Clunking Vibration type sound

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electriceddy said:
Congratulations , nice ride. I also had 2 Leafs and in my seventh year of driving all electric, made the move to the Hyundai Kona EV, and haven't looked back since.;)
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While I have not had any strange noises, or other problems with my Kona, it is a little disconcerting to me to hear so many others report them. And I would say having to replace the reduction gear unit is a pretty major issue. Makes me wonder if it is just a matter of time before it happens on mine.

I quoted electriceddy here (instead of on the new member intro post thread) because of his more extensive experience with EV cars. How many common (major) problems were there with the early Leafs (besides the battery degradation)? Was it otherwise a more reliable car?
 
R P said:
While I have not had any strange noises, or other problems with my Kona, it is a little disconcerting to me to hear so many others report them. And I would say having to replace the reduction gear unit is a pretty major issue. Makes me wonder if it is just a matter of time before it happens on mine.

I quoted electriceddy here (instead of on the new member intro post thread) because of his more extensive experience with EV cars. How many common (major) problems were there with the early Leafs (besides the battery degradation)? Was it otherwise a more reliable car?
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Several, one to do with the master brake cylinder freezing up , another concerning the PDM (power distribution module) overheating IIRC, and some more minor ones. (still have them in a list somewhere)
What was nice was the availability to download the service manual and TSB bulletins for $30 (24 H subscription) in a PDF format. I know Hyundai offers a time limited service manual download as well so that is on my bucket list.
Mot sure which site for Canadian models though , I have these 2 links:
European models
https://service.hyundai-motor.com/euro5/index.action
USA models
https://www.hyundaitechinfo.com/
Probably the first one as European models have the heat pump and winter mode.
Perhaps someone in Canada who has downloaded the service manual can confirm which one to use for the Canadian version of Kona EV?
 
Just an update. Still driving loaner car. Part has still not arrived. They aren't sure when they will get it. They say the system says late November or mid December for part arrival estimation. I'm hoping its not the latter. I hope the reducer gear fixes the issue. I see other people in the kia niro forums who had to have the motor replaced to fix the issue. The entire thing is a mess.
 
blakehaas said:
Just an update. Still driving loaner car. Part has still not arrived. They aren't sure when they will get it. They say the system says late November or mid December for part arrival estimation. I'm hoping its not the latter. I hope the reducer gear fixes the issue. I see other people in the kia niro forums who had to have the motor replaced to fix the issue. The entire thing is a mess.
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Hopefully November and the gear assy replacement fixes the issue. If the motor turns out to be the problem, it could be January 2020 before resolved.
Mine has behaved lately but I haven't added too many kms nor driven the same route/conditions as when it first occurred .
 
blakehaas said:
Just an update. Still driving loaner car. Part has still not arrived. They aren't sure when they will get it. They say the system says late November or mid December for part arrival estimation. I'm hoping its not the latter. I hope the reducer gear fixes the issue. I see other people in the kia niro forums who had to have the motor replaced to fix the issue. The entire thing is a mess.
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May want to reference this as well ( and some posts following) 55,56 and 57 just in case
https://www.speakev.com/threads/kona-electric-drive-train-funny-noise.137774/page-3#post-2715783
 
Jeez, you guys are worrying me. I have 6000 no problem miles, so far.

In the last 2 weeks I've noticed that I can actually here some reduction gear noise. It's audible during low speed acceleration, from about 0 to 5 mph or so. It might sound strange, but I can actually make out the individual gears as they're spinning at different revs.

I'm not a professional but consider myself a pretty good home mechanic that can fix 99% of the issues i face with ice vehicles, and that's what is causing my concern here.

The gear noise I here sounds completely normal. What bothers me is I don't recall hearing it prior to 2 weeks (give or take) ago. Im hoping, that with all my excitement about owning my first ev, I just didn't notice it before.

Just sounds like nicely meshed whirring gears doing their thing, but goes away as rpms pick up.
Anyone?
 
Mywifeskona said:
Jeez, you guys are worrying me. I have 6000 no problem miles, so far.

