[brian]

Last week my Karma started to occasionally make a strange buzzing noise when moving more than about 5-10mph. Inside the car it sounds like being inside a propeller driven airplane - same kind of muffled buzzing sound.

The frequency of the buzzing sounds constant, but the volume seems to have 3 different modes which are totally unrelated to speed. Sometimes the buzzing will be very quiet, and sometimes it gets so loud that it makes the car vibrate quite noticeably, and that's when I get concerned that it's about to explode or something. Most of the time when it's doing this the buzzing is mild, but when it goes into loud mode it typically only lasts a few seconds before going back to mild.

It had been doing this only intermittently since it started last week, but yesterday it started after about 15 miles of driving, and then pretty much continued for the rest of the day. Hard to tell where it's coming from because it doesn't make the sound when the car isn't moving, but it sounds like it's coming from under the hood - the gas engine is not on.

At first I thought maybe it was from the A/C, but if I turn that off it doesn't make any difference. Maybe it's from some part of the battery cooling system? Dunno, but I'm scared. The car has never made this noise before, but it's one of those noises that sounds expensive.

Anyone else had this happen before?

 

[fiskerjim]

Brian, check the Traction Motor and Rear Drive module thread.

 

[Lormax]

Where are you located?

 

[brian]

I'm in Austin. I did read the Traction Motor thread, but the sound I'm hearing appears to be coming from the front of the car, not the back.

 

[Lormax]

If you're sure it's coming from the front, pop the hood and check the center fan. It'll be under the battery coolant reservoir. If it's not on when you check it, turn the ac on. I've seen an out of balance fan transmit a vibration into the cabin.

 

[brian]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot, but even with the AC on the buzzing stops once I get below about 5mph. Plus, it doesn't do it all the time, it's intermittent.

-Brian

 

[Lormax]

So only while you're moving?

 

[Eric Karma]

Last week my Karma started to occasionally make a strange buzzing noise when moving more than about 5-10mph. Inside the car it sounds like being inside a propeller driven airplane - same kind of muffled buzzing sound.

The frequency of the buzzing sounds constant, but the volume seems to have 3 different modes which are totally unrelated to speed. Sometimes the buzzing will be very quiet, and sometimes it gets so loud that it makes the car vibrate quite noticeably, and that's when I get concerned that it's about to explode or something. Most of the time when it's doing this the buzzing is mild, but when it goes into loud mode it typically only lasts a few seconds before going back to mild.

It had been doing this only intermittently since it started last week, but yesterday it started after about 15 miles of driving, and then pretty much continued for the rest of the day. Hard to tell where it's coming from because it doesn't make the sound when the car isn't moving, but it sounds like it's coming from under the hood - the gas engine is not on.

At first I thought maybe it was from the A/C, but if I turn that off it doesn't make any difference. Maybe it's from some part of the battery cooling system? Dunno, but I'm scared. The car has never made this noise before, but it's one of those noises that sounds expensive.

Anyone else had this happen before?

The Fisker God striketh back...

 

[8AVGMPG]

Brian, this might be a tricky one to solve accurately over the internet. I believe the Austin Fisker dealer is still operating if you wanted to take it in. Danny is good tech, I have worked with him personally on your car before.

My 2 cents...

 

[LonePalmBJ]

Brian,

You might want to see if is something as simple as some debris stuck in one of the fans. I've had that happen on other vehicles on AC blower fans, but it could also conceivably happen with one of the myriad other fans under hood. That might explain the intermittent nature of the sound as well as the directionality

With all of the talk of "grinding noises mean RDM disaster" I think everyone reading FB might be a little gunshy but I'd check the simple stuff first.

Good luck!

Brent

 

[8AVGMPG]

Just had a thought ~ there is a cooling pump located underneath the windshield cowl near the generator inverter that can sometimes rub up against the body and create a buzzing sound.

It probably does it all of the time but you only notice it at lower speeds when there is lower ambient noise.

 

[brian]

Luckily, the sound didn't happen at all today. Maybe it was something in a fan and it worked itself out. If it comes back I may take it to Danny, but it takes them a few weeks to get around to things, and then they'll charge me an arm and a leg to fix it.

-Brian

 

[Harleyguy]

Luckily, the sound didn't happen at all today. Maybe it was something in a fan and it worked itself out. If it comes back I may take it to Danny, but it takes them a few weeks to get around to things, and then they'll charge me an arm and a leg to fix it.

-Brian

Before you spend any money you really need to try and zero in on the noise . Keep a pen and paper close by and when the noise happens right down everything you can .Speed/ Sport or Stealth even write if the AC is on no matter how stupid it is write down part of fixing a on and off problem is being able to duplicate it . I can't tell how many times a customer has complained about a noise but never takes the time to help us determine when it happens .

 

[Sportsmeddoc]

maybe similar to what I have experienced. In stealth, A/C on I get this intermittent deep humming noise- can feel a gentle vibration on my foot and is coming from the front- sounds like a low pitch fan noise - not high and crescendos then will stop and return- only with A/C on - A/C working fine not sure if it is anything to worry about

 

[brian]

maybe similar to what I have experienced. In stealth, A/C on I get this intermittent deep humming noise- can feel a gentle vibration on my foot and is coming from the front- sounds like a low pitch fan noise - not high and crescendos then will stop and return- only with A/C on - A/C working fine not sure if it is anything to worry about

Yeah, that could be the same as what I'm experiencing. My AC is on when it starts doing it, but even if I turn the AC off it keeps doing it.

 

[ct-fiskerbuzz]

I've had something that sounds/feels like that twice, both on days when the temperature was well over 100 (car read 108 I think) degrees F. I suspect a fan. The sound was gone before I could look for it though.

 

[8AVGMPG]

Yeah, that could be the same as what I'm experiencing. My AC is on when it starts doing it, but even if I turn the AC off it keeps doing it.

Just an FYI, even though you turn the A/C off, it can turn itself on/stay activated on its own to cool the battery when needed.

edit- this is also why some of you may feel cold air coming through the vents when everything is turned off.

 

[8AVGMPG]

its a heat exchanger or "chiller valve" as we called it

 

[Sigurd]

@8AVGMPG, I have noticed what you talk about. I can actually just turn on "fresh air" and fan set fan speed to say 4 and I have sufficient air conditioning even when ambient temp is upper 90's. If I do this then the cooling fan at the condenser does not spin loudly. But, if I set temp. to 70 and hit auto, then the fan up front will spin so fast and loud it sounds like a helicopter. I can feel it through my steering wheel. It spins up when you're on the accelerator and going normal 35mph and will slow down as you come up to a stop light, only to get real loud again when speeding back up etc.

 

[Sportsmeddoc]

@Sigurd. That is exactly what I experience although not super loud- noticeable but not a big deal definitely associated with A/C which I use constantly here in AZ in summer. Louder as I accelerate in stealth but stops when I slow down or stop and not all of the time. Nothing to worry about I suppose