Suspension compressor noise suppression

[Fausto]

Hey,

Maybe it's just me, but the persistent drone of the compressor in the back is really starting to bother me. As it's tiny it really seems to take ages to full the tank for the suspension and with entry mode and ride settings it's clearly working extra hard.

I was thinking about sound deadening the area around the compressor with something like dynamat. I was also thinking about applying something to the compressor itself.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on this? Gotchas, successes etc?

TIA

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[CyberGus]

I've never heard my air compressor running.

But I'm old ?‍

 

[HaulingAss]

I've never heard my air compressor running.

But I'm old ?‍

I generally don't notice any compressor sounds, unless I'm outside standing by the tailgate, but if the stereo is completely off, and i'm not in an area with a lot of traffic noise, I can faintly hear mine inside the cabin occasionally. But it's barely detectable, let alone bothersome. I actually like to know what's going on with my truck but I generally can't hear it, or maybe it just doesn't come on very often. It's so faint it's hard for me to know whether it doesn't run very often, or I just don't hear it when it does.

I can't imagine the sound actually bothers anyone and that's coming from someone who prefers quiet environments. Maybe it's time for the OP to take it to a Service Center to see if it's installed correctly.

 

[Musicurry]

You may already know about this… If you want to hear it less often, you can delete locations where you have previously set the suspension to “high”.

 

[Pops]

I just got mine back from Service yesterday (they did 3 of the recalls). Since then I have noticed the compressor is on continuously for 5 to 10 minutes after every time the suspension changes. I almost turned around and went back to Service. I do not recall it staying on that long before, then I see your post today. I wonder if was a change in the latest update?

 

[XCeilidhX]

In my Model S i’m having a similar thing happen and it has happened intermittently over the years, seemingly not always related to updates. It just decides for a few weeks (really) to run like every time the car is at a stop light and then offgasses with a release hiss noise as it hits the pressure it was going for. It annoys me when it gets uppity but every time i thought about taking it in to service it just stopped and chilled out and i would notice it only rarely again for 8+ months. Then it would get overexcited and start running all the time again as if it was super anal about hitting some pressure it wanted to be at. Maybe i missed that it was a bug with updates but I don’t think so. It happens to be occurring now though which is why i’m chiming in here. So this may be a Tesla air suspension thing not just a CT thing.

Cheers

 

[Fausto]

Yeah, it's weird because my model s before CT was silent or I never noticed it. I tend to drive without the sound system on, old habit from owning nice sounding ice cars I guess.

 

[Fausto]

You may already know about this… If you want to hear it less often, you can delete locations where you have previously set the suspension to “high”.

Yeah I drove for a while with fixed suspension in low and no entry mode but I kinda want to use the features when they are available. It's annoying then hearing the compressor run for 10 minutes before the tank is filled

 

[Pops]

Yeah I drove for a while with fixed suspension in low and no entry mode but I kinda want to use the features when they are available. It's annoying then hearing the compressor run for 10 minutes before the tank is filled

I have the same issue, I drive without music or talk radio. Nothing but the sounds of the vehicle, road and my Tinnitus to keep me entertained. So I really notice the compressor.

 

[CyberGus]

Here's an image of the compressor from the Service Manual:

It is affixed to the casting under the bed floor via large bushings, and should be relatively quiet.

 

[Pops]

It is quiet. I only hear it when no audio is on, and driving under 45mph.

 

[Fausto]

Either way I'm gonna open her up either this weekend or next and take a look at the opening. I'm sure there is room for dampening. I feel a project coming on...

 

[BeFamousVideo]

My Beast truck ride is set to medium height and Standard Dynamics with entry/exit set for when I park. I've noticed what I assume is the air compressor working although not usually more than a few seconds. Most of the time I don't know if its letting air out or pumping air into the shocks. One thing I've been curious about is when I enter my housing community and the Starship is approx 1/4 mile from home base it starts the "hissing sound" for about 5 seconds. I assume its letting air out. I've wondered if the truck knows its getting close to home base and starts letting air out of shocks? This happens at exactly the same location every single time I approach home. The sound doesn't bother me, in fact I think its cool and is only noticeable if I don't have music playing, I've never had dynamic shocks on a vehicle before. Another poster here wrote that the truck will adjust height settings if the user has set to high or low in a certain area. Does this mean if we change the Dynamics from Standard to Beast or whatever 2 blocks from home base that every time the CT gets to this area the height will change? That seems like a strange feature unless I'm regularly driving on roads where this is needed.

 

[CaymanCyr]

I've got two different sounds that I am assuming are the air pump working. One sounds like the cheap electric cigarette lighter powered air pumps of 30 years ago. This comes on for 5 or so minutes at a time and is a bit intrusive and annoying. The other is a duller more rhythmic thumping that I'd almost attribute to something stuck in the wheel although its rate is not speed dependent. I sense that both are air suspension related. I recorded it, brought my truck in for service, let the service tech hear the recording (only of the 90's sound), but they couldn't recreate it and it wasn't throwing a code so they stated there was nothing they could do. I figured since he heard the recording and then didn't immediately say it was normal, it is probably something they would repair/replace, if he could've recreated it. Maybe a bad bearing or otherwise out of spec pump that is extra noisy?

 

[AbblePC]

I too am noticing the air pump run for a long time on certain days on my FS CB and it’s annoyingly loud like da da da da da da brrr da da da da brrr, it’s almost as if it reaches a full point but something still tells it to continue pumping as it finally does stop after a few minutes or so but with a thud and is quiet thereafter.
But occasionally it does go on and on for an unusually long time and is easily heard in the cabin of the truck while driving. I’ve even heard it over low music at times and is annoyingly loud.
My 2016 Model S 90D has air suspension as does the 2024 Model X Plaid and I never hear them at all.
Perhaps there are some semi-bad pumps out there from factory and this is a warranty replacement to bring up with service.
I have my CB set for easy entry (lower) on park and higher ride height. Maybe those who just drive around in low mode aren’t hearing the pump as often.

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