In the last 2 weeks I've noticed that I can actually here some reduction gear noise. It's audible during low speed acceleration, from about 0 to 5 mph or so. It might sound strange, but I can actually make out the individual gears as they're spinning at different revs.

I'm not a professional but consider myself a pretty good home mechanic that can fix 99% of the issues i face with ice vehicles, and that's what is causing my concern here.

The gear noise I here sounds completely normal. What bothers me is I don't recall hearing it prior to 2 weeks (give or take) ago. Im hoping, that with all my excitement about owning my first ev, I just didn't notice it before.

Just sounds like nicely meshed whirring gears doing their thing, but goes away as rpms pick up.
Anyone?
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That's exactly what I reported too. Right now it just sounds smoothly mechanical.
 
My car (US SEL bought March 2019) has the exact same sound as in the dropbox link. It does sound like a card against a bicycle spoke as noted in another post. Mine started at around 4k miles. I hear it at slow speeds < 10mph. Initially it was intermittent, but now its getting more frequent (7k miles).
 
Just FYI, I've been dealing with this same noise for months now on my Niro EV. You can follow my story and see links to many other international owner forums with same problem by looking at this thread. I've been waiting for a new motor for 6 weeks now while driving a loaner. I find it strange that dealers are randomly replacing either gearbox or motor to fix the exact same problem. Makes me think that the problem isn't actually either part but the shaft that connects them and by swapping either part they are realigning or shifting the shaft which temporarily fixes the issue until it goes out again. If you follow my thread's links to speakev, there is solid evidence now that there is a new motor revision available with reinforced connection to gearbox. Hopefully that keeps the noise from coming back for a longer period of time.
 
wizziwig said:
Just FYI, I've been dealing with this same noise for months now on my Niro EV. You can follow my story and see links to many other international owner forums with same problem by looking at this thread. I've been waiting for a new motor for 6 weeks now while driving a loaner. I find it strange that dealers are randomly replacing either gearbox or motor to fix the exact same problem. Makes me think that the problem isn't actually either part but the shaft that connects them and by swapping either part they are realigning or shifting the shaft which temporarily fixes the issue until it goes out again. If you follow my thread's links to speakev, there is solid evidence now that there is a new motor revision available with reinforced connection to gearbox. Hopefully that keeps the noise from coming back for a longer period of time.
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I wonder if the connecting shaft is available as a separate part?
 
I've been looking into the kia niro ev forums. The new motor is promising but it looks like the kona uses different model numbers. (close but still off by a bit).
https://www.hyundaipartsdeal.com/ge...Location=motor/traction_motor_gdu_assy,,36500

It seems like there is more traction on the issue with the niro than with the kona. I bet the niro motor assembly is interchangeable despite the model number difference.

I will let them try to replace the gear box for a fix but im not sure how much longer I will put up with not driving the car I purchased. I love the car but at this point i've almost put more miles on the loaner than with the kona. If they cant fix it by Feb I may just have to have them buy it back and go with a different option as it seems they might not know what the problem is. Early adopter problems unfortunately.
 
Update. Dealership got the reducer gear today (late afternoon). They will be attempting install this week. I expect to know if it worked or not by friday. Will update this thread when I get the car back or am told it didnt work.
 
Mywifeskona said:
Jeez, you guys are worrying me. I have 6000 no problem miles, so far.

In the last 2 weeks I've noticed that I can actually here some reduction gear noise. It's audible during low speed acceleration, from about 0 to 5 mph or so. It might sound strange, but I can actually make out the individual gears as they're spinning at different revs.

I'm not a professional but consider myself a pretty good home mechanic that can fix 99% of the issues i face with ice vehicles, and that's what is causing my concern here.

The gear noise I here sounds completely normal. What bothers me is I don't recall hearing it prior to 2 weeks (give or take) ago. Im hoping, that with all my excitement about owning my first ev, I just didn't notice it before.

