticed it right afterwards. I can only hear it in a silent garage or if I put my ear near my port door. I had my charge port door replaced mid April.

Anyone else hear it too?

Yes finally someone else. Just got back from a 5k road trip with my Dreamcase. Can't stand it. Try to sleep in a car with that. It won't stop until the car sleeps. Which means that is when I sleep. Here is what Tesla said. Tesla sent me a file of the sound that replicates the YouTube video I am attaching. The file Tesla sent me will not attach on the forum. I find the explanation utter BS. Not saying it is not the right explanation, but the sound is annoying. For example I'm sitting in my car this morning with an hour to kill before a lacrosse game and I hear the constant clicking. I am a sound person as in I like my silence when I want it.

Good Morning,

I have had (name redacted) our Virtual Service lead dig into this noise. We have found a piece of diagnostic information showing the noise you are hearing is the inductive sensor in the charge port.

Attached is the example we were provided and that noise is normal.

The inductive sensor is clicking to check and see the status of the charge port door. This is completely normal and there is no need for replacement of the charge port or the charge port door.
Thank you

This was recorded with a cellphone. Not exactly high quality replication of sound. Within the car it is amplified. Seats down it is unbearable. No more model3roadtrip till it is solved. Back to tripping in the S.

Edit: I do like the Dreamcase...not the clicking if that wasn't clear.

 

[swaltner]

The clicking generally happens when the small piece of metal in the corner of the door falls off. Well, at least it did for me. With the charge door open, feel for a recessed spot that should hold this trapezoid shaped piece of metal. The other symptom for me was that I could no longer push on the charge door to open it. I have to use the center display to open the door (J1772 station at home, not a Tesla one). At one point, I received a couple alarms on the dash about the charge port, but they went away when the car was parked for a couple hours. For me, it only seemed to click about 10 times each t8 e the charge door is closed.

A nuisance, but not the end of the world. It’s been like this for a few month. I eventually had enough nuisances to warrant a mobile tech to come out to the house/office. Waiting for them to receive parts and make the trip. The plan is to replace the charge port door.

 

[outdoors]

The clicking generally happens when the small piece of metal in the corner of the door falls off. Well, at least it did for me. With the charge door open, feel for a recessed spot that should hold this trapezoid shaped piece of metal. The other symptom for me was that I could no longer push on the charge door to open it. I have to use the center display to open the door (J1772 station at home, not a Tesla one). At one point, I received a couple alarms on the dash about the charge port, but they went away when the car was parked for a couple hours. For me, it only seemed to click about 10 times each t8 e the charge door is closed.

A nuisance, but not the end of the world. It’s been like this for a few month. I eventually had enough nuisances to warrant a mobile tech to come out to the house/office. Waiting for them to receive parts and make the trip. The plan is to replace the charge port door.

Still have my trapezoid piece. Working on another solution from another member on the forums. Will check back later today. Already had the door replaced once, and the entire unit once before that. It is a very faint clicking. I had the issue where it tries 7-10 times then shows error the first time many months ago. This is one that continues for 3-4 hours straight. Turned off wifi and all bluetooth devices to make sure I was not waking the car up......

 

[SteveG3]

last night I noticed I have this issue too

 

[Vip]

Mine started after the version 9 software was downloaded.

 

[OnceAScottie]

My trapezoid piece is still there and I can still open the door by touching it

 

[03DSG]

I have a very quiet clicking sound coming from the charge port door, every 5 seconds or so when the charge port door is closed.

I first noticed it ~8/25 right after I updated to 2018.32.3. It might have started before that update, but I only noticed it right afterwards. I can only hear it in a silent garage or if I put my ear near my port door. I had my charge port door replaced mid April.

Anyone else hear it too?

