RESOLVED Is motor whine normal?

[momo3605]

The rep who took me on the test drive said the suspension will be changing on the Pure RWD next year. I forget the exact change, but it will be a slight downgrade. Suspension is very important to me so I'd like to get the Pure before that change is made. I doubt that Lucid will offer two suspensions so I am getting one while it has the same suspension as the higher end trims.

Yea that's correct, the Pure RWD won't have the adaptive dampers that the other models get. That may not necessarily be a bad thing though. I actually don't like that damper stiffness is locked to powertrain settings. Meaning if you want to have the power of swift on tap, you have to deal with the stiffer suspension. You can't choose the softer suspension and faster powertrain. The only saving grace is that i don't actually think the active dampers do much, it's not as noticeable to me as other cars with adaptive dampers.

 

[suchluke]

Yea that's correct, the Pure RWD won't have the adaptive dampers that the other models get. That may not necessarily be a bad thing though. I actually don't like that damper stiffness is locked to powertrain settings. Meaning if you want to have the power of swift on tap, you have to deal with the stiffer suspension. You can't choose the softer suspension and faster powertrain. The only saving grace is that i don't actually think the active dampers do much, it's not as noticeable to me as other cars with adaptive dampers.

On the other hand it would also be nice to set Stiff suspension with reduced power. For example canyon twisty road. Options are good but I understand it was done for simplicity and user friendliness.
I definitely notice difference in spirited driving where car leans more on Smooth vs Sprint mode. I would probably want just 2 preset modes smooth and sprint. Then replace 3 option and call it custom user defined. Similar to track mode where you can set steering weight, dampers, front/rear power delivery bias and breaks. I know wishful thinking but something that Lucid could probably monetize on with introducing additional speed boost/track mode. Enable extra power and additional vehicle settings for let say $2000.

 

[momo3605]

On the other hand it would also be nice to set Stiff suspension with reduced power. For example canyon twisty road. Options are good but I understand it was done for simplicity and user friendliness.
I definitely notice difference in spirited driving where car leans more on Smooth vs Sprint mode. I would probably want just 2 preset modes smooth and sprint. Then replace 3 option and call it custom user defined. Similar to track mode where you can set steering weight, dampers, front/rear power delivery bias and breaks. I know wishful thinking but something that Lucid could probably monetize on with introducing additional speed boost/track mode. Enable extra power and additional vehicle settings for let say $2000.

I think Lucid's achilles heel is the brakes. I don't think you would want to do any track duty with those (and probably why they will never offer a track mode outside of sapphire). Individual mode is something super easy that i'm sure they could push out in a software update if they wanted.

 

[borski]

I think Lucid's achilles heel is the brakes. I don't think you would want to do any track duty with those (and probably why they will never offer a track mode outside of sapphire). Individual mode is something super easy that i'm sure they could push out in a software update if they wanted.

You can absolutely track the Air. I’ve done it with my DE, and sat in the GT-P while it was driven by a pro at Laguna Seca. It *whips*

The brakes aren’t perfect, but plenty to make it feel stable in every turn.

That said, I imagine driving the Sapphire is otherworldly, and @Bill55 can directly compare them.

 

[stjara]

I am surprised so many owners like a loud whine coming from their luxury car that is engineered to be quiet. Between wind noise and the motor whine, much louder in my Touring than the loaner I have now which is a GT. Have had Tesla S and Y and currently also a mini EV and this whine is far above any of them. Rode in a Nissan EV today. No whine at all. Will be benchmarking the GT as far as whine noise and will do my Touring when I get it back and will enter here. I want to like this car but between a 10k sound system that sounds not great, door seals peeling off, the frunk burping rather than opening, the difficulty the car has in connecting to my phone (I have to carry the FOB or risk getting locked out), the highway assist driving like a drunk 16 year old, all over the road AND that horrible whine it's getting harder every day. I understand being early adopters can have its problems but reading that everyone likes the whine is very puzzling. I'd really appreciate if more attention were paid to the software at this point. Maybe dash cam access to the cams?

 

[Tesla2Lucid]

I am surprised so many owners like a loud whine coming from their luxury car that is engineered to be quiet. Between wind noise and the motor whine, much louder in my Touring than the loaner I have now which is a GT. Have had Tesla S and Y and currently also a mini EV and this whine is far above any of them. Rode in a Nissan EV today. No whine at all. Will be benchmarking the GT as far as whine noise and will do my Touring when I get it back and will enter here. I want to like this car but between a 10k sound system that sounds not great, door seals peeling off, the frunk burping rather than opening, the difficulty the car has in connecting to my phone (I have to carry the FOB or risk getting locked out), the highway assist driving like a drunk 16 year old, all over the road AND that horrible whine it's getting harder every day. I understand being early adopters can have its problems but reading that everyone likes the whine is very puzzling. I'd really appreciate if more attention were paid to the software at this point. Maybe dash cam access to the cams?

