Tapping or Creaking Noise when coasting at low speed

[bubzki]

I probably waited about 3-5 days once I heard it. Mostly because I hadn't yet found out it's a common issue. I would bring it in and let them try to find it, and make sure to mention above VESS speeds but below about 50 MPH since tire noise starts to drown it out when you go faster. Best of luck!

 

[TandM]

I changed my vote. While I did hear the noise for about 6000 to 7000 miles, it disappeared around 10,000 miles and we are now nearing 15,000 without it returning. Never noticed anything beyond the slight tapping noise and the performance was not affected in any way.

Until such a time I see any issue beyond a noise that I actively have to try to hear, I will just enjoy driving my Niro and know that I still have plenty of miles left in the warranty if it does decide to be an actual problem.

 

[Kia Guy]

I changed my vote. While I did hear the noise for about 6000 to 7000 miles, it disappeared around 10,000 miles and we are now nearing 15,000 without it returning. Never noticed anything beyond the slight tapping noise and the performance was not affected in any way.

Until such a time I see any issue beyond a noise that I actively have to try to hear, I will just enjoy driving my Niro and know that I still have plenty of miles left in the warranty if it does decide to be an actual problem.

I had this same situation occur. I heard it early, it disappeared, and then it re-appeared much worse than before (but still not incredibly audible).

 

[wizziwig]

The issue is not going to magically fix itself. That's just not possible because it's caused by physical damage to the shaft or bearings joining the gearbox to motor. What you're likely experiencing is variation due to changes in environmental temperatures. As the metal expands, it likely fills in some of the slack/gap so it may temporarily change the noise. Similar thing often happens comparing cold to warm motor after long drive.

Also a car with the problem will be noisier than one without it. You just don't realize it because you have nothing to compare against. My Niro was never as quiet (even early on when I thought noise level was normal) as it was after the motor swap. You really don't know what you're missing and what it should sound like until you do the repair or drive another non-defective Niro.

Continuing to drive risks damage spreading from motor to gearbox or the reverse. That will only make it more difficult to full resolve once you decide to take it in for repair. You may end up requiring multiple visits and multiple part replacements. At the moment the wait times for parts also appear much better than in the past (maybe reduced part demand due to pandemic?).

Finally, you also need to consider local lemon laws. In my area it is 18 months or 18K miles. If you delay the repair beyond this period, you may end up stuck with a noisy car if they can't or won't do the repair in the future. Not worth the risk.

 

[FergyEV]

So I just got my car back from Kia after almost 3 months. I think it also has the motor noise issue. I have attached a sound file I wanted to some feedback before I report it to Kia. Please let me know if you think the sound is the clicking sound that others are reporting. I recorded this around 5 MPH.

 

[electriceddy]

So I just got my car back from Kia after almost 3 months. I think it also has the motor noise issue. I have attached a sound file I wanted to some feedback before I report it to Kia. Please let me know if you think the sound is the clicking sound that others are reporting. I recorded this around 5 MPH.

Affirmative

 

[KiwiME]

..Please let me know if you think the sound is the clicking sound that others are reporting....

That seems to be at a well-advanced stage.

 

[Kia Guy]

Yeah, that's the sound! Hopefully you get your 711 motor quick~!

 

[daveinca]

So I just got my car back from Kia after almost 3 months. I think it also has the motor noise issue. I have attached a sound file I wanted to some feedback before I report it to Kia. Please let me know if you think the sound is the clicking sound that others are reporting. I recorded this around 5 MPH.

That’s definitely it. Can you tell me where
you placed the recorder to get such good audio of it? Will try and get a clip of mine this week.

 

[FergyEV]

That’s definitely it. Can you tell me where
you placed the recorder to get such good audio of it? Will try and get a clip of mine this week.

It was on the passenger floor board. I did up the volume of the recording with audio editing app. I think mine is just that loud.

 

[wizziwig]

Sorry to hear you're joining our unfortunate club. That is most definitely the same issue being discussed in this thread. My recording in the first post was also recorded from the same location but on the driver side. Be sure to point your microphone towards the motor compartment for best results.

In case anyone was holding out hope that this issue was fixed for recently delivered updated model year 2020 eNiro, I've already found two MY20 Dutch owners with the same problem. One example from a July delivery here.

I also found two owners with replacement motors for whom the problem came back. Recent report here where stock motor failed at 10K km and replacement motor failed at 6K km. Can't remember page I saw the other owner. No confirmation of what motor revision they received on their first repair but we have to assume it was the E711 since I have not heard of anyone getting a replacement E710. I guess this might explain why both KIA or Hyundai continue to use the original motor revision on all cars shipped so far - they still don't have a lasting solution to the problem. Hopefully they find one before warranties start to expire by crossing the mileage or time threshold.

 

[electriceddy]

Sorry to hear you're joining our unfortunate club. That is most definitely the same issue being discussed in this thread. My recording in the first post was also recorded from the same location but on the driver side. Be sure to point your microphone towards the motor compartment for best results.

In case anyone was holding out hope that this issue was fixed for recently delivered updated model year 2020 eNiro, I've already found two MY20 Dutch owners with the same problem. One example from a July delivery here.

I also found two owners with replacement motors for whom the problem came back. Recent report here where stock motor failed at 10K km and replacement motor failed at 6K km. Can't remember page I saw the other owner. No confirmation of what motor revision they received on their first repair but we have to assume it was the E711 since I have not heard of anyone getting a replacement E710. I guess this might explain why both KIA or Hyundai continue to use the original motor revision on all cars shipped so far - they still don't have a lasting solution to the problem. Hopefully they find one before warranties start to expire by crossing the mileage or time threshold.

