Very loud fan noise from frunk area with AC on...

[Blastphemy]

This has been on at least 4 of my work orders BEFORE my car exited it's warranty period (160,000km). At 165,000km, AC has stopped working entirely.

Huh? What car are you talking about? I'm pretty sure you don't have a Model X with 160,000 km on the odometer.

 

[ohmman]

Mine is fixed! AC is normal.

Concern: Customer states: AC compressor fan is loud enough to wake the dead. Please check and advise.

Corrections: Reposition A/C Condenser Pipes And Replace Desiccant Bag

Performed inspection of a/c lines and found lines are crossed. Replaced a/c discharge line with new as line was contacting sway bar. Replaced desiccant bag with new. Performed a/c system evacuation and recharged. Inspected after repairs and system now operates as designed.

 

[MP3Mike]

Mine is fixed! AC is normal.

I'm glad they finally fixed it for you! Was this at the same SC you went to before, or did you take it elsewhere?

 

[ohmman]

Well, my cazonkler is really powerful and loud. I'm 10kW charging in 78° Hawthorne weather in the sun, at 67% battery full, and with the A/C off, this fan is going full speed. I heard it while walking past SpaceX's factory, and thought it was one of their many machines, until I realized it was my car. (None of the other Teslas charging were making this noise.)

You've got the compressor line issue, more than likely. Once they fixed mine, it stopped doing this insane nonsense completely. It also cooled more effectively, and consumption with the AC on went way down. I'd push them on it, if you haven't already.

 

[trmmcd]

You've got the compressor line issue, more than likely. Once they fixed mine, it stopped doing this insane nonsense completely. It also cooled more effectively, and consumption with the AC on went way down. I'd push them on it, if you haven't already.

I also had crossed lines which they corrected at a SC visit. It has been too cold to test since it was corrected, but I am optimistic that this fix will remedy my embarrassingly loud compressor.

 

[Ulmo]

You've got the compressor line issue, more than likely. Once they fixed mine, it stopped doing this insane nonsense completely. It also cooled more effectively, and consumption with the AC on went way down. I'd push them on it, if you haven't already.

I deleted my post after realizing my issue is in a new style Model S and yours are Model X in the X forum. I will see if I can ask an SC about this. I'm due for my tire rotation now.

It was loud until I commanded my car to "report bug", and a minute later it quieted down. I even turned on the A/C after, and it stayed quiet. Is this a manual software fix? I'd be surprised if they worked on my issue that quickly.

The noise is back:

First time I went to the SC they said the loud AC was normal. I brought it back again to have them check for the swapped hoses and sure enough mine were swapped. They fixed up the car and the AC is definitely quieter than before, but I wouldn't say it's quiet, it's more on the loud end of normal now, compared to being a jet engine before. I'm very happy with the current sound levels. Previously it was impossible to have a conversation at all, now you can have a conversation, but you just need to speak slightly louder than normal.

This is the before fix and after fix with the AC at "LO".

View attachment 188740 View attachment 188741

On my Model S, I tried an iPhone app called "DecibelMeter", and I think it's very uncalibrated, since it reported my "jet" fan noise in my Model S as around 91dB-93dB. It's loud, but you indicate that yours is not that loud on your X which is supposed to be worse than an S.

Mine sounds like a fan, not a compressor.

There are a dozen Model S and Model X's charging here at the SC and the wall chargers, and none of them are making any type of loud noise except mine. This is only the third time I've experienced loud fan noise. It always happens while charging for me. Right now, it is 78ºF in Hawthorne, but where I'm from it is often in 40's and 50's right now (much colder than here!).

---

I moved it to a SuperCharger in the shade, and getting 52kW now, no fan noise. This seems related to the onboard AC -> DC converter that was converting 208VAC 48Amp to DC. But, I can't be sure. Driving 40 feet to the SuperCharger caused the outside temp reader to show "87º", and it's definitely not 87º. 78º I could have believed more readily, but not 87º.

