Whirring Sounds in Reverse with Model 3 AWD

[Brenkj]

I have a 2021 Model 3 AWD. It makes a whirring sound when in reverse, but no sound at all in drive or park. My old 2018 Model 3 LR RWD didn't make the whirring sound. Does the sound have to do with the AWD, or should I be concerned that something is wrong with my car? Thanks.

 

[brkaus]

It's the newly required pedestrian warning system.

 

[Two-rocks]

I first heard this, backing out of the garage - thought something was wrong ( slipping belt!)
We picked up the new car (facing out) and parked at home. Next day, something was broken!
You get used to it, and helps with the pedestrians on their phones (that'd be all of 'em).

 

[lUtriaNt]

never liked that and disabled it as soon as i knew how.

 

[RickCRNA]

Sounds like an alien space ship.

 

[Kimmi]

Sounds like an alien space ship.

I think that is the point? Day the Earth Stood Still?

 

[tm1v2]

Some other EVs have it worse...a lot sound like cheesy low-budget sci-fi sound effects. And for some god awful reason many play their obnoxious sound tracks going forwards too. (I assume that's not legally required or Tesla would do it too.)

The reversing sound on new Teslas is mildly annoying, but it's pretty much the least annoying of all the stupid mandated EV speaker sounds I've heard.

As a pedestrian I HATE these sounds. Why oh why must we make EVs artificially noisy? Will we add oil burners to EVs soon too just to keep the status quo? Yeah unplugging my speaker is easy but I still have to listen to all the other unnecessary noisemakers. EVs should improve our cities, not make them louder...

 

[GtiMart]

There is a sound when going forward on my Tesla, at least in Canada if not in the rest of the world. It's not the spaceship sound, it's some white noise. To me it sounds a bit like a fan spinning. The only place where I really hear it is in my garage. I'd say it's not the right sound, or it'S not loud enough, for pedestrians to really hear it. However I don't want it to get louder so I'm not talking

 

[Sophias_dad]

I thought that noise was not supposed to be direction-specific, but rather at any speed below 19mph(in D or R).

 

[GtiMart]

The sound might stop over 19mph, I haven't specifically tested that and certainly cannot do within my garage I'm just stating that there are separate sounds for reverse (spaceship, loud-ish) and forward (white noise, faint).

 

[tm1v2]

If mine plays a speaker sound going forwards it's too quiet for me to actually hear over ambient noise. And that's fine by me!