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darthvdr
Member
Same boat. My wife thought something was really breaking down on the car recently. We contacted SC and they advised that it is normal. Go figure.
huntjo
Member
Really hope there is a solution for this.
Eco mode isn't quite as bad but last year when I had a full car of people, Eco mode wasn't enough so I had to bust out the embarrassing loud normal AC. It really is more than just fans and a compressor. There is some vibration or whine in there. I took a video and had the service center check it out but they were unable to reproduce. They topped off my coolant and the noise is still there. As bad as ever.
My workaround involves precooling and venting the pano
Eco mode isn't quite as bad but last year when I had a full car of people, Eco mode wasn't enough so I had to bust out the embarrassing loud normal AC. It really is more than just fans and a compressor. There is some vibration or whine in there. I took a video and had the service center check it out but they were unable to reproduce. They topped off my coolant and the noise is still there. As bad as ever.
My workaround involves precooling and venting the pano
I'll get the same noise as captured in the video... combo of fan/compressor. It just honestly doesn't bother me that much.
Maybe it's because I realize that not only is the A/C system responsible for cooling the passenger cabin, but it also has to manage 1,500 lbs of thermal mass as represented by the battery pack, and as such there are times when that sucker is going to have to work hard[1]. Have you ever heard the electric fans on an ICE going full-bore after the car is parked?
That having been said, if there's some vibration being transferred to another vehicle component via the compressor housing or coolant lines that can easily be eliminated, or some acoustic shielding that can be retrofitted in, I wouldn't object to quieting it down via thos means.
[1] Yes, I understand that the battery was not likely hot in that video, but there are times when it will represent the significant load on the system.
Maybe it's because I realize that not only is the A/C system responsible for cooling the passenger cabin, but it also has to manage 1,500 lbs of thermal mass as represented by the battery pack, and as such there are times when that sucker is going to have to work hard[1]. Have you ever heard the electric fans on an ICE going full-bore after the car is parked?
That having been said, if there's some vibration being transferred to another vehicle component via the compressor housing or coolant lines that can easily be eliminated, or some acoustic shielding that can be retrofitted in, I wouldn't object to quieting it down via thos means.
[1] Yes, I understand that the battery was not likely hot in that video, but there are times when it will represent the significant load on the system.
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chickensevil
Active Member
Well I guess this will be what pushes me over the edge to actually get my car serviced again, finally. Since there is a bulletin for it. I need to get a couple other minor things looked at anyway... maybe since I am already over 4,000 miles now, and fast approaching 6,000 I should just wait and get my tires rotated all at the same time haha!
I get the buzzing/resonance too. The fan noise I think I'd be OK with, that's not an 'ugly' sound. Even when an ICE car cools down after a long run, it's just a big fan noise, but it has an even tone to it. In my head, I think my AC compressor is knocking against some kind of shield, it certainly sounds that way, and it's genuinely very loud in the cabin. Of course, when I asked Service to look at it last year, by the time the car was booked in the weather had cooled down, and it just didn't make that noise.
For me, there's nothing more awesome than silently rolling out my garage, but here in Dallas, that isn't an option from at least April to September. I suspect it's less of a noticeable issue in the more temperate climates where the temp typically sticks below 80-85f/28c.
For me, there's nothing more awesome than silently rolling out my garage, but here in Dallas, that isn't an option from at least April to September. I suspect it's less of a noticeable issue in the more temperate climates where the temp typically sticks below 80-85f/28c.
Do you think that this issue has been or will be addressed for the upcoming Model X? They haven't started production yet, so one would hope that they could correct or minimize the issue from the start. The X will be built off of S platform so there is much to be shared even though it's a much different EV. I really hope we don't have to go down this road a year from now when the X's start rolling out... I only have 3 months of the year where I DON'T use AC. lol
Gizmotoy
Active Member
I doubt they'll let anything like this propagate. As an early X owner, you'll get to handle any early X-specific issues that arise, though.
*cough* falcon-wing doors *cough*
*cough* AWD tire alignment inside edge wear now on FRONT tires too *cough*
Service center first said noise was normal. Car was in for armor plating. When we picked it up they said they found a service bulletin on the noise, and had installed the new bracket and blanket. Cut the noise down by at least half.
ken830
Model S 85, Model 3 Performance, Model X LongRange
I wish I only had the loud jet-engine-like noise of the AC compressor to complain about. Mine does this really loud squeaking sound as if a bearing is completely worn. It's done this from day-one and the car has been in several times and has never been fixed. This squeaky A/C is ten-times more embarrassing than the jet-engine/vibrating sound that I also have.
Ken,
I had that last year. As the fan wound down, it would sound like a squeaky wheel. I was told it wasn't actually anything squeaking, but it was pressurized air or something being released from somewhere. I don't remember the exact details, and didn't fully buy it, but winter came and I forgot all about it.
Knock in wood, but so far this year, none of that.
The air conditioner in my Prius is much quieter and much more effective! The loud buzzing at start up is really annoying and not right at all. And it comes and goes as the car rocks when driving over bumpy surfaces, which indicates that it is due to less than ideal positioning of the compressor. I'm definitely getting this fixed the next time I visit the service center.
There is something definitely amplifying the noise, but the "buzzing" you hear is definitely the standard noise made by a variable speed scroll compressor at high RPM. There are several YouTube videos that demonstrate the noise. It's usually masked by a giant fan in home A/C units. When the compressor needs to spin up at that RPM, little you do will be able to silence it completely. Good to hear the blanket and mounting bracket dampens the noise a bit.
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You don't specify which Prius you have, but 2004-2011 models all used a Denso ES18 compressor, rated at 4500W power consumption at max speed. My observation is that the Tesla uses far less power when the compressor is going at full speed, although I don't have the specs on the compressor used (anyone happen to have a reference?). My guess is that they engineered for the best power consumption. The Prius can always burn gas to supply power as necessary, so that isn't as much of an issue compared to Model S.
ken830
Model S 85, Model 3 Performance, Model X LongRange
Well, it doesn't sound like pressurized air releasing because it's a periodic squeak that is constantly there when the A/C is running and slows-down to a stop when spinning-down or speeds-up when spinning-up. It is, as you say, the most apparent when spinning-down. I've heard the same thing on another loaner car (the one I have now), but plenty of other cars do not have this annoyance. So, you're saying that your squeak went away? Mine is over a year old and 25k miles and it's only gotten worse. And it gets worse each time they "fix" it. The service centers on the San Francisco peninsula are located on such busy roads (El Camino in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, US 101 in Burlingame) that they can't hear any noise from the cars. Not sure how they can diagnose anything noisy/rattly.
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