Ticking noise in EV

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2002

2002

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Just test drove a Clarity for the first time, and immediately noticed a faint ticking noise in front of me. Immediately mentioned it to the salesman who couldn't hear it. Pretty sure was in EV mode, slow speeds about 35 mph, car extremely quiet so I realize you hear more noises. But, although faint, I think people would hear it if all do this. Haven't been able to drive another one yet, this one is a November-built 2018 at a great price and right color so prefer not to switch. Just wondered if anyone else has heard this.
 
Turned out to be rust on the brake rotors. Car was manufactured in November 2018 and had 16 miles on it which indicates that there had been a few test drives, but it might have been sitting for a while since the last test drive. Also it would seem that short test drives with light braking weren't enough to the clear the rust. A service tech drove it and heard the sound, he tried multiple brakings to clear it but to no avail, then he realized since it's a Clarity it uses regen braking most of the time, so he pulled into an empty parking lot and did several quick low speed harder stops and that cleared it. I took another test drive and confirmed that the sound was gone, and purchased the car. Didn't hear anything on the drive home, other than some occasional slightly annoyed bees because by then the EV battery had been used up and had 0 range.
 
Anyone notice the constant ticking noise when braking in the automated driving mode?

Not a big deal, but I always worry that it is somehow the system breaking (not continuing to work.)
 
2002 said:
Turned out to be rust on the brake rotors. Car was manufactured in November 2018 and had 16 miles on it which indicates that there had been a few test drives, but it might have been sitting for a while since the last test drive. Also it would seem that short test drives with light braking weren't enough to the clear the rust. A service tech drove it and heard the sound, he tried multiple brakings to clear it but to no avail, then he realized since it's a Clarity it uses regen braking most of the time, so he pulled into an empty parking lot and did several quick low speed harder stops and that cleared it. I took another test drive and confirmed that the sound was gone, and purchased the car. Didn't hear anything on the drive home, other than some occasional slightly annoyed bees because by then the EV battery had been used up and had 0 range.
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Not surprising to me. Now that I leave my Prius out in the weather, and drive it less than once a week, I usually hear a light layer of rust being polished off when I first drive it. Also, I stopped setting the parking brake when parked at home since I'd rather not have the chance of it sticking.

Of course, the Clarity has taken over the coveted space in the protected garage.
 
Walt R said:
Not surprising to me. Now that I leave my Prius out in the weather, and drive it less than once a week, I usually hear a light layer of rust being polished off when I first drive it. Also, I stopped setting the parking brake when parked at home since I'd rather not have the chance of it sticking.

Of course, the Clarity has taken over the coveted space in the protected garage.
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My 2006 Prius that I traded for the Clarity had that happen sometimes, but that was more of a scraping noise, and only while braking not while driving. It usually only took a few miles of driving and a few stops to clear it. The noise on the Clarity test drive however was a definite continuous faint ticking sound while driving that lasted the entire test drive. I told the salesman that the sound reminded me of an old car of mine years ago when cars had a flexible spinning cable to run the speedometer. The cable had started to fray and so there was a faint ticking sound while driving. I replaced the cable and that eliminated the ticking sound. Obviously that's not related to this situation, but I'm just saying it was a similar ticking sound on the Clarity, not a scraping sound, and while driving not while braking, and so I never would have though of brake rotors. Fortunately the service guy thought of that, he had put the car on the lift and looked at the rotors and saw rust. He "knocked some of it off" then went on a test drive and he said the sound was reduced but still there. So he then did the multiple brakings until the sound went away.
 
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