Some kind of noise from front.

Hello leaf members,

Do you guys happen know or experienced some kind of noise coming from engine room?? Or i should say front?

It sounds like to me generator is running or some kind of pump may be??

Issue is as soon as start the car it starts running (it almost similar sound when you run heater or a/c) whole time until power off the car.

I open the hood and notice that some thing is running just like engine vehicle... But leaf doesnt have engine. What is this?

Anyone wants to share?

Thanks

Ted

There is more than one thing under the hood that can make sounds. Possibilities include:

- Coolant pump ( usually runs when charging or heating)
- Brake pump
- A/C compressor
- Cooling fan

One side effect of having a silent EV powertrain is that other sounds become noticeable. They are normal.

Enjoy your LEAF

Perhaps a pine cone?

Thank you as long as it is normal im ok. I noticed first time since i drove from last year...so

kovalb said:

There is more than one thing under the hood that can make sounds. Possibilities include:

- Coolant pump ( usually runs when charging or heating)
- Brake pump
- A/C compressor
- Cooling fan

One side effect of having a silent EV powertrain is that other sounds become noticeable. They are normal.

Enjoy your LEAF

Click to expand...

I went to dealer and they could not find any issue with it and they said it is normal that coolant pump or something is running.

My question to every ine here...
Does your leaf does that whole time too?
I didnt think mine did last year.
I think something is running means my battery usage will reduce i guess?

If any one have a spare time, then please open the hood and listen carefully left side of motor. Mine is almost shaky running like engine run. For all time when leaf is on. It will go off when leaf is off.

Thank for sharing.

Ted

gotd77 said:

Thank you as long as it is normal im ok. I noticed first time since i drove from last year...so

kovalb said:

There is more than one thing under the hood that can make sounds. Possibilities include:

- Coolant pump ( usually runs when charging or heating)
- Brake pump
- A/C compressor
- Cooling fan

One side effect of having a silent EV powertrain is that other sounds become noticeable. They are normal.

Enjoy your LEAF

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Yes. The coolant pump runs whenever the LEAF is charging or in READY mode. The motor, charger, inverter and DC/DC converter are water cooled.

Ok thank you

RegGuheert said:

Yes. The coolant pump runs whenever the LEAF is charging or in READY mode. The motor, charger, inverter and DC/DC converter are water cooled.

Click to expand...

gotd77 said:

I went to dealer and they could not find any issue with it and they said it is normal that coolant pump or something is running.

My question to every ine here...
Does your leaf does that whole time too?
I didnt think mine did last year.
I think something is running means my battery usage will reduce i guess?

If any one have a spare time, then please open the hood and listen carefully left side of motor. Mine is almost shaky running like engine run. For all time when leaf is on. It will go off when leaf is off.

Click to expand...

Coolant pump has to run when car is on; this is how motor and inverter get cooled. Normally it's very quiet so if you're noticing it much louder than before then maybe your pump has become noisy for some reason. When a pump becomes noisy it's not usually a good sign.

That being said, it's hard for anyone here to say whether your pump is "noisier than normal". Best would be to compare it to another LEAF under the same conditions.

Record an audio file or youtube video of the car making the noise, then post a link here.
That might be enough for us to tell you if it's a normal noise.

ok I will try it tonight.
I think people probably not noticeable if you leave in city area place where has lots of noise around you or never bather listen to it.
this noise is noticeable from inside the car one quite night when I got home it was dark quite night ok?
I hear some kind of fan noise going so I thought may be big HVAC going off from my next door...so I did not care but it happen every night when I get home from work so I decided to open the hood and find out that something is running in there. that's how I found out. I promise, this sound wasn't there or I should say it was running whole time but never noticeable may be?? not it is noticeable.
I will try to video from my phone and post here.

it is actually bothers little because I am little sensitive then other drive about noise and I hear urrrrrrr. sound whole time like when you turn A/C on with Engine vehicle you know.

garsh said:

Record an audio file or youtube video of the car making the noise, then post a link here.
That might be enough for us to tell you if it's a normal noise.

Click to expand...

Here is something simple and easy you can try. You never included your location in your address but I'll wager you live in an area where it is currently cold and you are using the heater. Try turning the heater off and see if the sound goes away. If it does then it was the coolant pump, if it is either a S grade level, or was very cold. Or the heat pump if an SV or SL grade level and the temperature was not below freezing.

oh Sorry, I leave in GA and I don't use either A/C nor Heater. our temp this week was around 55-60. pump thing is still running all the time. and my car is S Quick charge 2015.

thank you

kovalb said:

Here is something simple and easy you can try. You never included your location in your address but I'll wager you live in an area where it is currently cold and you are using the heater. Try turning the heater off and see if the sound goes away. If it does then it was the coolant pump, if it is either a S grade level, or was very cold. Or the heat pump if an SV or SL grade level and the temperature was not below freezing.

Click to expand...