If the drive train can last as long as the LG battery pack, then I would feel we have finally achieved parity with our gas consuming cousins

 

[wizziwig]

If the drive train can last as long as the LG battery pack, then I would feel we have finally achieved parity with our gas consuming cousins

If warranty allows and you're not within lemon-law time/mileage limited window, maybe waiting on your repair is the best move until Hyundai gets their sh*t together. I've only seen a handful of catastrophic failures that left people stranded. Some have driven 50K+ km with the noise.
Here is another Kona owner who has already gone through the whole gamut of gearbox, motor, and 180 shaft rotation "fixes". Each time the noise eventually came back. See the comments section from Danick Laliberté under this old video.

 

[David T in Silicon Valley]

I probably waited about 3-5 days once I heard it. Mostly because I hadn't yet found out it's a common issue.

This might a semantics issue on how "common" is defined, but I do not think of this as a common issue. Most people have not had this problem. I will be surprised to hear if it occurs in 10% of the vehicles, and unsurprised if it is as low as 2% (based entirely on my experiences of how few people have this complaint relative to the number that does not).

The modest frequency of this problem (still way too high for a mass produced item) is why I think it is likely a vehicle assembly or motor production quality control issue rather than something inherently wrong with the motor design. It is possible some mechanical aspect of how the motor mates to the reduction gear could mean the assembly needs to be done to a tighter tolerance than desirable so some end up having this problem.

 

[Hedge]

This might a semantics issue on how "common" is defined, but I do not think of this as a common issue. Most people have not had this problem. I will be surprised to hear if it occurs in 10% of the vehicles, and unsurprised if it is as low as 2% (based entirely on my experiences of how few people have this complaint relative to the number that does not).

The modest frequency of this problem (still way too high for a mass produced item) is why I think it is likely a vehicle assembly or motor production quality control issue rather than something inherently wrong with the motor design. It is possible some mechanical aspect of how the motor mates to the reduction gear could mean the assembly needs to be done to a tighter tolerance than desirable so some end up having this problem.

While I agree that it could be around the percentages you spoke. There are things that lead me to infer that it could be higher. One is that I would have not noticed the noise had I not heard some other louder noise and turned of the radio and other things to listen. Also once at any significant speed the noise can be similar to an ICE noise. Which first time EV drivers aren't going to register as not supposed to be there. I'm still hearing the initial noise, and I think it is made by the vess at all speeds, because it doesn't make that noise in reverse. The simple fact of this not being my first EV let me know that these noises were not the usual. Some people do not know how an EV is supposed to sound, so they'll think nothing of it.

 

[wizziwig]

Evidence points towards both poor assembly (cars with broken motors or gearboxes as soon as they drive off the dealer lot) and a poor drivetrain design (motors failing at 30K+ miles). I suspect more class action lawsuits (1,2) are in Kia/Hyundai's future once warranties start to expire and owners are stuck with $10K+ repair bills.

 

[TheDave]

I just started hearing a motor noise. I'm also hearing a "whoop whoop" sound at slow speed, less than 15 MPH.

That sound shows up from about 1:09 through about 1:30 in the recording. I recorded from my phone placed on the left side of the front passenger floorboard.

 

[David T in Silicon Valley]

While I agree that it could be around the percentages you spoke. There are things that lead me to infer that it could be higher.

Even if it is 10 or 15% , my conclusion of basically a quality control issue rather than a design flaw does not change (beyond how those two play together, where a particular design might require assembly at difficult to achieve tolerances). The caveat is maybe EVERY motor will do this at some point. I know there are a few people withs 10s of k of miles who have not , but what about 50k? 100k?

I'm also hearing a "whoop whoop"

I had a whoop whoop noise for a little while. I think it had to do with crap building up on the rarely used rear drums...maybe rust? It stopped after using the brakes beyond the level of regen a few times. I feel like I can hear your VESS. What speed were you going when you made recording?

 

[TheDave]

Even if it is 10 or 15% , my conclusion of basically a quality control issue rather than a design flaw does not change (beyond how those two play together, where a particular design might require assembly at difficult to achieve tolerances). The caveat is maybe EVERY motor will do this at some point. I know there are a few people withs 10s of k of miles who have not , but what about 50k? 100k?

I had a whoop whoop noise for a little while. I think it had to do with crap building up on the rarely used rear drums...maybe rust? It stopped after using the brakes beyond the level of regen a few times. I feel like I can hear your VESS. What speed were you going when you made recording?

I was going about 10 mph when I recorded the whoop whoop sound. I rarely hear it going more than 20 mph. I originally thought it was a an axle boot rubbing against the drive shaft at the front or something like that. I'm pretty certain it's coming from the vehicle's front end. The technician told me there didn't appear to be any wear or tear so it's still a mystery to me.

 

[wizziwig]

@TheDave One useful tip for making recordings is to temporarily disable the VESS noise by pulling the fuse I mentioned earlier in the thread.

In order to allow us to track any historic trends in the poll, I will occasionally attach the results at time of posting. This way we can reference the older posts in the future to see if current poll results are improving, staying the same, or getting worse. So far I have not seen the kind of improvement I would expect to see if KIA actually solved the problem on recently manufactured cars.

Anyone can change their vote, so please don't forget to update if your car develops the problem in the future. The more people vote (yes or no), the more statistically meaningful this poll will be. Thanks.