Noisy Leaf

[GerryAZ]

According to the energy usage display the air conditioning draws more power the faster the car is moving. Does it vary the power/compressor based on how much air is moving over it or something?

The compressor power drops when you stop and ramps up when vehicle speed gets above 15 mi/hr. Since the speed is still low when the compressor power ramps up, I doubt that it is related to air flow across the condenser. I noticed this behavior after the software update (door open chime, etc.) that I finally had done on my 2011 in April. I think the change was done to mimic the behavior of an ICE vehicle--more cooling when the engine is running faster. They even programmed it to cut the compressor completely off if you floor the accelerator from a stop and hold it down (again, just like an ICE). Although the A/C is still good, I am not happy with the change. I have talked to my dealer and to Customer Service and they insist no change was made even though the "recall" notice mentioned HVAC changes.

Gerry

 

[QueenBee]

I think the change was done to mimic the behavior of an ICE vehicle--more cooling when the engine is running faster. They even programmed it to cut the compressor completely off if you floor the accelerator from a stop and hold it down (again, just like an ICE). Although the A/C is still good, I am not happy with the change.

I can sort of understand cutting the AC when flooring it although I thought the batteries and inverter could handle pretty much all the load you could throw at them even under full acceleration. It makes no sense to mimic the behavior of an ICE in respect to moving/stopped though?? I'll have to play around with that.

One thing I did notice is that there is a pretty loud rumbling that can be felt inside the car when the AC compressor starts up. Had the dealer look at and then we compared it to another car and it was the same so we concluded it was normal.

It's hard not to be sensitive to all the noises since there isn't anything to drown them out

 

[Weatherman]

What I’m curious about is the low hum that I hear right after I turn the car on and right before I turn it off. I'm pretty confident I have the climate control off, so I wouldn't think it would be one of the climate control pumps or fans, but it does sound like a fan spinning up and spinning down. I turned the startup chimes off, so I notice all the little startup whirrs and the well-known thump that occurs just before the automatic door locks.

The hum seems a lot more noticeable now, since the weather has been pretty warm (low 90s during the day and 80s at night).

 

[QueenBee]

What I’m curious about is the low hum that I hear right after I turn the car on and right before I turn it off

Could it be the fan that is in the Nav./AV unit?

 

[GerryAZ]

What I’m curious about is the low hum that I hear right after I turn the car on and right before I turn it off. I'm pretty confident I have the climate control off, so I wouldn't think it would be one of the climate control pumps or fans, but it does sound like a fan spinning up and spinning down. I turned the startup chimes off, so I notice all the little startup whirrs and the well-known thump that occurs just before the automatic door locks.

The hum seems a lot more noticeable now, since the weather has been pretty warm (low 90s during the day and 80s at night).

Even if climate control is off, coolant pumps and fans will run in READY mode to cool inverter, motor, and DC-DC converter so you may be hearing them.

Gerry

 

[RegGuheert]

I can sort of understand cutting the AC when flooring it although I thought the batteries and inverter could handle pretty much all the load you could throw at them even under full acceleration.

I think they can when the battery is new. Perhaps Nissan changed the software to allow for a little more acceleration as the battery gets older and the internal resistance increases.

 

[QueenBee]

I can sort of understand cutting the AC when flooring it although I thought the batteries and inverter could handle pretty much all the load you could throw at them even under full acceleration.

I think they can when the battery is new. Perhaps Nissan changed the software to allow for a little more acceleration as the battery gets older and the internal resistance increases.

I just watched this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DShtvd5jJHQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and if I understand him correctly he is saying that such a thing would be covered under warranty. Although it's not clear at what point the power output is reduced enough that the warranty kicks in.

 

[GerryAZ]

It is not cutting A/C compressor power for the sake of the battery because I also tried acceleration runs with the heater on. The heater will draw 3 kW continuously with the accelerator floored from a stop. Needless to say, it gets really warm in the Leaf with the heater on in Phoenix this time of year.

Gerry

 

[derkraut]

The wife pointed out that the AC is loud from outside and she is right
I live in Florida so I use it every day and it is much louder than when I first got the car
I have had the Leaf for 6 months and nearly 10k on the clock has anyone else noticed this

The Leaf is noisy?? I thought I'd heard about everthing, but this takes the cake. :? :?