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Any way to disable the ambient sound coming from the backseat? [pedestrian alert]

8107 Views 26 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Mrau, 4 mo ago

shrimpified

Discussion Starter · Mar 25, 2022

I just purchased my ID.4 today. Is there any way to disable the nonstop ambient sound / music that is audible while driving?

It sounds like the soundtrack of Master of Orion 2. I feel like I'm in a spaceship.

Please tell me there's a way to turn it off. Or that VW knows this is annoying and will push an update to make this optional. It's going to drive me insane.

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

SunWizard

· #2 · Mar 25, 2022

Welcome to the group. See:

www.vwidtalk.com

Pedestrian warning sound at 71 dB is louder than necessary

We have had several posts here claiming that the pedestrian warning sound of the ID4 is loud, and I agree. So I broke out my trusty sound pressure meter and took a quick reading as my wife was backing out of the garage. We didn't reach the loudest level I have ever heard from the car (I think)...

www.vwidtalk.com

www.vwidtalk.com

Reactions: 2

hilld

· #3 · Mar 25, 2022

are you talking about the noise maker below 25MPH so you don't run over pedestrians? If so, you have to disable that with a jumper resistor, there are postings around this either here or another forum. I remember seeing one, but I also think that there is also a speaker in the front. Both of them are under the car.

I knew somebody would post the link, thanks @SunWizard

Reactions: 1

shrimpified

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 25, 2022

Wow, that was fast, thanks both of you! Super helpful.

are you talking about the noise maker below 25MPH so you don't run over pedestrians?

That must be what it is, but I didn't realize that's what it was for. The salesperson had no clue what it was or how to turn it off.

I'll pay attention tomorrow to double-check, but it definitely modulates volume with speed, so this checks.

Manybees

· #5 · Mar 25, 2022

My question is the opposite: is there a way to make the spaceship sound louder? I live in a small-ish town where many streets don’t have sidewalks, so people (kids etc.) walk in the street. I drive pretty slowly on these streets, esp when there are pedestrians around, but I still sometimes seem to sneak up on people. So better too loud than too soft. Plus as sounds go, I personally think it’s pretty cool.

In any case, disabling the sound isn’t, and shouldn’t, be an option because it’s illegal and unsafe.

Reactions: 5

Huey52

· #6 · Mar 25, 2022

It never ceases to amaze and depress me how little most vehicle salespeople, of any brand, know about the products they're selling. 😔

Thankfully I guess he didn't know as you can't, and shouldn't, turn it off.

As you'll note in the above-linked discussion some of us have a relatively low volume sound. Likely varying vendor lots of parts that just-meet the low end of the specified dB range. My wife and I like the sound as well when pulling into the garage as apropos The Jetsons reminiscent.

shrimpified said:
...The salesperson had no clue what it was or how to turn it off.

Reactions: 2

Plant Peon

· #7 · Mar 25, 2022

This is a safety requirement in the US after a certain date of manufacture, not sure what that date is at the moment. And if the manufacturer allowed any kind of “adjustment” they get in lots of trouble and end in a recall. See Tesla and boom box mode. Any time a “feature” gets categorized as safety, a lot of the decision making is stripped from the oem. Think back, backup cameras were a luxury. Now, as of 2016, any vehicle produced for the US market MUST have some form of backup safety device installed from the factory. Be it chirping alarms or a full fledged camera.
this is no different. And it is also meant to keep blind pedestrians safe as they can (obviously) not see the car and without these ambient sound generators, they would have an extremely difficult time hearing them also.
Im sure Daredevil would have no problem but it’s for the greater good.

Reactions: 5

fireboy92k

· #8 · Mar 25, 2022

If your state requires ongoing safety inspections and you disable them, you're also likely to fail said inspection. Actually think the cutoff is 20 MPH, at least that's where is seems to be our brand new one.

ChristophW

· #9 · Mar 25, 2022

As the initiator of the linked thread and having an ax to grind about how loud my ID4 is, let me state for the record that VW's sound, and especially how they vary the sound in pitch and loudness, works really well to discern that
a) there is a vehicle
b) it is speeding up, or
c) it is slowing down
I think it is better than many others I have observed and heard, except for the excessive volume in at least some of the ID4s. Also, the legal cutoff is 30 km/h, which equates to 18 mph.

Reactions: 1

gorj

· #10 · Mar 25, 2022

There seems to be some misinformation about the ID4's slow speed sound. It is a federal government requirement for manufactures to include this on the vehicle. But as far as the research I have done it is not illegal for the owner of the vehicle to modify this sound. Just like it is not illegal to cut off the tags on a pillow. But if a hearing impaired person came in contact with your vehicle because you eliminated the sound you may be in trouble. Personally, I think the sound is obnoxious but I rarely have the windows down so I can not hear it inside the vehicle.

VW Dave

· #11 · Mar 25, 2022

“So, Mr. VW Dave, and remember you’re under oath, isn’t it true that you willfully and deliberately disabled this federally mandated safety feature, leading to a collision with my client who is blind, leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life?”

It could happen. In fact it probably will, just not to me. 😬

Reactions: 2

fireboy92k

· #12 · Mar 25, 2022

2

gorj said:
There seems to be some misinformation about the ID4's slow speed sound. It is a federal government requirement for manufactures to include this on the vehicle. But as far as the research I have done it is not illegal for the owner of the vehicle to modify this sound. Just like it is not illegal to cut off the tags on a pillow. But if a hearing impaired person came in contact with your vehicle because you eliminated the sound you may be in trouble. Personally, I think the sound is obnoxious but I rarely have the windows down so I can not hear it inside the vehicle.

