Volkswagen ID.3 Forum

My ID3 has started making a very high pitched noise when driving. Definately an electrical sound. I stopped a couple of times to try and find the source and found it only started when I put the car in drive. As soon as you twist the lever to put the car in drive it starts immediately. Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas? Was giving me and my other half a headache by the time we got home.

Happily no! That sounds very annoying.

It is, does anyone have any idea what it could be? Its not loud just very high pitched electrical sound as soon as car is put in D or B. Does it stationary and moving and is constant untill car is back in neutral...

No idea - electric cars are such new technology that no-one has built up knowledge that might help. My gut feeling is perhaps an inverter fault, which would be a major problem. Your car is under warranty, I would get your dealership involved.

Thanks Heidi, sounds possible...

Booked into dealership next week to look at this. Just did a quick 5min drive to try and capture sound but phone won't pick it up really. Left with a ringing in my ear for half an hour after though... Seems to get louder the more you drive and then stop as soon as back in neutral. Anyone else any thoughts on this?

I have the same issue - kind of like an old electrical transformer whistle.
Just picked up the car today.
I can live with it but would rather not....
Any news from your visit to the dealer @Rob123?

One of those rare occasions where my age related hearing loss is an advantage especially with high frequency noises. My car could be doing it and I just wouldn't know Hope you get it sorted.
Dave

Dealer has managed to get a recording of the sound now and it is with VW to try and work out what's going on. Hoping I will know soon. Did you get yours looked at? @AJL_stylePro58

Hi!

I have the same sound. Don't even need to put in drive. Just have autohold on and then slightly start touching the gas pedal and you can hear it.

Did you found out what it was? Please update as my dealership cant even hear it.

I have an isolated file recording of it which I will send them today.

My children can hear it when sat in the back but I don't hear anything - age related hearing loss again.

I have the same.

Looking forward to the response you get from the dealer. I test-drove the ID.4 - That car does not have the high pitched sound.

Cheers

Any update on this Rob123?

Cheers

I was given a courtesy ID.3 for a couple of hours last week. On the first journey I made with it, I noticed a high pitched tone. It wasn't continuous - the best way I can describe it is that someone was sending a morse code message very slowly. Is that what other people are experiencing?

I made a mental note to monitor it on the return journey to the dealer, but forgot all about it and didn't notice it at all, so in this car's case at least it 's intermittent, although quite annoying when I could hear it.

Sounds much like the DC - AC inverter

You can possible hear the same sound with High Rapid chargers 150kW and up

@Rob123

Any update. Im thinking of driving past a dealer sometime soon. Any information about this problem is welcome

Hi,

I had mine in to locate the problem. But only “youngish” people can actually hear the noise.

If you want to hear it clearly do the following:
- turn off all AC/climate
- put car in drive and have “auto hold” on
- have all music off
- slowly press the accelerator... then listen to the sound coming when you just pressed the pedal 1 cm

I do have a recording of the noise isolated. Then you can all hear it clearly. Just not sure how to share.

I have driven three ID3s (two test drives in a Max and Life, and my own Life) and noticed the high pitched noise in my Life test drive.

Must be a hardware issue that only affects some cars. It was definitely high pitched enough that older people might not hear it, but it was a VERY annoying continuous whine and I would be rejecting a car if it was making that sound constantly. Fortunately I knew from my first test drive that this was not normal, and (fingers crossed....) mine doesn't make this noise

Sadly I think you will notice it in your new one as well. In process of elimination VW let me try three different ID3’s and they all had that noise.

Having said that I really do hope you get a car without it since that will give hope of them fixing it.

I will see if I can post a link to the isolated sound file of the noise.

Hi I also have the same thing. Family pro performance registered Dec 2020, 3000miles on the clock. The night pitched whine is definitely not there in N or R and is worsened with AC on.

I am also going to attempt to get the dealer to look at it.

I would be interested in anyone else’s experience with the dealer and this issue. Thanks

I had mine at the dealership and after checking the problem they said it was manufactured like that and nothing they could do. Let me know if you have any luck.