Just sounds like nicely meshed whirring gears doing their thing, but goes away as rpms pick up.
Anyone?
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I've recently noticed the same on my Kona with approx. 2500 miles on it. Can't say for sure if the noise wasn't always there as I've only noticed it last couple of weeks. Same experience as you though - only sometimes hear it when accelerating at low speeds (under 8 MPH) and then it goes away.
 
Update. Got the car back today. They replaced the reducer gear. I can still hear the sound at around 10mph and under but it's much harder to hear (if Vess was enabled you wouldn't be able to hear it). I'm gonna just keep driving it and one of two things may happen. 1. It gets just as loud as it was after a few hundred miles or 2. It stays the same.
I want to wait till after new years and maybe by then Hyundai will have the actual fix for this problem well documented. I don't feel like waiting 8 weeks for a motor to arrive unless they positive it will fix it.
 
blakehaas said:
Update. Got the car back today. They replaced the reducer gear. I can still hear the sound at around 10mph and under but it's much harder to hear (if Vess was enabled you wouldn't be able to hear it). I'm gonna just keep driving it and one of two things may happen. 1. It gets just as loud as it was after a few hundred miles or 2. It stays the same.
I want to wait till after new years and maybe by then Hyundai will have the actual fix for this problem well documented. I don't feel like waiting 8 weeks for a motor to arrive unless they positive it will fix it.
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Signs are looking like motor replacement or combination of both reducer and motor to eliminate. At least it is somewhat quieter now
 
blakehaas said:
Update. Got the car back today. They replaced the reducer gear. I can still hear the sound at around 10mph and under but it's much harder to hear (if Vess was enabled you wouldn't be able to hear it). I'm gonna just keep driving it and one of two things may happen. 1. It gets just as loud as it was after a few hundred miles or 2. It stays the same.
I want to wait till after new years and maybe by then Hyundai will have the actual fix for this problem well documented. I don't feel like waiting 8 weeks for a motor to arrive unless they positive it will fix it.
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This popped up in a different thread:
https://insideevsforum.com/communit...ink-is-more-worth-it-to-have.7549/#post-85167
reference to a slightly different motor for replacement.
Apparently the new style motor has a thicker flange where it bolts to the reduction gear box and longer bolts are required to accommodate the new style motor to stop any flexing between the two:
https://www.speakev.com/threads/braking-regen-noise.138230/page-12#post-2717117
also confirmed by a Dutch forum:
https://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_message/60145990#60145990
What a pain in the a$$ to have to research a problem c/w solution on Hyundai's behalf. When I bring mine in eventually when the rattle noise gets more permanent, I will arm myself with this documented information to avoid a wait for a replacement gearbox that is documented not to solve the problem.
May I suggest you (blakehaas) return the car as the noise is still there, and alert them of this information. There should be no need to have to leave it parked at the dealer while the new style motor and longer bolts are shipped from Korea.
Thanks to apu for direction to this information;)
 
electriceddy said:
This popped up in a different thread:
https://insideevsforum.com/communit...ink-is-more-worth-it-to-have.7549/#post-85167
reference to a slightly different motor for replacement.
Apparently the new style motor has a thicker flange where it bolts to the reduction gear box and longer bolts are required to accommodate the new style motor to stop any flexing between the two:
https://www.speakev.com/threads/braking-regen-noise.138230/page-12#post-2717117
also confirmed by a Dutch forum:
https://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_message/60145990#60145990
What a pain in the a$$ to have to research a problem c/w solution on Hyundai's behalf. When I bring mine in eventually when the rattle noise gets more permanent, I will arm myself with this documented information to avoid a wait for a replacement gearbox that is documented not to solve the problem.
May I suggest you (blakehaas) return the car as the noise is still there, and alert them of this information. There should be no need to have to leave it parked at the dealer while the new style motor and longer bolts are shipped from Korea.
Thanks to apu for direction to this information;)
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The kia niro motor is different than the Hyundai kona. Different gear ratio. So i dont think that can be used to fix mine. Also since driving about 10 miles, the noise got significantly worse and now makes the sound from 70mph down to 10 and sounds like a dirtbike.
This is ridiculous.
Car going back to dealership monday.
 
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