ALL POSTS - motor whine or "HUM" (Milling Sound)

miimura said:

While we know that the drive unit in the RAV4 EV is based on the Model S, we don't know the extent that it is the same as what Tesla is putting in new Model S cars today. .

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It is a different motor and smaller than the model S, could even be the design they may be intending to use on a future Tesla model. They certainly get to test it well.

4EVEREV said:

miimura said:

While we know that the drive unit in the RAV4 EV is based on the Model S, we don't know the extent that it is the same as what Tesla is putting in new Model S cars today. .

Click to expand...

It is a different motor and smaller than the model S, could even be the design they may be intending to use on a future Tesla model. They certainly get to test it well.

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I don't think so. Just due to the smaller battery in the RAV4 EV, the power and torque is limited, compared to the Model S. That can account for all of the difference in specs between the RAV4 EV and the Model S. So, our drive units (especially the transmission portion) should inherently last longer since it's not being pushed as hard as the Model S.

4EVEREV said:

miimura said:

While we know that the drive unit in the RAV4 EV is based on the Model S, we don't know the extent that it is the same as what Tesla is putting in new Model S cars today. .

Click to expand...

It is a different motor and smaller than the model S, could even be the design they may be intending to use on a future Tesla model. They certainly get to test it well.

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No, it's not a different design than Tesla Model S. Your statement is wrong.

miimura said:

4EVEREV said:

miimura said:

While we know that the drive unit in the RAV4 EV is based on the Model S, we don't know the extent that it is the same as what Tesla is putting in new Model S cars today. .

Click to expand...

It is a different motor and smaller than the model S, could even be the design they may be intending to use on a future Tesla model. They certainly get to test it well.

Click to expand...

I don't think so. Just due to the smaller battery in the RAV4 EV, the power and torque is limited, compared to the Model S. That can account for all of the difference in specs between the RAV4 EV and the Model S. So, our drive units (especially the transmission portion) should inherently last longer since it's not being pushed as hard as the Model S.

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Yes, Model S and Rav4 EV use the same gearbox, motor and inverter as Model S. The battery in Rav4 EV likely uses the 2900ma cells, instead of the prototype Rav4 EV's that used the Tesla Roadster 2200ma cells.


410.4 volts @ 96.5% SOC - 41.8kWh usable


About 45.0kWh total – 100% SOC


***********************

Here is the Tesla 85kWh battery specs:

3100ma Panasonic 18650 cells

7104 total cells

16 battery modules are connected in series. There are 6 sections in one module also in series, and each section of 74 cells is connected in parallel.

Since many of ours were built around the same time as "early Model S" cars, this (replacing drive trains due to noise) is definitely a concern, especially because Toyota does not have the 1-2 day turn around time that Tesla offers. More like 1-2 weeks (or longer).

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1093713_tesla-model-s-drive-unit-replacements-how-big-a-problem

cwerdna said:

It'd be nice if someone here started a list of Rav4 EV owners both with and without any sort of drive unit and/or HV battery pack replacements, to get a sense of how bad this issue is. The later seems rare amongst Rav4 EV owners but the former not so rare.

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I did. Find it here
http://www.myrav4ev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1225

miimura said:

In any case, I agree that the extended warranty on the RAV4 EV looks like a very good idea for anyone that plans to keep one beyond 3 years and 36,000 miles. The prices posted in the other thread about warranties look very reasonable to take the coverage out to 8 years and 100,000 miles.

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Can somebody post a link to the mentioned warranty thread. I can't seem to find it and (amazingly) the forum search does not allow searching for the word "warranty" in the title of posts?!?!

Aries said:

miimura said:

In any case, I agree that the extended warranty on the RAV4 EV looks like a very good idea for anyone that plans to keep one beyond 3 years and 36,000 miles. The prices posted in the other thread about warranties look very reasonable to take the coverage out to 8 years and 100,000 miles.

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Can somebody post a link to the mentioned warranty thread. I can't seem to find it and (amazingly) the forum search does not allow searching for the word "warranty" in the title of posts?!?!

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Google search "extended warranty site:myrav4ev.com" returns this thread as the first result.

The "hum" in my vehicle really started to become noticeable at 10,000 miles. At 20,000 miles I finally got the motor replaced. Got it back earlier this week and what a difference! It's very quiet at freeway speeds now. Fortunately it was under warranty, it's still a great vehicle and I have no regrets buying it.

I did notice going thru this thread that OCC had the motor replaced (VIN 1324) and Khaihon as well (VIN 1323). My VIN is 1330.

occ Post subject: Re: Rav4EV motor "HUM", can you hear it in yours? Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 7:16 am

occ wrote:Anyways, I finally got to recording of my rav's motor hum:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Chf_doE8QI didn't put the mic under the hood like Tony did, instead I used a camcorder so I'm recording what you would hear from the cabin. It doesn't sound as loud as Tony's, but it's definitely different than road noise. Those of you who have a rav4ev, please let me know if it's similar to what you hear in yours...is this "normal"? I've driven 2 others (yblaser's and one from Tustin dealership) that isn't louder than road noise, but I've also driven 2 others (a new new from Irvine Toyota, and one extended rental from South Coast Toyota) that have even louder hum... so I can't be sure anymore!!Well I finally got my new motor from Toyota two days ago. There is a definite improvement. The "normal" rav4ev noise is not quiet like the LEAFVisit the LEAF Forum, but much better. There's still the whine of the inverter, I think, which is higher pitch, and to me pretty normal for an EV. Anyways, here's a youtube post of the new motor, same route, same recording method. Listen can compare the two and you be the judge (listen to both starting at around 1:15 for about a minute ).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu8TIocMmVk_________________Blizzard Pearl Rav4EV VIN 1324 Nissan LEAF VIN 4873Tustin w/ 4Kw Solar PV