Here is the link of video! Please let me know this is normal. Again, i am not charging no heater no ac on. Just start the car and does this whole time driving until power off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu8RVkVoVdg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

gotd77 said:

oh Sorry, I leave in GA and I don't use either A/C nor Heater. our temp this week was around 55-60. pump thing is still running all the time. and my car is S Quick charge 2015.

thank you

kovalb said:

Here is something simple and easy you can try. You never included your location in your address but I'll wager you live in an area where it is currently cold and you are using the heater. Try turning the heater off and see if the sound goes away. If it does then it was the coolant pump, if it is either a S grade level, or was very cold. Or the heat pump if an SV or SL grade level and the temperature was not below freezing.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Listened to your YouTube. Mine is a Little more like a humming purr. Yours does sound a little more "scratchy", unless that was some background noise.

As someone else suggested, next time you spot another Leaf owner you can ask to do a comparison

Thanks for sharing info guys!
I just called my friend who has same model 2015 s. His leaf never run anything but quiet. Unless run ac there is something running like mine but as soon as turn off ac or heater then nothing runs...
So i guess my leaf is spending energy to run that motor for what? I dont get it. Anyone??

Thanks!

lkkms2 said:

Listened to your YouTube. Mine is a Little more like a humming purr. Yours does sound a little more "scratchy", unless that was some background noise.

As someone else suggested, next time you spot another Leaf owner you can ask to do a comparison

Click to expand...

Here's my Leaf. Car is on, but climate control is on (low fan) but heater is off.
YouTube video

Note that there's some sort of sound enhancement going on here. It's not nearly as loud as that video would make you think. The rustling noise when I move the phone is just my coat.

It sounds pretty much the same to me, but there does seem to be a little more of a high-pitched overtone on yours that isn't present on mine.

It does sounds like it but i dont use climate cont ever. Also i read some article about some people hear that noise when they charging leaf.
My video was no climate cont on and was not charging either. It just standby mode on.

Also from your video, try to grab the pipe on the left side of motor (i think it is coolant) mine is noticebaly shaky...

Thanks for the video and sharing!!

garsh said:

Here's my Leaf. Car is on, but climate control is on (low fan) but heater is off.
YouTube video

Note that there's some sort of sound enhancement going on here. It's not nearly as loud as that video would make you think. The rustling noise when I move the phone is just my coat.

It sounds pretty much the same to me, but there does seem to be a little more of a high-pitched overtone on yours that isn't present on mine.

Click to expand...

gotd77 said:

Thanks for sharing info guys!
I just called my friend who has same model 2015 s. His leaf never run anything but quiet. Unless run ac there is something running like mine but as soon as turn off ac or heater then nothing runs...
So i guess my leaf is spending energy to run that motor for what? I dont get it. Anyone??

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The pump is supposed to run. You're spending energy to move the coolant so that the motor, controller and inverter don't overheat and die. The issue isn't whether or not the pump is running. The issue is whether yours is having a problem while it's running.

It's very difficult for someone to judge the recording because we don't have a good way to calibrate sound levels. That's why I suggested you compare side-by-side with another LEAF in real-time. Then you will know if there really is a difference.

Thanks for the advise.

I will try to do that. Fact is i didnt notice that sound and now i notice it. That being said it got louder then?

Thanks

Nubo said:

gotd77 said:

Thanks for sharing info guys!
I just called my friend who has same model 2015 s. His leaf never run anything but quiet. Unless run ac there is something running like mine but as soon as turn off ac or heater then nothing runs...
So i guess my leaf is spending energy to run that motor for what? I dont get it. Anyone??

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The pump is supposed to run. You're spending energy to move the coolant so that the motor, controller and inverter don't overheat and die. The issue isn't whether or not the pump is running. The issue is whether yours is having a problem while it's running.

It's very difficult for someone to judge the recording because we don't have a good way to calibrate sound levels. That's why I suggested you compare side-by-side with another LEAF in real-time. Then you will know if there really is a difference.

Click to expand...

I have tried to compare with other leaf 2015 same S model.
his leaf does not runs like mine whole time. it seems like runs when he plug in for charging though. however, mine runs whole time while driving or standby ready mode and charging as well.
why mine runs all the time??

Thank you

gotd77 said:

Thanks for the advise.

I will try to do that. Fact is i didnt notice that sound and now i notice it. That being said it got louder then?

Thanks

Nubo said:

gotd77 said:

Thanks for sharing info guys!
I just called my friend who has same model 2015 s. His leaf never run anything but quiet. Unless run ac there is something running like mine but as soon as turn off ac or heater then nothing runs...
So i guess my leaf is spending energy to run that motor for what? I dont get it. Anyone??

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The pump is supposed to run. You're spending energy to move the coolant so that the motor, controller and inverter don't overheat and die. The issue isn't whether or not the pump is running. The issue is whether yours is having a problem while it's running.

It's very difficult for someone to judge the recording because we don't have a good way to calibrate sound levels. That's why I suggested you compare side-by-side with another LEAF in real-time. Then you will know if there really is a difference.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...