Gen2 R1S making loud buzzing noise when heat is on

[mmR1S]

Hi! New Rivian owner here. Love the car, but been to the shop twice since September and still not fixed. Makes obnoxious noise when its first warming up the cabin and even shakes the dash and steering wheel sometimes. Tech added refrigerant and said the noise is “normal” but there is just no way.

Anyone else experiencing or have any thoughts? Attaching the video.

Mine always makes this loud awful noise, whether the AC or heat is on. I e taken it in twice and they say it’s perfectly normal. I think they need to recall. If you take it in 5 times and they are unable to repair it, you may be able to get compensated by the manufacturer if your state agrees that it is a lemon (look up your state’s lemon law statutes).

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[Zoidz]

Mine always makes this loud awful noise, whether the AC or heat is on. I e taken it in twice and they say it’s perfectly normal. I think they need to recall. If you take it in 5 times and they are unable to repair it, you may be able to get compensated by the manufacturer if your state agrees that it is a lemon (look up your state’s lemon law statutes).

The noisy heat pump noise is basically normal for Rivian. There was a fix for some earlier vehicles due to alignment of tubing which was rubbing on the firewall. That was resolved in vehicles built after it was identified, as I recall early 2025.

 

[MukilteoManiac]

The same noise from the heat pump on our 3 month old 2026 R1S Dual Max Performance. The compressor also has a vibration that you can feel in the steering wheel.

Ours is currently at the Rivian Service Center (Bothell) starting today. I will report back what they determine.

Here is a video that I sent to the Rivian Service center when reporting the problem.

 

[captainjp]

The “fix” is to remove your compressor and not have heat nor air conditioning. Compressors make noise, and there’s no way around it. It’s normal. The absence of engine noise makes every other sound that much more noticeable.

 

[portdirect]

The “fix” is to remove your compressor and not have heat nor air conditioning. Compressors make noise, and there’s no way around it. It’s normal. The absence of engine noise makes every other sound that much more noticeable.

This is terrible advice. The compressor design in gen2 R1s is awful from a NVH perspective; does it make the R1 a bad vehicle: no, but it’s the worst isolated/insulated compressor I’ve ever encountered (can anyone point to a consumer vehicle with a louder thermal system?). Our R1 has at times been the loudest ’idling’ vehicle on the street (louder than some traditionally loud ICE cars) : I’ve *literally* had people come over to our house worried that our car is about to “blow up” as a result of the noise from it at times - which has resulted in some hilarious conversations.

@MukilteoManiac : our gen2 R1 makes the same noises as yours when the conditions are right.

 

[mpshizzle]

It is a loud/rumbly design. And that's unfortunately just how it is. However, sometimes it's made to be worse than necessary if the HVAC lines are touching the bulkhead.

Under normal operation it will be a bit loud from the outside (not terrible though). On the inside it will be a faint rumble. Audible, but not loud. But you WILL feel it. You feel it more than you hear it. In the floor and in the steering wheel

 

[captainjp]

This is terrible advice. The compressor design in gen2 R1s is awful from a NVH perspective; does it make the R1 a bad vehicle: no, but it’s the worst isolated/insulated compressor I’ve ever encountered (can anyone point to a consumer vehicle with a louder thermal system?). Our R1 has at times been the loudest ’idling’ vehicle on the street (louder than some traditionally loud ICE cars) : I’ve *literally* had people come over to our house worried that our car is about to “blow up” as a result of the noise from it at times - which has resulted in some hilarious conversations.

@MukilteoManiac : our gen2 R1 makes the same noises as yours when the conditions are right.

No.
I see sarcasm isn’t your strong suit.
Also, cite some examples “that you’ve ever seen” you’re comparing to. HVAC with reversing valves, (aka Heat pumps) on Tesla vehicles are not necessarily louder, but just as loud. These are electrically-driven units, not to be confused by belt driven PTO units seen in traditional vehicle hvac systems. Apples to oranges comparison

 

[portdirect]

No.
I see sarcasm isn’t your strong suit.
Also, cite some examples “that you’ve ever seen” you’re comparing to. HVAC with reversing valves, (aka Heat pumps) on Tesla vehicles are not necessarily louder, but just as loud. These are electrically-driven units, not to be confused by belt driven PTO units seen in traditional vehicle hvac systems. Apples to oranges comparison

Sir,

This is not an apples to oranges comparison. Rivian Gen2 and Tesla heat pump vehicles are both using an electrically driven, hermetic compressor. A reversing valve is just a heat pump flow control component. It does not explain away NVH.

I agree with one part of your point. Compressors make noise. If the standard is “it makes any noise at all,” then yes, case closed.

The issue here is not that the system is audible. The issue is poor isolation and structure borne vibration. When multiple owners are reporting dash and steering wheel shake, along with significant exterior noise - that is not “EVs are quiet so you notice it.” That is an implementation shortfall.

Examples I have direct experience for where the system can be heard but is generally better controlled from an NVH standpoint:

• Porsche Taycan and ID.3. You may hear minor valve or pump activity, but it does not present as sustained exterior fan roar plus cabin shake.
• Tesla heat pump cars. They can get loud during preconditioning and certain cold weather modes, but under comparable conditions they are generally not as loud externally as the Gen2 R1, and they do not commonly couple a rumble into the cabin that you can feel through the steering wheel during routine cabin warmup.
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Polestar 2 with heat pump. Audible in specific modes, but much better isolated/attenuated than what is being described here.

