Low speed wind noise - roof bars?

[Cocijo]

Some EV’s don’t even have a pedestrian warning sound. Does it depend when the car was made?

 

[Lovemyev]

I noticed the same today with mine. Creak/rattle

Yeah - Any car I have every had that has a glass sun roof has done the very same thing.
It’s the ice / frost that has settled around the seem of the glass.
When the body flexes, you can hear the ice cracking.
Not that anybody “would” in these conditions, but don’t be tempted to try and tilt / open the roof when it is like this.
You are like to either damage the seals at least, or even over load the motor.
The cracking / rattling will stop as soon as the cabin gets warm.
I never close the blind on my car which helps move the frost a little more quickly.
Completely normal behaviour from my previous observation.

 

[Lovemyev]

Some EV’s don’t even have a pedestrian warning sound. Does it depend when the car was made?

Strange that on some models you can turn it off ?.
Not sure why you would want to though.

 

[Dodger]

Some EV’s don’t even have a pedestrian warning sound. Does it depend when the car was made?

My old 2011 Leaf had a pedestrian warning system exactly the same as the ZS EV so it's nothing new.

 

[Gomev]

Yes - sorry my fault. My noise is at very low speed. I‘ve tried to record it but it doesn’t really pick it up. It is a low howl noise though . I’m wondering of it’s something else other than wind noise.

Have a look at this

 

[Cocijo]

Thanks. I saw this. My noise continues over 20mph so rules put the warning noise. It definitely sounds like wind whistle to me.

 

[greentangerine]

And yet a Danish report says "Recent research has shown that electric cars are around 40 per cent more likely to be involved in a collision with a pedestrian than a traditional car."
It all depends how you approach the subject and what conditions you set, but I have a feeling we all know this! On or Off, it will be personal thing, well in the cars where you can turn it off anyway.

This isn't to start a bun fight but to show for every report for pedestrian alerts there will surely be a report against.

‘Adaptive sound’ system for electric cars tested to warn blind pedestrians

Electric cars are being fitted with “adaptive sound” systems to alert partially sighted pedestrians to oncoming vehicles, while also minimising the cars’ contribution to noise pollution.

eandt.theiet.org

As a cyclist I can vouch that pedestrians in towns will quite happily step into the road without looking, especially when the weather is nice and the grockles are out and about.

A loud expletive usually gets their attention better than a bell.

 

[Kithmo]

And yet a Danish report says "Recent research has shown that electric cars are around 40 per cent more likely to be involved in a collision with a pedestrian than a traditional car."
It all depends how you approach the subject and what conditions you set, but I have a feeling we all know this! On or Off, it will be personal thing, well in the cars where you can turn it off anyway.

This isn't to start a bun fight but to show for every report for pedestrian alerts there will surely be a report against.

‘Adaptive sound’ system for electric cars tested to warn blind pedestrians

Electric cars are being fitted with “adaptive sound” systems to alert partially sighted pedestrians to oncoming vehicles, while also minimising the cars’ contribution to noise pollution.

eandt.theiet.org

That just proves UK electric car drivers are safer than Danish ones.

 

[Lovemyev]

Thanks. I saw this. My noise continues over 20mph so rules put the warning noise. It definitely sounds like wind whistle to me.

If you hold the “Go Pedal” at around the 28 mph - you can produce a low whine type howel in the cabin.
Feathering the throttle on and off very slightly, it will make it go away.
You will only produce this sound if the radio etc is turned off in the car.
It is not very noticeable, but you can get it to produce it with some effort.
If this is the same noise that you are hearing, then it could just be the motor.
Both mine and my brothers does the very same thing.
My car has covered 9,000 miles and his has only covered 1,000 miles !.
Longer motor whine is evident when you are accelerate hard, but that is to be expected.
No motor howl, just a progressive whine until you easy off on the “Go Pedal”.
The low howling noise is only evident at around 27 - 29 mph I find and not at any other speeds.
When you are trying to stay just under the 30 mph speed limit when the elevation of the road is changing.
I doubt it will be wind noise at that speed anyway.
When travelling at a speed above 45mph, there is some wind noise evident inside the car.
The level of wind noise It is dependant on wind direction and strength I find.
I am undecided if it’s the roof rails, doors mirrors our some have suggested it is caused by the spiral wire wound around the roof arial.
It gives the impression that one of the side windows are very slightly cracked open.
I have seen my wife reach for the passengers window switch on occasions to test if the window is still slightly open slightly.
Of course wind noise and road noise is more evident because there is no other back ground noise from the engine etc to compete with !.
There is room for the sound installation to be improved of course, but some EV are more silent than others of course.
Tesla model 3 is not the most silent cars out there.
Model S is better at combating wind noise.
VW ID 3 & 4 are really silent by all accounts.
I have watched many reviews on the ZS EV and it has been said that although it is not the most silent EV in the cabin, it is not the worst by a long way.