I’ve had the repetitive double clicking noise since from behind the closed chargeport door since the car was new. This was the reply from service:

Concern: customer states that when the charge port door is closed. they can hear a clicking noise coming from the door. Place ear on door to hear the noise

Corrections: NO LABOR PERFORMED

Verified customer concern. Noise/sound customer is hearing is normal vehicle characteristics. There are no faults or alerts. Compared vehicle to other Model 3's. Other Model 3's vehicles also have sound present.

Pay Type: Goodwill - Service

 

[OnceAScottie]

For those of you checking to see if your model 3 has the sound, it's louder if you open the trunk and put your ear next to the trunk side of the charge port

 

[Eno Deb]

I can hear it too, but only if I put my ear right next to the port. Can't hear anything inside the car (but then, I never tried to sleep in it ). BTW, it's still present when the charge port door is open and a connector inserted.

 

[OnceAScottie]

Yes, you are right, it's there even when port door is open. Only silent when car in sleep mode

 

[mongo]

I've built passive entry systems and the low frequency coil transmission noise is similar. Sounds like the inductive coil itself emits the noise (remember the fly back transformers in old CRT televisions?), or might it interacting with the metal of the frame and wiggling. If the former, perhaps they will come out with a quieter potted version.

 

[outdoors]

Power off as well to stop it works That might be a solution to my quest for no tick..tick..tick at night. Any downsides to a complete power off if you don't need climate because trunk is open or windows down?

For those that are not aware there is this thing called camper mode. Not officially yet on the 3. You can on TeslaFi set schedules for you car to perform climate controls at certain preset times.

People do sleep in cars in the woods, at trail heads, and one spot over next to a supercharger at times. I load my car up many times a year and head for the back country. Don't usually sleep well in hotels. I am so caffeinated or just trying to get to my destination that it is hard to want to sleep at a decent time. I pull over at 1 am for a nap for 2 or 3 hours and carry on......Checking into a hotel at that hour seems worthless to me, as I like to be first on the road before the normal folks wake up to drive. I just worry about hitting wildlife most of the time.

The S goes through a routine in the first 10 to 12 minutes before it shuts up for me. This really is a deal breaker for me for my model 3.

@mongo I tried your bush fix, but I think that is more of the issue I found with the earlier replacement of my charge port door, and entire charge port.

I think there is a solution. This was not always present from when I picked up the car in January. Likely culprit was a wonderful software fix.

 

[VT_EE]

Mine just started doing this today. A faint ticking noise that doesn't stop.

 

[outdoors]

Service has offered a full charge port replacement. They said this will not stop the clicking as that sound is normal. I kind of shrugged and said that doesn't help Tesla nor does it solve the problem. Still find it very annoying. After talking to a friend that has same issue. We both came to the conclusion some cars are louder with this than others. If it does bother you I would suggest an email on your My Tesla account page.

In the service center people are moving around talking. Not to bad with background noise. Put it in a silent garage or in a not so busy parking lot it becomes like water torture.

 

[mongo]

Service has offered a full charge port replacement. They said this will not stop the clicking as that sound is normal. I kind of shrugged and said that doesn't help Tesla nor does it solve the problem. Still find it very annoying. After talking to a friend that has same issue. We both came to the conclusion some cars are louder with this than others. If it does bother you I would suggest an email on your My Tesla account page.

In the service center people are moving around talking. Not to bad with background noise. Put it in a silent garage or in a not so busy parking lot it becomes like water torture.

Send feature request to Tesla to not check charge door state when in camp mode...

(like the .sig)

 

[VT_EE]

I mentioned my ticking charge door to Tesla so the Ranger I previously had scheduled is coming out with a replace charge port. I'll ask him about it before he/she performs the replacement.

 

[Falkirk]

I noticed this for the first time in my car the other day. It's clicking every 3-5 seconds and was loud enough I heard it just when going to pull out the wall connector from the car.

I'll ask a few other friends who have a 3 and see what Tesla has to say about it, seems like a waste of energy, wear and tear, etc.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Arrrrrg, thanks TMC! I've not noticed this before but I bet I'll now not be able to unhear it.