GSMacLean Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 When I first got my 2013 Energi, it was tough to tell when the engine started up. A little bit more vibration maybe felt in the steering wheel, but you couldn't really hear anything. Some time ago, I noticed that when the ICE was cold, and was first starting up, for about the first 30 seconds or so as the car computer would hold the ICE at idle to warm it up, it would make a kind of howling noise - almost the kind of noise a bearing makes when it is failing. Once it allowed the engine to start actually driving the wheels through the transmission, instead of just idling, the noise would go away. I thought at the time, "hmm, perhaps it's always done that, and I just never noticed before." Recently, it's now also started doing it at times when the car is driving - usually at highway speed, the ICE is running, but the car is on a slight downhill slope, so that the car is regenerating. I can watch the battery arrows - as it switches from the arrow pointing down (drawing from battery) to the arrow pointing up (regenerating into battery), the howling noise will start. The instant it switches back to draw instead of regenerate, the howling stops. This is also intermittent. The noise at start-up used to only happen when the ICE started up at first while the car was moving; now it does it every time, even if the car is stationary. While driving with my wife yesterday, she remarked, "what's that noise? Your car never used to make that noise." If the noise is loud and noticeable enough that she actually noticed and paid attention to it, then it's definitely new and abnormal. I made a recording of the noise - and of course, because I had my recorder out there, it would only do it for a few seconds at a time, instead of the normal 30-45 seconds. Perhaps it's because the engine was still warm from driving earlier today. In any case, has anyone else experienced this? Is this the noise that indicates a forthcoming problem with the transmission? I posted an MP3 of my recording of the noise here: http://ilovewbpf.com/Car_Noise.mp3 Any comments are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottwood2 Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 I have not heard that noise. It does sound like you have a bearing going bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridbear Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 The howling is definitely not normal. You may need a new eCVT. You can contact user FordService to get help at the dealer. How many miles are on your Energi? The eCVT is covered under the 8/100 hybrid components warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMacLean Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 The howling is definitely not normal. You may need a new eCVT. You can contact user FordService to get help at the dealer. How many miles are on your Energi? The eCVT is covered under the 8/100 hybrid components warranty. That seems to be the consensus. I've got 23,000 miles, of which about 16,000 is EV only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridbear Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 That seems to be the consensus. I've got 23,000 miles, of which about 16,000 is EV only.My parents have a similar ratio of EV to ICE miles on their Energi which has about 14,000 miles now. It's odd that something would go wrong so quickly. Do you hear the noise when in EV Now? Or is it only when the ICE first turns on when cold? Does the howling happen more in winter when the eCVT fluid is much colder & thicker or more in summer where the eCVT fluid is now warmer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMacLean Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 My parents have a similar ratio of EV to ICE miles on their Energi which has about 14,000 miles now. It's odd that something would go wrong so quickly. Do you hear the noise when in EV Now? Or is it only when the ICE first turns on when cold? Does the howling happen more in winter when the eCVT fluid is much colder & thicker or more in summer where the eCVT fluid is now warmer? It seems to be unrelated to ambient temperature, it has happened pretty consistently regardless - only it's happening more and more often now, and is now also happening intermittently while driving on the highway with the engine fully warmed up, as I mentioned. The fact that it's increasing in frequency is what got my attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMacLean Posted June 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2021 I know this is an ancient thread, for those who may be arriving here via Google, this sound turned out to be a failing fuel pump in the gas tank. It was replaced, the noise went away. Roaming, METROMAN and Lacienega 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.