 

[EV-lutioin]

You've got the compressor line issue, more than likely. Once they fixed mine, it stopped doing this insane nonsense completely. It also cooled more effectively, and consumption with the AC on went way down. I'd push them on it, if you haven't already.

My Model X has recently developed the jet engine AC noise. It was always loud, but now it's crazy loud, and much less efficient. I find I need to turn it up to 6 or 7 to get the same air flow and cooling I used to get at 2-3. I'm curious if the compressor line issue was associated with a certain batch of VINS? Mine is 29xx.

 

[ohmman]

My Model X has recently developed the jet engine AC noise. It was always loud, but now it's crazy loud, and much less efficient. I find I need to turn it up to 6 or 7 to get the same air flow and cooling I used to get at 2-3. I'm curious if the compressor line issue was associated with a certain batch of VINS? Mine is 29xx.

You are in the early batch so I would not be surprised, though it doesn’t seem like it would “develop”. Worth taking it in. Maybe you’re just low on coolant.

 

[Mrcook4590]

My Model X has recently developed the jet engine AC noise. It was always loud, but now it's crazy loud, and much less efficient. I find I need to turn it up to 6 or 7 to get the same air flow and cooling I used to get at 2-3. I'm curious if the compressor line issue was associated with a certain batch of VINS? Mine is 29xx.

I also have had the jet engine noise come on. I am currently awaiting a new part - fan maybe? Compressor? I don't know. At any rate, it will get fixed once the ranger gets the parts.

 

[l4sythe]

it's been hot here in Miami. That happens frequently. It's similar to the A/C compressor from our early Model S. Sadly, I think it's normal. I'm curious to know what your service center thinks. Heck, maybe you should call while standing next to the frunk and let them hear it and tell you if it's normal or not.

I’m up the road from you in WPB with the MX, and with these hot days and the A/C cranking during supercharging, it does sound a little like a Lear Jet ready to taxi. I noticed same after a trip across the state on a hot day. I believe it’s just the hot day and the fan doing its job. I don’t notice it so much on cooler night charges.

 

[B2FiNiTY]

I'm having this issue too. Have an appointment in a week to bring it in.

 

[l4sythe]

In this other thread, @xkwizit has postulated that this fan behavior might be the result of an issue with the outside temperature thermometer. I tend to agree, based on readings we're seeing, and the behavior of the fan during those times. If the car thinks it's 120 degrees outside, it is going to work very hard to cool the compressor - which would be fine if it were really 120 degrees. However, if it's only 80, it should scale back.

It's a hypothesis, but I find it pretty reasonable.

I am tending to agree with you reference the thermometer and the real outside tempature. I have noticed crazy temps up to 119. I know it gets hot in So Fl in summer, but never that hot. I noticed this the last time I superchged. Do you think a tweak within the thermometer could solve our Jet sounds? Is fans /AC over performing due to faulty temperature readings?

 

[wamochi]

i just took over a lease on Model X VIN 044187. it also has an incredibly loud AC fan noise when you are outside the car. we have a Model S side by side, and it is virtually silent. here's an example:

both cars parked overnight in garage. took Model S out this morning to shuttle kids to camp. came back, opened the door to Model X to get something inside (still garaged, not driven in a few days), and immediately the jet engine fan starts roaring from outside - really loud. i check the fan speed, and it's set at "1". ?!? not like i'm blasting it at the highest speed (remember it's been parked and not driven).

is this normal? why is it so dang loud. also, once i close the door, the jet engine starts to shut down, and you can hear the fan blades slowing and ticking to a stop.

any opinions? is this "normal" behavior? just weird that the Model S is so quiet even after being driven and with a higher fan speed on, while the Model X sounds like jet engines...

