I don’t believe that your screen doesn’t buzz

[Jimrpa]

Bigger problem isn't whether your screen buzzes or not, it's the human element. Let's say we have 100 healthy MMEs and all of them screen buzz between 5 and 10 DB (numbers don't matter, just showing that there's a range) at a frequency of between 100 and 150Hz (again, the numbers are BS...bear with me).
If Joe can't hear 130-150Hz, his MME buzzes at 140, he doesn't have an issue.
If Sue gets migraines from 100-120Hz above 7DB, and her MME is 110 at 9.5DB...her car might get complained about.

I hope those examples show, if nothing else, how there could be such a wide range of user experience even if the actual range of what's happening is reasonable from an engineering standpoint.

You’ve got this wrong - Sue CLEARLY needs to be taking Nurtec and Joe needs to see an audiologist about hearing aids ???

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[Jimrpa]

All joking aside, there is a relatively inexpensive technological fix Ford could implement that wouldn’t involve ripping apart the dash to replace a $3,000 component. The guy who said he flies jets reminded me of this: ANC. That’ll clean this right up.

 

[Mirak]

All joking aside, there is a relatively inexpensive technological fix Ford could implement that wouldn’t involve ripping apart the dash to replace a $3,000 component. The guy who said he flies jets reminded me of this: ANC. That’ll clean this right up.

Is that a real thing, without headphones?

 

[aphyr]

I grabbed my laptop today to get some proper recordings of the buzz sound. Here are three clips from a single take with a Yeti Blue mic, all with the same amplification. You can hear the climate fans running in the first and second samples, and I've included a door opening, button-press beeps, and hazard flashers so you can get some sense of how loud it is relative to other car sounds.

 

[generaltso]

Is that a real thing, without headphones?

Sure. My wife’s Pacifica has active noise cancelling. Whether or not it would be effective here is another matter.

 

[Mirak]

Sure. My wife’s Pacifica has active noise cancelling. Whether or not it would be effective here is another matter.

Are there any good aftermarket solutions? I might seriously give that a try because the buzz has become increasingly annoying to me. Music masks it, but otherwise I can hear it clearly even when driving and with climate on.

 

[hitchhiker]

OK, mine has it. I had never noticed it before., and I had to go out of my way to hear it. I had to turn climate control off, with no media playing of course, and then specifically listen for it. It's still very faint, and I wasn't sure until I tried the vehicle off, hazards on test.

That said, this wasn't one of those "once you hear it, you can't un-hear it" things for me, so I don't hate you. I forgot about it a few minutes later and haven't noticed it since. I'm 45, and apart from constant tinnitus my hearing is fairly decent. Either it's not as decent as I thought, or the intensity of this problem varies from car to car.

 

[generaltso]

Are there any good aftermarket solutions?

That, I don’t know.

 

[jeremyF]

I heard the buzzing on mine. It doesn't seem as bad as your video. I don't notice it unless I turn the car off and try hard to find it.

 

[Mirak]

I grabbed my laptop today to get some proper recordings of the buzz sound. Here are three clips from a single take with a Yeti Blue mic, all with the same amplification. You can hear the climate fans running in the first and second samples, and I've included a door opening, button-press beeps, and hazard flashers so you can get some sense of how loud it is relative to other car sounds.

Thanks. The buzz is definitely evident.

 

[Mirak]

I heard the buzzing on mine. It doesn't seem as bad as your video. I don't notice it unless I turn the car off and try hard to find it.

Can you post a video from your similar to the videos in the first post? I’d like to compare. Some seem to have quieter screens than others.

 

[Mirak]

OK, mine has it. I had never noticed it before., and I had to go out of my way to hear it. I had to turn climate control off, with no media playing of course, and then specifically listen for it. It's still very faint, and I wasn't sure until I tried the vehicle off, hazards on test.

That said, this wasn't one of those "once you hear it, you can't un-hear it" things for me, so I don't hate you. I forgot about it a few minutes later and haven't noticed it since. I'm 45, and apart from constant tinnitus my hearing is fairly decent. Either it's not as decent as I thought, or the intensity of this problem varies from car to car.

Please share a video of you can, similar to the ones in the first post. I’d like to compare.

 

[jeremyF]

Can you post a video from your similar to the videos in the first post? I’d like to compare. Some seem to have quieter screens than others.

 

[kgautam28]

We’re already discussing this here, but I’m starting this thread in the general area to hopefully get more participation.

This board continues to debate whether all or just some some Mach E instrument display screens buzz - a debate that that has recently taken on new life thanks to Ford’s “eff you - this is a Normal Operating Characteristic” SSM.

So here is my challenge: if you say your screen doesn’t buzz, prove it. Take a short 30-second video following the format below and post it here.

Format:

1. Doesn’t need to be long
2. No unfair ambient noise. Windows up, no AC, no driving, no radio.
3. Set screens to dark mode.
4. Perch the phone on top of the airbag (about 6 inches from the screen).
5. While it’s perched there, slowly toggle screen brightness up/down a few times.
6. Move camera over to the infotainment screen to collect a useful comparison (no buzz there)

Here’s my video. On an iPhone, setting the volume to around 60% closely approximates what I hear with my ears while sitting in the driver seat. Can you take the same video in your car without a buzz? I’d very much like to see it!

And bonus content, look what happens when I turn on my hazard lights with the car off.

And what the heck, if your screen does buzz the same as mine, let us know.

Thanks for participating in this experiment!

I agree mine buzzes and others I've been in do too. Sometimes you have to turn your ear towards the screen.

 

[Mirak]

Ok thanks. Exactly like mine.

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