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Noises while driving and stopping?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by Boojoo007, Sep 27, 2012.

  1. Boojoo007

    Boojoo007 Junior Member

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    I just got my prius c -3.
    Is it normal to hear weird noises coming from the car? I think it is normal but I am not sure.
    I cant really describe the sounds they are like robot noises.
     
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    I think you need to be more descriptive.

    Can you post either a sound file or a link to a movie (e.g. on YouTube)?

    I've only test driven the Prius c once, but I can tell you the 2nd and 3rd gen Prius liftbacks (aka regular Prius) make plenty of sounds that non-hybrid cars don't make.

    There's also the VPNS (pedestrian noisemaker) that you can hear at low speeds.
     
  3. Boojoo007

    Boojoo007 Junior Member

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    I dont have any movie or sound clips! Thanks for the info. Maybe I can record some.
     
  4. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    They warn you about the strange noises somewhere in the owners manual. Now that it is getting a little cooler here I even find that the ice makes a rattling noise for about 1 minute after it starts in the morning.
     
  5. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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  6. Ryephile

    Ryephile The Technophile

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    Does it sound different from other Prii, like the one you perhaps test drove? Also, is this your 1st hybrid or electric car? Electric motors and their controllers often have a high-pitch whirring noise when operating [that includes regeneration/deceleration]. The car also has a loudspeaker "noisemaker" in the front end to make the car louder to pedestrians, and IMO it sounds rather "futuristic" in a campy way.
     
  7. Boojoo007

    Boojoo007 Junior Member

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    Thanks,do u know where i can find the other manuals in PDF format?
     
  8. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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  9. Revan86

    Revan86 Animal nerd and alt car guy

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    It's most likely the regen system. It always freaks out people that never been in it.
     
  10. RocMills

    RocMills Active Member

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    From what you've described, it sounds like the "right" noises, nothing wrong, that's just the way the C sounds.
     
  11. Tracy

    Tracy Member

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    As a new hybrid owner, I have been SO glad to have read as much on this group as I did before my car arrived. I think I'd have been pretty freaked out by multiple noises or quirks (well, they felt like quirks to me) of the car had I not already read info here.
     
  12. JesC

    JesC Junior Member

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    Sounds normal. My C does noises at start up & when at a stop for a while & engine kicks in to power ac, etc
     
  13. Boojoo007

    Boojoo007 Junior Member

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    Thanks guys for the info! My first hybrid. There are weird noises I'm not used to. I think they are all normal.

    My Honda used to make a lot of weird sounds but only cause it was about to die and junk!
     
  14. Boojoo007

    Boojoo007 Junior Member

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    Thanks for the link for the manuals. I'm going to put them on my iPad so I can search for keywords to find info much quicker.

    Prius c seems to have 53 manuals online. Crazy.
     
  15. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    Well, sort of. The PDFs are split up into managable sections. There's 58 PDFs under "Owner's Manual". 26 of these relate to the Universal Display Audio System and not the car per se.

    The other 32 are all just sections from the one manual book.
     
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  16. Gcoop

    Gcoop Member

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    are you talking about the "robot cow"noise?
    ive heard that too.. wonders what it is
     
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  17. RocMills

    RocMills Active Member

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    That's just the sound the electric motor makes. "Robot cow" - good description.
     
  18. Gcoop

    Gcoop Member

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    if your stopped and press the brake pedal .it makes that noise
     
  19. DKTVAV

    DKTVAV Active Member

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    I still don't like that noise yet.
     
  20. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    I'm assuming we are talking about the same or similar noise as the one it makes when you first open the driver's door? It's a very unimpressed robot cow if that's the description we're running with. :)