 

[ccutrer]

i just took over a lease on Model X VIN 044187. it also has an incredibly loud AC fan noise when you are outside the car. we have a Model S side by side, and it is virtually silent. here's an example:

both cars parked overnight in garage. took Model S out this morning to shuttle kids to camp. came back, opened the door to Model X to get something inside (still garaged, not driven in a few days), and immediately the jet engine fan starts roaring from outside - really loud. i check the fan speed, and it's set at "1". ?!? not like i'm blasting it at the highest speed (remember it's been parked and not driven).

is this normal? why is it so dang loud. also, once i close the door, the jet engine starts to shut down, and you can hear the fan blades slowing and ticking to a stop.

any opinions? is this "normal" behavior? just weird that the Model S is so quiet even after being driven and with a higher fan speed on, while the Model X sounds like jet engines...

44k is a fairly high VIN. The swapped coolant lines only affected at most the first 10k. Your Model S having been driven is likely why it was quieter - a car just sitting there hasn't had any air moving across it to cool it down. I definitely notice my X is extremely loud when it has been sitting in my hot garage, but as soon as I start driving, it calms down. What's odd is it also seems to calm down as soon as a door closes (but the car stays on). :shrug: these things are loud, and I've come to terms with it. Actually, having listened so much, I can now hear other cars A/C being the same loud, through the engine noise (whereas most people just assume it's all engine noise).

 

[jboy210]

44k is a fairly high VIN. The swapped coolant lines only affected at most the first 10k. Your Model S having been driven is likely why it was quieter - a car just sitting there hasn't had any air moving across it to cool it down. I definitely notice my X is extremely loud when it has been sitting in my hot garage, but as soon as I start driving, it calms down. What's odd is it also seems to calm down as soon as a door closes (but the car stays on). :shrug: these things are loud, and I've come to terms with it. Actually, having listened so much, I can now hear other cars A/C being the same loud, through the engine noise (whereas most people just assume it's all engine noise).

My X is the same way. The fans spin up when I walk up to the car. Almost like it detected me and is pre-cooling a tiny bit. Then you get in and the fans slow down.

Strangely, as I back out of the garage the fans really spin up. To the point were you can hear a resonance wobble sound. But usually by the time the car gets pointed forward and up to 10 mph the sounds have toned down. I assume there is some sort of sensor and if there is insufficient airflow over the condenser the fans on the condenser really spin up. But one you start moving natural airflow is sufficient and the fans slow down. Within 100 yards of starting out the A/C is quiet.

 

[DarrenK]

I get a high pitched squeal when it is very hot outside. Turning off the AC makes it go away. When I turn it back on the sound is gone, but then revs up again. No noise on cool or moderately warm days. SC was unable to hear it at the one year service, but it was pretty mild out. After driving for a bit (5-10 minutes) it seems to go away.

I will note that when I got the X last summer it did not make this noise.

 

[wamochi]

here are some videos of the noises. first one is right after opening a FWD. gets real loud. second video is after closing the door, the "shutdown" fan blades make scratching and ticking noises.

i just find it odd that it is so much louder given that it's a year newer than our Model S and it has not been driven or parked in the hot sun before taking these videos. the garage is warm, but not that bad.

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[tyking2]

I'm in MI and my X is currently in Cleveland to have the AC fan replaced for the second time this summer. This has to be part of a bigger issue that is not being diagnosed correctly. Sounds like a jet engine combined with a ticking noise when the fan slows down. Exactly what wamochi described above. My brother-in-law also has an X and we've compared. Mine is way louder and includes the ticking/rubbing noise when the fan slows down. His does not.

 

[jboy210]

here are some videos of the noises. first one is right after opening a FWD. gets real loud. second video is after closing the door, the "shutdown" fan blades make scratching and ticking noises.

i just find it odd that it is so much louder given that it's a year newer than our Model S and it has not been driven or parked in the hot sun before taking these videos. the garage is warm, but not that bad.

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Mine is louder in both cases. I have had other vehicles (planes) with electrically powered A/C and they also got pretty noisy and also made resonance warbling noises as they spun up and slowed down. My noise goes away when the system gets up to speed, or the car gets up to 10 mph or so, so I am not too concerned.

 

[Kalex]

My model S had a similar issue with the loud "fan" noise, ranger replaced the part and now AC is quiet and cold.