Wait, what?
"but reading that everyone likes the whine is very puzzling."
I'm the biggest anti-whiner here!
In fact, I whine about the whine all the time (and I even rhyme)!

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Check SPL levels with an SPL meter dBC weighted while driving on concrete regarding the wind noise. Shouldn’t be more than 65-68dB (hold the meter don’t rest it on anything as vibrations will falsely register as noise). If it’s more you may have an issue with the seals somewhere. For the motor whine, did you test drive the car before you bought it? It sounds to me like this is not the right car for you, or did you hear the sound system and motor whine at that time and were ok with it but it has since worn you down? I was initially ok with the backup camera in my wife’s Volvo XC40 EV and now think it’s one of the worst cameras I’ve seen in any car so it’s possible to fall out of love with a vehicle over time haha.

 

[stjara]

Wait, what?
"but reading that everyone likes the whine is very puzzling."
I'm the biggest anti-whiner here!
In fact, I whine about the whine all the time (and I even rhyme)!

Good ty, ty, ty. Are the negative reviews removed? People like driving their 747??? Can't even listen to music on a low level. They need to figure out an insulation addition and not tell people it's to alert pedestrians who don't even hear it.

 

[Tesla2Lucid]

Check SPL levels with an SPL meter dBC weighted while driving on concrete regarding the wind noise. Shouldn’t be more than 65-68dB (hold the meter don’t rest it on anything as vibrations will falsely register as noise). If it’s more you may have an issue with the seals somewhere. For the motor whine, did you test drive the car before you bought it? It sounds to me like this is not the right car for you, or did you hear the sound system and motor whine at that time and were ok with it but it has since worn you down? I was initially ok with the backup camera in my wife’s Volvo XC40 EV and now think it’s one of the worst cameras I’ve seen in any car so it’s possible to fall out of love with a vehicle over time haha.

IMHO...
(1) Not all of us got to test drive our cars
(2) Even if you test drive, some cars have more pronounced whine than others
(3) The excitement of the test drive may not allow the whine to come to the forefront

Most importantly for me (& its all about me):
Saying: "For the motor whine, did you test drive the car before you bought it? It sounds to me like this is not the right car for you" I believe is quite patronizing and the subtext that I read into it (did I mention its all about me) is, "only Lucid fan-boys here and no complaining!"

I am still not convinced that GRAVITY will have the same whine as AIR. If it does then many others here who believe that it is (1) of benefit & (2) purposeful will be validated. But if it does not have the same whine then the opposite will be true. Time will tell.

 

[RM-S8]

I am surprised so many owners like a loud whine coming from their luxury car that is engineered to be quiet. Between wind noise and the motor whine, much louder in my Touring than the loaner I have now which is a GT. Have had Tesla S and Y and currently also a mini EV and this whine is far above any of them. Rode in a Nissan EV today. No whine at all. Will be benchmarking the GT as far as whine noise and will do my Touring when I get it back and will enter here. I want to like this car but between a 10k sound system that sounds not great, door seals peeling off, the frunk burping rather than opening, the difficulty the car has in connecting to my phone (I have to carry the FOB or risk getting locked out), the highway assist driving like a drunk 16 year old, all over the road AND that horrible whine it's getting harder every day. I understand being early adopters can have its problems but reading that everyone likes the whine is very puzzling. I'd really appreciate if more attention were paid to the software at this point. Maybe dash cam access to the cams?

Wow, amazing.
I'm assuming you test drove the car .
If you didn't, it's on you.
If you did, what are you complaining about?

 

[segbrk]

Good ty, ty, ty. Are the negative reviews removed? People like driving their 747??? Can't even listen to music on a low level. They need to figure out an insulation addition and not tell people it's to alert pedestrians who don't even hear it.

Motor whine has nothing to do with alerting pedestrians and I've not heard anybody say it does. If you can't listen to music at a low level, either you have a problem with your car or you're exaggerating. Try measuring to get a concrete answer.

 

[DeaneG]

Good ty, ty, ty. Are the negative reviews removed? People like driving their 747??? Can't even listen to music on a low level. They need to figure out an insulation addition and not tell people it's to alert pedestrians who don't even hear it.

There is a pedestrian alert sound audible from outside the car, not inside. There's also a front motor whine audible from inside the car, not outside. Two different things.
I noted the whine on both my test drives before purchasing. For me, the rest of the car's attributes outweighed it. There was no other alternative that gave me the Air's combination of range, power, and comfort.

