Disappointed (gearbox replacements)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sandrae
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electriceddy said:
Grease in the pillar mounted mechanism fixes the rattle, see here at 1:45 of this video :

We should start a thread with repair issue fixes for quick look up.
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Interesting video.. I noticed a slight ticking coming from the pillar where the seatbelt goes when I was driving this morning. Didn't seem to change with speed or with the vibration of the car / pavement. Almost sounded like static electricity (if that makes sense). Definitely didn't seem like a rattle, or what I'd imagine a rattle sounds like.
Disappeared a couple of minutes later as mysteriously as it appeared. Tapping on the pillar, pulling on the seatbelt or adjusting the height of the seatbelt didn't affect it at all while it was happening.

Of course with all the talk on this forum about clunks, hisses and other weird sounds, I'm paying way more attention to sounds than I normally would in another car. :)
 
MLKFLOT said:
Not a chance, the ‘new’ gearbox was ten times worse than the original assembly. This time the clicking noise was much louder and occurred on acceleration, deceleration and coasting. The mechanics found ‘chunks of metal’ in the gearbox oil. My car is now in my garage, not driveable in my opinion (I’m a mechanic myself), waiting for another new gearbox. This will take another four weeks to arrive.
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Thanks for posting about this MLKFLOT, even though it's a miserable issue and a very long wait for parts.

The torque on these fixed gear reducers can be insane, but on the other hand it's mechanically very simple compared to a CVT or an automatic transmission, I'm thinking. So I feel like there's hope that the problem can be resolved with better metallurgy/manufacturing of the reducer. I'm also optimistic that this affects one batch of vehicles but not another.

The important thing is that now we all know about it! :) Thanks.
 
Stickyman said:
At this point would it be eligible for Lemon Law?
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Sad to read that the replacement unit also failed. To put things in perspective, there have been reports of early production Tesla Model S's having up to four (!) replacements of the drive unit, and apparently the culprit is usually the reduction gearset. The frequency of that problem fell rather sharply after about the second year of production, but even now it crops up occasionally in the Model S and, I think, the Model X.

Will this prove to be a chronic problem with many or most models of BEVs? I'm hoping this is just the sort of thing one sees early in the development of a new tech, and that BEV manufacturers will soon figure out how to make more robust reduction gearsets that can stand up to the stress of modern EVs.
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Robbert said:
Interesting video.. I noticed a slight ticking coming from the pillar where the seatbelt goes when I was driving this morning. Didn't seem to change with speed or with the vibration of the car / pavement. Almost sounded like static electricity (if that makes sense). Definitely didn't seem like a rattle, or what I'd imagine a rattle sounds like.
Disappeared a couple of minutes later as mysteriously as it appeared. Tapping on the pillar, pulling on the seatbelt or adjusting the height of the seatbelt didn't affect it at all while it was happening.

Of course with all the talk on this forum about clunks, hisses and other weird sounds, I'm paying way more attention to sounds than I normally would in another car. :)
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I would categorize the seatbelt mechanism sound as more of a "ticking" type noise. Mine comes and goes.
 
Jamas said:
I would categorize the seatbelt mechanism sound as more of a "ticking" type noise. Mine comes and goes.
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Yes, I suppose ticking is another way to describe what I heard this morning. Guess I am now part of the weird sounds club too. :)

When I take it in for its first service in another 13500 miles (or if it annoys me, sooner), I'll ask them to grease it up per the video.
 
MLKFLOT said:
Hi guys, this is Sandrae’s hubby.
I noticed a transmission noise about three weeks ago, once it was warmed up and on acceleration. No biggy but it was beginning to bug me!! Last week, coming back into town, I noticed a clicking sound at low speed (pulling away from traffic lights). The faster I went it then changed to a low rumble, then at 50km/h became the transmission whine I’d noticed before.
I immediately took it in to the local dealership, a mechanic accompanied me while I demonstrated the issue. When they hooked up the diagnostic equipment everything checked out, so they contacted tech support ‘hytech’, who told them to replace the ‘gear reducer’, which my dealership said was the Gear Reduction Assembly. I’m now waiting for the assy to arrive.
Hope this has answered some of your questions.
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Sounds similar to what my dealer did. However, I didn't have a clicking noise - mine was the high-pitched hiss that many people have. Unfortunately, the reduction gear did not resolve my issue.

Good luck!
 
Robbert said:
Yes, I suppose ticking is another way to describe what I heard this morning. Guess I am now part of the weird sounds club too. :)

When I take it in for its first service in another 13500 miles (or if it annoys me, sooner), I'll ask them to grease it up per the video.
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I had some annoying ticking noises. Drove me nuts. Sounded like it was coming from the center console or dash. Turned out to be squeaking plastic water bottles in the door pockets pulling some sort of ventriloquism!
 
Wildeyed said:
I had some annoying ticking noises. Drove me nuts. Sounded like it was coming from the center console or dash. Turned out to be squeaking plastic water bottles in the door pockets pulling some sort of ventriloquism!
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Funny how noises do that. I had sunglasses in the holder rattling, and I could have sworn the noise was coming from the passenger door. Drove me nuts for a few weeks until someone on this forum pointed it out to me. :(
 
I'd rather that someone other than I PM him with the request. It's not that I am lazy, but I would look arrogant or conceited if I ask him to pin a thread that I created (even though both the creation and the pinning suggestions were other people's idea). :)
 
Francois said:
I'd rather that someone other than I PM him with the request. It's not that I am lazy, but I would look arrogant or conceited if I ask him to pin a thread that I created (even though both the creation and the pinning suggestions were other people's idea). :)
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We can always bump it or update it on occasion to keep it current
 
Pushmi-Pullyu said:
Sad to read that the replacement unit also failed. To put things in perspective, there have been reports of early production Tesla Model S's having up to four (!) replacements of the drive unit, and apparently the culprit is usually the reduction gearset. The frequency of that problem fell rather sharply after about the second year of production, but even now it crops up occasionally in the Model S and, I think, the Model X.
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It happens in ICE cars too. Years ago, the CVT went on my Murano just before the warranty lapsed, so Nissan replaced it. Driving it home with the NEW CVT, I heard a few odd noises and brought it back. They had to replace it again because someone hooked it up wrong and killed the CVT. I didn't wait to see if the 2nd new CVT worked out fine. I sold the Murano very quickly figuring any future repairs were going to start getting really expensive after 120k miles.
 
My wife was talking with a neighbor who asked about the Kona. Going a long ways for service is an issue - nearest Hyundai is 30 miles away, which is a bit more than I like, but still pretty doable. I need to call and see if they can service the Kona however - they don't sell them.

Then again, some of the service isn't EV specific (anyone can rotate tires and check FE alignment), and without an ICE, there isn't much EV specific stuff to do.

I will ask at the local EV club tomorrow.


Sent from my SM-G930V using Inside EVs mobile app
 
Konan the Explorer said:
Just a heads up for other owners watching this, we are at 16000km, manufacture date Dec 14/18 and have had nothing but trouble free driving so far. I'll keep the group posted if that changes! I also have two friends who have one so we'll see how our group experience goes.
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Well, that might be the biggest self-inflicted jinx I've ever seen! Good Luck.
 
Konan the Explorer said:
Just a heads up for other owners watching this, we are at 16000km, manufacture date Dec 14/18 and have had nothing but trouble free driving so far. I'll keep the group posted if that changes! I also have two friends who have one so we'll see how our group experience goes.
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Good info for prospective buyers as well;)
 
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