High-Pitched Motor Noise

Discussion in 'Hyundai Kona Electric' started by SeanH, Apr 29, 2019.

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  1. TheLight75

    TheLight75 Active Member

    My Kona isn't totally silent, but none of the sounds I hear are annoying to me. I've just associated that the noises are normal for an electric powertrain.

     
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  3. Some US deliveries actually happened before Canadian pre-orders which really rotted my socks at the time. It's a period I try not to dwell on.
     
  4. Then you need to try other EVs to realize that no, they are not "normal" (in the sense that EVs can be built to have the electric motor noise properly isolated / barely audible). It does seem it's "normal" for the Konas however. Listen to a Model 3 driving by next time you see one ; no noise at all. I just saw a video of the new Rivian trucks being filmed up close while they were filming an ad for the trucks and while driving at slow speed ; appears 100% silent. Leafs are not 100% silent they produce some sore of high pitched tone but to my ear, they are 99% less annoying than the Kona's sound.

    So anyway, I know people are probably tired of my posts here and I may sound like a broken record but all of this to say that it seems this doesn't bother most people so we'll likely never see a "fix" for this which is a shame. I'd still be curious to hear feedback from anyone who has a 2020 model to see if any adjustments were done and whether they hear the sound or not.
     
  5. charles mugler

    charles mugler New Member

    I just disconnected the vess and no codes were throw yet
     
  6. I had my car in the shop for a month for a big fix and then back in again almost immediately for a TPMS fix. Ever since I've had an annoying rattling noise. It was so obnoxious and loud that the radio wouldn't even cover it up. Sweet Jeebus, I thought, the unexplained noises have started and now I'll join the club of Kona owners chasing their tails trying to get the noise figured out and fixed. Fun. It was so bad today that I finally threw the hood up at the Walmart parking lot to have a look. The sound was a rattle that changed with throttle input but seemed to be coming from beneath the centre dash. I felt around and removed random ice chips, snow, maple keys, pine needles and then the motherlode... a tech had left a tool on the "shelf" behind the wiper blades. I returned the tool to the garage and breathed a sigh of relief, not only for having discovered the cause of the noise but mostly because of the blessed silence of my EV.
     
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  8. Not sure if it qualifies but you may want to add it here:
    https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/repair-issues-and-fixes.7097/ :D
     
  9. Hyundai is now developing a "Road Noise Active Noise Control" - RANC able to reduce cabin noise by 3db directed to reduce noise emitted by power train, road and wind:
    https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/11/20191112-ranc.html
     
  10. They really try everything to keep producing those ice cars, don't they?

    Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk
     
  11. TheLight75

    TheLight75 Active Member

    It has begun... :eek: 12,500 miles in...

    Today, on my way home I noticed a faint high-pitch whine when my radio was off while I was cruising at ~70mph. It seemed to disappear below 35mph. It's barely perceptible above the road noise with the radio off, but of course, once I knew it was there, my brain fixated on it. When I got home, I slowly rolled my Kona back & forward in my garage with the window down and I could clearly hear what sounds like something small rotating and lightly tapping something - like a very small version of sticking a playing card in bike spokes. It's directly proportional to the speed of the Kona. Later on, I'm going to see if I can disconnect the VESS so I can hear it more clearly and take a series of audio recordings to identify what part of the car it's coming from. Given the season change, part of me is wondering if this is simply a dead leaf that's gotten itself crammed somewhere near a rotating surface. It doesn't sound like something major...
     
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  13. victor_2019

    victor_2019 Active Member

    What you are describing has nothing to do with what people are complaining in this thread.

    You have some mechanical issue, take it to the dealer for investigation. Electric vehicles still have lots of mechanical components that can break.
     
