[bigdaddyo811]

I didnt see answers to this in my search.

1. Several times I have come to a stop light with in SPORT mode, the car making its usually engine hum will make 2 or 3 shakes and then go silent (like when it is in STEALTH mode). Anyone know what that is?

2. Many times when I switch into SPORT there is a quick rattle (sounds like a grind) and then it goes away. Is this normal?

bdo

 

[LonePalmBJ]

I didnt see answers to this in my search.

1. Several times I have come to a stop light with in SPORT mode, the car making its usually engine hum will make 2 or 3 shakes and then go silent (like when it is in STEALTH mode). Anyone know what that is?

2. Many times when I switch into SPORT there is a quick rattle (sounds like a grind) and then it goes away. Is this normal?

bdo

There actually are some threads the discuss this behavior but I'm too lazy to go look for them
Update: Here's one: http://fiskerbuzz.com/forums/Thread-Rocking-wobbling-shaking-when-ICE-turns-off?highlight=shake


The Karma automatically powers down the ICE when idle and starts it back up when called upon. The threshold seems to be *just shorter* than some traffic lights, so you sit at a light in Sport mode, the engine shudders slightly and stops (and it's eerily quiet) then that's right about the time the light turns green It's normal, expected behavior which I imagine contributes to the ICE's emissions and efficiency profile.

Not sure on #2 but it may be the synchronizing of the ICE with the generator. There is an extensive recent thread where Nimisys discusses this. If that's what you're hearing it's normal too.

 

[Fabulist]

I didnt see answers to this in my search.

1. Several times I have come to a stop light with in SPORT mode, the car making its usually engine hum will make 2 or 3 shakes and then go silent (like when it is in STEALTH mode). Anyone know what that is?

2. Many times when I switch into SPORT there is a quick rattle (sounds like a grind) and then it goes away. Is this normal?

bdo

There actually are some threads the discuss this behavior but I'm too lazy to go look for them
Update: Here's one: http://fiskerbuzz.com/forums/Thread-Rocking-wobbling-shaking-when-ICE-turns-off?highlight=shake


The Karma automatically powers down the ICE when idle and starts it back up when called upon. The threshold seems to be *just shorter* than some traffic lights, so you sit at a light in Sport mode, the engine shudders slightly and stops (and it's eerily quiet) then that's right about the time the light turns green It's normal, expected behavior which I imagine contributes to the ICE's emissions and efficiency profile.

Not sure on #2 but it may be the synchronizing of the ICE with the generator. There is an extensive recent thread where Nimisys discusses this. If that's what you're hearing it's normal too.

Here is a link to a very informative post from @Nimsys that explains how the connection between the motor and the generator works and why there is an occasional rattle. It's probably a bit more detail than you wanted, but it is fascinating reading. As I understood the explanation, the springs that are supposed smooth out the connection between the motor and the generator get maxed out sometimes when the engine starts up which leads to the rattling noise.

 

[bigdaddyo811]

Thanks for the replies. Ok, I'm trying to understand more of how the car works and why things happen. Can someone explain what happened to me today:

I live on a hill (in sport mode. 4 miles left on battery). I stopped the car to get the mail. I put the car into PARK (key in the car) and got out to get the mail. Came back to car and put it in D. I went forward about 3 feet and the engine made this awful loud grinding sound of metal on metal gears for the entire 3 feet. When I looked down, the car was in NEUTRAL. I put it in Drive and it went fine into my garage but then when I tried to put it in park, it was stuck in NEUTRAL and said PARK SYSTEM FAULT. I could not get the car into PARK. I turned it off (still in neutral). I waited 3 minutes for a soft reboot and same problem. Turn on the car, it's in NEUTRAL. Would go into D and R (I didnt try driving it). I hooked it up to the charger and let it charge for 2o minutes. When I came back, all was ok. It is back to normal. What happened?

 

[Fabulist]

Thanks for the replies. Ok, I'm trying to understand more of how the car works and why things happen. Can someone explain what happened to me today:

I live on a hill (in sport mode. 4 miles left on battery). I stopped the car to get the mail. I put the car into PARK (key in the car) and got out to get the mail. Came back to car and put it in D. I went forward about 3 feet and the engine made this awful loud grinding sound of metal on metal gears for the entire 3 feet. When I looked down, the car was in NEUTRAL. I put it in Drive and it went fine into my garage but then when I tried to put it in park, it was stuck in NEUTRAL and said PARK SYSTEM FAULT. I could not get the car into PARK. I turned it off (still in neutral). I waited 3 minutes for a soft reboot and same problem. Turn on the car, it's in NEUTRAL. Would go into D and R (I didnt try driving it). I hooked it up to the charger and let it charge for 2o minutes. When I came back, all was ok. It is back to normal. What happened?

"Park System Fault" and awful grinding noise is consistent with the parking pawl not releasing properly when you put the car into D. You can find the fairly extensive thread here. I had the same problem and it turned out to be a bad HCU connector. If it keeps happening, have your dealer check it out.