 

[Cocijo]

Thanks for this - very useful. You describe well at the beginning of your post what I’m hearing. From what you say it would appear normal for this model. As far as overall refinement of the car I’m quite pleased really - not the quietest but certainly acceptable for me.

 

[Lovemyev]

Thanks for this - very useful. You describe well at the beginning of your post what I’m hearing. From what you say it would appear normal for this model. As far as overall refinement of the car I’m quite pleased really - not the quietest but certainly acceptable for me.

I am sure you will find that what I have heard, is the same in your car.
If the the heater blower or radio etc is on, you will not hear it.
It is brief and you can make it come and go by very light pressure on the “Go” pedal.

 

[RossN]

And I have no idea how to turn it off...not that I want to

 

[SCB86]

You can turn it off in the cars settings but it reactivates every time you start the car.

 

[Jeps]

Thanks for this - very useful. You describe well at the beginning of your post what I’m hearing. From what you say it would appear normal for this model. As far as overall refinement of the car I’m quite pleased really - not the quietest but certainly acceptable for me.

The sound you are hearing is the motor then. We also have it, but I find that to be normal. Our old car had the engine in the back that was really silent in that perspective.

 

[Jeps]

I also get some wind noise from the roof, I was driving 135 km. Yesterday in -3 degrees. It was very noticeable, more than ever before, I don't know if it was because of the cold that it gone worse?
I also have a little wind noise comming from the driver's door, like the window is not clo

Hi Cocijo.
I didn't drive 135 km/h. But that was the distance.
But I did drive at the motorway at speeds up until 105km/h.
The noise was more like a hawling in the wind, it started already after 60km/h. It was quit windy yesterday, but I have never experienced that kind of hawling before. Today I didn't experience any of that hawling when I was driving my daughter to school. So I hope for a one off.

Update on my issue...?
Today I didn't experience any hawling like the other day. I guess there must have been a piece off ice being attached to the roof rails

 

[Cocijo]

A quick update. I’m still getting what I can describe as a low pitched (think woo woo) wind noise that appears to come from around the frontal roof area. I’ve added some tape to the front edge of the sunroof to see if this eliminates the sound without success.
The strange thing is it comes and goes! Yesterday it was not there at all - today as noisy as ever! I’m not really sure what to look at next. It’s not one of those issues that I would take to the dealer at this current time as it’s only a minor annoyance. I’m going to have a look to see if there is anything under the bonnet area around the front scuttle panel that could be deflecting and causing the noise. All of the roof seals look ok and fitted properly. The sunroof does sit a little low at the front but I’m still not sure if this is the cause as adding tape to that area makes no difference. Wind noise like water leaks can be so difficult to isolate and fix! especially if they come and go! Which is weird.

 

[ClawzSkunk]

I was wondering whether it’s the door seals not being thick enough to isolate the noise?for me it’s almost wind whipping around in the door cavity surrounding the window

 

[Mark Holmes]

It could be the wing mirrors as look at the way the water sort of spirals around where the mirrors meet the doors when it rains, it’s like a small cyclone, you see the water swirling, it could be this area making the noise.

 

[Cocijo]

Thanks - I’ll take alook

 

[Cocijo]

I was wondering whether it’s the door seals not being thick enough to isolate the noise?for me it’s almost wind whipping around in the door cavity surrounding the window

Possible - but overall I’m pleased with the cars refinement- I know it’s subjective but I find it ok - apart from the roof whistle!