  14. If it sounds like this starting at 0:38:
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/m2k3b2b1ts5v2e1/HyundaiKonaEV_NO_VESS_NOISE.wav?dl=0
    than the thread to post in is this:
    https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/clunking-vibration-type-sound.7262/
    Easy to get mixed up as there is an abundance of "noise related" threads.
    The title I think should be "Popcorn" or "Bicycle" sound as there is another one about clunking as well.
    Mine has the sound intermittently and only a matter of time before a more permanent basis. At least this gives me the chance to wait until the actual repair confirmation is motor, gearbox or shaft between (or all 3):rolleyes:
     
  15. Yet another, be sure to post it into the clunking/vibration thread as we can keep track of the #s and results. The first successful repair should be posted here:
    https://insideevsforum.com/community/index.php?threads/repair-issues-and-fixes.7097/
    That helps explain why mine is intermittent as I am at only 5573 kms. I am sure I could make it appear if I push it going up a hill , then let it sit for a bit and restart.
    It is important to keep this sound problem documented in the clunking/ vibration thread for reference purposes. ;) Even if you just post a link.
     
  16. Gjpzee

    Gjpzee Member

    Moved the post to that thread:)
     
  17. I see that , thanks... I will include a link for TheLight75 post 329 as well.
     
  18. I do have that hissing noise. I started to notice it around 1,200 miles or so. I can only hear it when close to a wall or building with the windows down. It's definitely not the VESS hum.
     
  19. doggyworld

    doggyworld Active Member

    I just noticed this high pitched noise when going about 70mph and over. I can't seem to hear it or at least notice it inside the cabin until around 70mph. I think even if I have the Regen set to 0 and let off the accelerator, it still exists so I'm not sure it's tied to the power or regen. I'm not sure if this is the same sound as everyone else is complaining about, but it's definitely a high pitched noise that I don't think I noticed it before.

    Does anyone else experience this? Anyone know what it could be?

    As a side note, I do notice the high pitch engine sound with my windows down going slowly that is tied to the engine, but that doesn't seem to bother me because I don't hear it inside the cabin. I'm not sure if this is the same noise since this noise doesn't seem to turn off when I let off the acceleration.
     
  20. WMA

    WMA New Member


    Brennan you should go back to the dealer and get the motor replaced. It worked for another owner with similar milage and issue. They replaced the lower gear drive and it didn't fix it but after they replaced the motor the noise is gone. I have suspected from the beginning that it's the electric motor causing all the hissing issues. Seems to be some internal damage over time probably the rotor inside scraping against the housing. Electric Motor noise fix.JPG Electric Motor noise fix3.JPG See attached for the part number.
     
    MGrognon likes this.
  21. BWHough

    BWHough New Member

    So I just came across this thread and I just had to post. I don't have a Hyundai Kona EV, but I have something incredibly close - a Hyundai Ioniq EV that seemingly doing the exact same thing that so many others are reporting with their Kona's.

    Specifically, around 500 miles into owning my car, I began to hear an incredibly high pitched squealing noise while accelerating and regenerating. I first heard it in the car with the radio off. After another hundred miles or so, I began to hear it over the radio. Recently I also rolled the windows down for the first time and the whining noise was so bad after driving onto a busy street with plenty of other cars on the left and right of me, as well as tall buildings, that I had to roll up my windows and crank the radio to drown out the noise.

    Its truly terrible, and both my 55 year old mother as well as my 26 year old girlfriend can hear it, so its not just me. It sounds exactly like that Google Drive video someone posted on like Page 2 of this thread.

    Strange that I seem to be one of the few Ioniq owners complaining about this, but its truly a terrible sound that I can't see myself living with for any length of time. I'm going to be making an appointment with a local Hyundai service center this week and I hope they can do something.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2019
  22. I don't want to jinx it but so far I can only hear the VESS, wind and tire noise on my 2020. Mind you it only has 1300 km on the clock, so time will tell.
     
  23. I literally have NEVER heard the sound in any of the recordings posted. I hear all sorts of noises but nothing high pitched and annoying. I really think this is a "ears of the beholder" situation.
     

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