 

[stjara]

Check SPL levels with an SPL meter dBC weighted while driving on concrete regarding the wind noise. Shouldn’t be more than 65-68dB (hold the meter don’t rest it on anything as vibrations will falsely register as noise). If it’s more you may have an issue with the seals somewhere. For the motor whine, did you test drive the car before you bought it? It sounds to me like this is not the right car for you, or did you hear the sound system and motor whine at that time and were ok with it but it has since worn you down? I was initially ok with the backup camera in my wife’s Volvo XC40 EV and now think it’s one of the worst cameras I’ve seen in any car so it’s possible to fall out of love with a vehicle over time haha.

Thx, B. I wanted to love this car.
Will be doing the testing as you note. Bought it undriven. It was touted as a very quiet car benchmarked to MB and the main attraction. It's the risk of early adopters I understand that but too much of this car doesn't meet the quality or appointment it promised. The lack of sound isolation for the front motor is a pretty serious error that should have been addressed. We can hear the outside air and find we have to keep the heat up more than expected due to air circulation. Did you get the highway assist? I found the FSD in my Y to be amazing considering it was only optical, and keep trying it in the Lucid but it's scary and wanders into neighboring lanes. I worry that someone will call me in as DUI, and tend not to use it. I like the way the car drives otherwise...

 

[RM-S8]

Thx, B. I wanted to love this car.
Will be doing the testing as you note. Bought it undriven. It was touted as a very quiet car benchmarked to MB and the main attraction. It's the risk of early adopters I understand that but too much of this car doesn't meet the quality or appointment it promised. The lack of sound isolation for the front motor is a pretty serious error that should have been addressed. We can hear the outside air and find we have to keep the heat up more than expected due to air circulation. Did you get the highway assist? I found the FSD in my Y to be amazing considering it was only optical, and keep trying it in the Lucid but it's scary and wanders into neighboring lanes. I worry that someone will call me in as DUI, and tend not to use it. I like the way the car drives otherwise...

Sorry to say, I think you are paranoid a bit. And I think the Air is not for you.

 

[stjara]

Sorry to say, I think you are paranoid a bit. And I think the Air is not for you.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

 

[stjara]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

and maybe it isn't but it's only a car. relax folks. it's not personal. if you don't agree that's fine. enjoy your car.

 

[Neurio]

The lack of sound isolation for the front motor is a pretty serious error that should have been addressed.

It's an intentional design, not a design flaw, as we've been told.

keep trying it in the Lucid but it's scary and wanders into neighboring lanes

You need to get your car checked out by service then. There should be no lane wandering. I used HA a few nights ago and it was fine, even in dense fog.

 

[hydbob]

Thx, B. I wanted to love this car.
Will be doing the testing as you note. Bought it undriven. It was touted as a very quiet car benchmarked to MB and the main attraction. It's the risk of early adopters I understand that but too much of this car doesn't meet the quality or appointment it promised. The lack of sound isolation for the front motor is a pretty serious error that should have been addressed. We can hear the outside air and find we have to keep the heat up more than expected due to air circulation. Did you get the highway assist? I found the FSD in my Y to be amazing considering it was only optical, and keep trying it in the Lucid but it's scary and wanders into neighboring lanes. I worry that someone will call me in as DUI, and tend not to use it. I like the way the car drives otherwise...

You most likely have an issue with door seals get that checked out. Also are you actually using Highway Assist? Your description does not describe it AT ALL.

 

[Bus Driver]

About your complaint regarding Highway Assist - I have noted that since a major software update that gave us the ability to bias the car left, right or centre while in HA mode, the car now tends to wander within its lane. Sort of like a bloodhound sniffing around to keep on the trail of a small fox.

While it’s a very slight, subtle thing, I do prefer the the way the pre-update HA ensured that the car to track like a locomotive. Steady and unerring as it steered itself on the highway. I wish our HA still had that.

The feature, or problem, you’re describing sounds like it warrants a call to Lucid Service. In HA, your car should not be wandering out of its lane AT ALL.

 

[hydbob]

About your complaint regarding Highway Assist - I have noted that since a major software update that gave us the ability to bias the car left, right or centre while in HA mode, the car now tends to wander within its lane. Sort of like a bloodhound sniffing around to keep on the trail of a small fox.

While it’s a very slight, subtle thing, I do prefer the the way the pre-update HA ensured that the car to track like a locomotive. Steady and unerring as it steered itself on the highway. I wish our HA still had that.

The feature, or problem, you’re describing sounds like it warrants a call to Lucid Service. In HA, your car should not be wandering out of its lane AT ALL.

You know the biasing is your own self doing =) If you leave your hand off the wheel, it will stay centered like before