So my statement stands. Gen2 R1 can be unusually intrusive, and more importantly it can couple vibration into the cabin in a way that points to design and integration choices, not physics.

If you want to dispute it, cite the vehicles you think are louder and the operating mode. Ambient temperature, SOC, and whether the pack is conditioning or defrost is active. Otherwise we are just repeating “compressors make noise” while ignoring the magnitude of noise and vibration being discussed in this thread from Gen2 R1s.

 

[Zoidz]

Sir,

This is not an apples to oranges comparison. Rivian Gen2 and Tesla heat pump vehicles are both using an electrically driven, hermetic compressor. A reversing valve is just a heat pump flow control component. It does not explain away NVH.

I agree with one part of your point. Compressors make noise. If the standard is “it makes any noise at all,” then yes, case closed.

The issue here is not that the system is audible. The issue is poor isolation and structure borne vibration. When multiple owners are reporting dash and steering wheel shake, along with significant exterior noise - that is not “EVs are quiet so you notice it.” That is an implementation shortfall.

Examples I have direct experience for where the system can be heard but is generally better controlled from an NVH standpoint:

• Porsche Taycan and ID.3. You may hear minor valve or pump activity, but it does not present as sustained exterior fan roar plus cabin shake.
• Tesla heat pump cars. They can get loud during preconditioning and certain cold weather modes, but under comparable conditions they are generally not as loud externally as the Gen2 R1, and they do not commonly couple a rumble into the cabin that you can feel through the steering wheel during routine cabin warmup.
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Polestar 2 with heat pump. Audible in specific modes, but much better isolated/attenuated than what is being described here.

So my statement stands. Gen2 R1 can be unusually intrusive, and more importantly it can couple vibration into the cabin in a way that points to design and integration choices, not physics.

If you want to dispute it, cite the vehicles you think are louder and the operating mode. Ambient temperature, SOC, and whether the pack is conditioning or defrost is active. Otherwise we are just repeating “compressors make noise” while ignoring the magnitude of noise and vibration being discussed in this thread from Gen2 R1s.

Bottom line: it sucks that it can be noisy and there is no fix for it - embrace the suck.

 

[captainjp]

Rivian Gen2 and Tesla heat pump vehicles are both using an electrically driven, hermetic compressor.

Is this not what I said?

 

[captainjp]

This is not an apples to oranges comparison.

Yes it absolutely is apples to oranges in comparing traditional belt driven compressors to heat pumps.

 

[portdirect]

Is this not what I said?

Yes. We agree. Gen2 R1 and Tesla heat pump cars use electrically driven, hermetic compressors.

Yes it absolutely is apples to oranges in comparing traditional belt driven compressors to heat pumps.

That would be true if we were comparing to belt driven ICE HVAC. I am not. My benchmark is EV to EV, heat pump to heat pump, using the same class of electrically driven, hermetic compressors.

I made two separate points:
1. Street level observation: a Gen2 R1 can be louder externally than most idling cars (ICE or not). That is about what people hear, not compressor architecture.
2. Technical claim: the Gen2 R1 implementation is unusually intrusive versus other EV heat pump implementations, and the vibration coupling being described in this thread is not explained by “EVs are quiet.” as Rivian R1s are louder and have greater vibration transfer than most (if not all) EV's using this approach.

If you want to dispute the claim, name the EVs you think are louder externally and also couple comparable vibration into the cabin under similar conditions). Otherwise you are arguing without a basis - which though fun for a time, grows thin quickly.

 

[voodoo]

This is my #1 complaint about my Gen 2. The HVAC noise (and vibration) are crazy. My car is going in next month for 2nd request to fix this but so far they're telling me it's normal. High 60 to low 70 dB at 1-2 ft away. I can easily hear the car in my driveway when inside my house. It's to the point I have to constantly mess with the HVAC while driving to keep the noise down, and difficult to tolerate if no music playing. Tried a Gen 1 and it was magically silent.


I might buy a compressor blanket to keep the sound down.

 

[captainjp]

Yes. We agree. Gen2 R1 and Tesla heat pump cars use electrically driven, hermetic compressors.



That would be true if we were comparing to belt driven ICE HVAC. I am not. My benchmark is EV to EV, heat pump to heat pump, using the same class of electrically driven, hermetic compressors.

I made two separate points:
1. Street level observation: a Gen2 R1 can be louder externally than most idling cars (ICE or not). That is about what people hear, not compressor architecture.
2. Technical claim: the Gen2 R1 implementation is unusually intrusive versus other EV heat pump implementations, and the vibration coupling being described in this thread is not explained by “EVs are quiet.” as Rivian R1s are louder and have greater vibration transfer than most (if not all) EV's using this approach.

If you want to dispute the claim, name the EVs you think are louder externally and also couple comparable vibration into the cabin under similar conditions). Otherwise you are arguing without a basis - which though fun for a time, grows thin quickly.

I didn’t say that any are louder. I said that inherently the electrically-driven compressors are noisy, no matter the application. It’s something you’ll have to live with. If you want a “quieter” noisy hvac system, then go buy any of the vehicles you cited and claim to have experience with. Otherwise, there’s no solution to the Rivian noise problem. You can create as many service tickets and waste your own and the service center’s time trying to rectify this. That’s on you. Or you can just bitch about it.

My real issue is that you genuinely thought my “advice” to remove the compressor to reduce noise was an actual suggestion.

Derp

 

[captainjp]

Tried a Gen 1 and it was magically silent.

That’s because that system utilizes resistive heat for the cabin. Two different kinds of heating.

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