Khaihon Post subject: Re: Rav4EV motor "HUM", can you hear it in yours? Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:21 am

I haven't had any failure although my average efficiency has gone up after I got my motor replaced (from 3.6 mi/kWHr to 3.8 mi/kWHr). Most likely coincidental because my firmware was also updated which could have played a role. I just relied on what the nav displayed and not from any charge to the battery to miles driven measurements. It may have been other factors as well.It was pretty frustrating to hear that they want to be able to hear the noise with the windows rowed up. Just because it is obviously quieter with the windows up doesn't mean the problem magically vanishes. When I was test-driving my problem vehicle around with the people from Toyota corporate last year, they almost had me believing that I was hearing things. They also claimed that my youtube recording was extremely exaggerated because I placed the recorder under my hood. I mean, the noise was obviously coming from under the hood so where else should I keep the recorder? in the hidden trunk compartment? the audio was also not edited in any way.Makes me wonder if there is a specific range of motor serial numbers that is prone to developing the noise over time._________________2012 RAV4EV - VIN 1323 White Blizzard - Gardena, CAMeep Meep -> Honk! Honk! Mod

My case with Toyota was opened 2 days ago, waiting to hear back from the dealer. I've spent time driving 4 Rav EVs and mine is by far the loudest of those.

So i took mine in for the 2nd time today with 21K miles on it for the motor "whine" type sound.

Left the car there all day. At the end of the day, they called me back and said Toyota thinks its normal, but they want me to drive a brand-new one (which the dealer has some of) and compare it to mine.

Has anyone heard of this as part of the procedure to determine if the noise is abnormal? It should be interesting, but multiple people who've been in my car have *also* noticed that mine is getting noisier.

I'm pretty sure its not my imagination.

The interesting thing is, why would they want me to do this? They've had my car for the entire day, its been driven multiple times (I know from Entune...) etc. (and of course they have the new ones at their dealer too). Apparently they've done a ton of diagnostics on the car so far because they opened the case with Toyota this morning.

TonyWilliams said:

No, it's not a different design than Tesla Model S. Your statement is wrong.

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I think Tony's right here. I got a tour of the Tesla plant from a person who was there when the Rav4EVs were produced and they said its the same motor as the base model S. There is some internal component differences in the Model S motor for the high-end model S (this person said) but that's mainly associated with its ability to draw more current.

You might need that 50 cent shim Elon mentioned in the last investor call. Just a guess...

well essentially i got the blow-off from the Toyota dealer. When i turned up this morning, they said "gee you can go over to sales and test drive a new one if you want to compare, but we already did that and we think yours is normal".

So.... I got my car back. I suppose the thing to do is keep driving it till something blows up. I bought every extended warranty i could on the car when i bought it, for just this sort of reason...

Somewhat unsatisifying, but i can believe Toyota doesnt want to do expensive repairs that they dont absolutely have to.

n3ckf said:

well essentially i got the blow-off from the Toyota dealer. When i turned up this morning, they said "gee you can go over to sales and test drive a new one if you want to compare, but we already did that and we think yours is normal".

So.... I got my car back. I suppose the thing to do is keep driving it till something blows up. I bought every extended warranty i could on the car when i bought it, for just this sort of reason...

Somewhat unsatisifying, but i can believe Toyota doesnt want to do expensive repairs that they dont absolutely have to.

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Which dealer was this?

Mine started emitting the sound around 2500 miles.
When I took it in to the dealer for 5000 miles service the loudness had about doubled (imho) When driving 25 along a wall that bounces the sound it is clearly audible.
They opened a ticket with Tesla.
Hope to hear from them soon.

miimura said:

n3ckf said:

well essentially i got the blow-off from the Toyota dealer. When i turned up this morning, they said "gee you can go over to sales and test drive a new one if you want to compare, but we already did that and we think yours is normal".

So.... I got my car back. I suppose the thing to do is keep driving it till something blows up. I bought every extended warranty i could on the car when i bought it, for just this sort of reason...

Somewhat unsatisifying, but i can believe Toyota doesnt want to do expensive repairs that they dont absolutely have to.

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Which dealer was this?

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Fremont Toyota. They did work on it all day with Toyota (i stayed there from 7am -> 2PM while they did it) on the first day. But i think Toyota told them it was "normal".

n3ckf said:

Fremont Toyota. They did work on it all day with Toyota (i stayed there from 7am -> 2PM while they did it) on the first day. But i think Toyota told them it was "normal".

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Did you mean Tesla?

"all day with Tesla" and "Tesla told them it was normal"?

The whine I get is mostly when I go above 70, so it's nearly impossible to get the dealer to own up to it.

no they said Toyota. They said it was Toyota that had a specific diagnostic procedure they had to follow. (that might have been set up by Tesla) I dont know, but they've never told me they contacted Tesla about my car, ever.