Trailhunter Hybrid high pitched noise

[Bcphoto3]

Just got my TH this weekend.. Less than 350 miles driven (picked up at dealer with 28 miles). One thing I notice is a high pitched noise starting at under 20mph (coming down in speed, coasting) with or without braking. Noise goes away immediately when apply gas. RPMs are 0 when hear the noise. As soon as apply gas and RPMs go up, noise is gone.. Kinda think this might be a Hybrid plant noise, but have had a Prius since 2011 without noise, so not inexperienced with Toyota Hybrids. Wondering if just me, just my TH, maybe I have super senstitve hearing, or are other owners hearing the same thing.

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[SP4RUNNER]

......its your hybrid batt taking over , when you go above a certain speed it turns the motor on.

 

[tacorancher]

It’s the hybrid motor

 

[Bcphoto3]

Thanks guys.. Its just weird that it is more pronounced than in the Prius.. Or maybe we‘ve had the Prius so long I don’t notice anymore and my daily driver was the 4Runner and just different..

 

[Mirach]

I remember seeing in the manual somewhere about it making a high pitched noise on hybrid power for pedestrians to hear.

 

[TacoFreak]

I remember seeing in the manual somewhere about it making a high pitched noise on hybrid power for pedestrians to hear.

Exactly. Below a set speed (don't remember exact speed) when running on the battery it makes Toyota's weird warning sound to warn pedestrians of an approaching vehicle.

 

[MrB4D]

Not sure that the pedestrian noise is the same noise Bcphoto3 is talking about. I have a Trailhunter (since early Oct) and will post some info if same noise

@Bcphoto3 , does it sound like the noise is coming from the passenger side of the vehicle?

 

[jss1]

Mine does the same thing. Kinda annoying.

 

[Bcphoto3]

It sounds like it and it decreases in frequency as the speed decreases. All with tach at zero.

 

[Baltimore]

Just got my TH this weekend.. Less than 350 miles driven (picked up at dealer with 28 miles). One thing I notice is a high pitched noise starting at under 20mph (coming down in speed, coasting) with or without braking. Noise goes away immediately when apply gas. RPMs are 0 when hear the noise. As soon as apply gas and RPMs go up, noise is gone.. Kinda think this might be a Hybrid plant noise, but have had a Prius since 2011 without noise, so not inexperienced with Toyota Hybrids. Wondering if just me, just my TH, maybe I have super senstitve hearing, or are other owners hearing the same thing.

It's a federal safety requirement. Any vehicle operating in battery only mode must make a sound to help alert blind pedestrians to awareness of the vehicle.

• Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (PSEA)
  In 2010, Congress established the PSEA to require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish safety requirements for EVs. The PSEA requires EVs to produce an alert sound to help pedestrians detect them, especially at low speeds.
  
  

• Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS)
  EVs must have an AVAS system that produces a continuous noise level of at least 56 decibels (dBA) when traveling at 12 miles per hour (mph) or slower. The maximum noise level is 75 dBA.
  
  
  
• Sound design
  Automakers can choose the sound, but it must be designed to compensate for wind and road resistance, and be loud enough to be heard in urban areas. For example, the Nissan Leaf emits a musical beeping sound when moving forward and in reverse. The Chevy Bolt has its own AVAS sound.

 

[JustAnotherDingus]

I remember seeing in the manual somewhere about it making a high pitched noise on hybrid power for pedestrians to hear.

Yup yup that’s exactly what that whining noise is and what it’s for. Makes me think of that scene from the office “the Prius is silent under five miles an hour” lol.

But yeah my understanding is there’s some new regulations out there too with making sure pedestrians and cyclists and other vehicles can hear a hybrid or ev coming when it’s coasting on battery power. It’s not my fav noise in the world but it’s pretty easy to tune out after a while.

I’ve been pleasently suprised with how much I can coast around my immediate neighborhood on the battery in the TH. Makes me wish it was a larger cell size. Hopefully that upgrade comes within a few years.

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