People should do their own research.

For the US at least, car certifications, and safety inspections are a state by state issue. You should review your state's laws to determine if there is any liability for disabling a safety system for your own safety inspections (if required).

A the US Federal level, certainly NHSTA says no manufacturer or entity subject to NHSTA review is allowed to provide for the modification, removal, etc. of such devices. I suspect that no reputable nationwide brand auto repair shop would do it, as you mention for the liability exposure alone, regardless of exposure to NHSTA oversight or not. Your shade tree mechanic might not have such qualms depending on your local.

And certainly owners are allowed to do whatever they want, again within the limits of whatever their state law requires. If you hurt someone due to disabling it, you'd most likely be tried under state law anyhow, as I doubt the Federal government would attempt to assert any jurisdiction over a singular vehicular indicident.

Font Number Document

Excerpt from FMVSS no 141 Federal Register :: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141, Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

For folks outside the US, where they are subject to usually much more stringent annual or bi-annual inspection, you should consult your local standards there as well.

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Perry Rhodan

· #13 · Mar 26, 2022

fireboy92k said:
And certainly owners are allowed to do whatever they want, again within the limits of whatever their state law requires. If you hurt someone due to disabling it, you'd most likely be tried under state law anyhow, as I doubt the Federal government would attempt to assert any jurisdiction over a singular vehicular indicident.

As long as you don’t travel much that may be fine. If you cross into another state or come over to Canada you may be in breach of local laws. It’s really not that simple, your insurer could potentially cancel your coverage and you could find yourself facing a lifetime of financial pain.

An example of this is Radar detectors, in Canada depending on the province / territory the laws are quite different. it ranges from being legal to facing a fine to law enforcement being able to search vehicles and seize radar detectors.

fireboy92k

· #14 · Mar 26, 2022

Perry Rhodan said:
As long as you don’t travel much that may be fine. If you cross into another state or come over to Canada you may be in breach of local laws. It’s really not that simple, your insurer could potentially cancel your coverage and you could find yourself facing a lifetime of financial pain.

An example of this is Radar detectors, in Canada depending on the province / territory the laws are quite different. it ranges from being legal to facing a fine to law enforcement being able to search vehicles and seize radar detectors.

Same here in the US. In Virginia, speed detectors are against the law in any vehicle size for instance.

But if you are where my dad lives in the middle of rural Missouri, doubt anyone would even know that a sound device had been disabled by the owner other than during a routine safety inspection.

Essjmcb

· #15 · 7 mo ago

Anyone knows If It is possible to modify the sound?

Reactions: 1

Perry Rhodan

· #16 · 7 mo ago

Essjmcb said:
Anyone knows If It is possible to modify the sound?

Some have done it. You will have to look elsewhere for how to do it.

Andre Chicago

· #17 · 4 mo ago

Manybees said:
My question is the opposite: is there a way to make the spaceship sound louder? I live in a small-ish town where many streets don’t have sidewalks, so people (kids etc.) walk in the street. I drive pretty slowly on these streets, esp when there are pedestrians around, but I still sometimes seem to sneak up on people. So better too loud than too soft. Plus as sounds go, I personally think it’s pretty cool. In any case, disabling the sound isn’t, and shouldn’t, be an option because it’s illegal and unsafe.

I want an electric car because of no sound. I drive with radio off. My old prius did not make a sound amen. Nor do teslas amen 2. But my ID4…. i hate it. I like the quietness as I can heard a dog barg or the ambient noise of the world … it gives me a better 3D space awareness when I can hear other people wtc talking. Cars make noise naturally even with no engine on.Make the user choose.

Andre Chicago

· #18 · 4 mo ago

VW Dave said:
“So, Mr. VW Dave, and remember you’re under oath, isn’t it true that you willfully and deliberately disabled this federally mandated safety feature, leading to a collision with my client who is blind, leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life?”

It could happen. In fact it probably will, just not to me. 😬

And remember don't eat peanuts!!!
If and only if parents would let their kids at the age of one play with free range farm chickens and pigs, surely a few of them would die from some disease… but the ones that survived will be able to eat peanuts as their imune system is not as spottly clean as the urban condo downtown kid who thinks chicken grows in trees… well they do sleep up trees at night for safety…

point being too much regulation and in my case the noise makes me sick and following all your thoughts process I will have work related (driving) injuries from this constant wabble jetson noise.

Andre Chicago

· #19 · 4 mo ago

Manufactures should provide such safety devices to all vehicles. But users should be allowed to change and modify. Similarly we cant use ‘video’ on our entertainment system… yet we should have an option to agree to be responsible for using such video. It would be safer than hanging my phone so I can see video as I drive - in my case mostly podcasts but sometimes the show “the Profit”….

Perry Rhodan

· #20 · 4 mo ago

Andre Chicago said:
Manufactures should provide such safety devices to all vehicles. But users should be allowed to change and modify. Similarly we cant use ‘video’ on our entertainment system… yet we should have an option to agree to be responsible for using such video. It would be safer than hanging my phone so I can see video as I drive - in my case mostly podcasts but sometimes the show “the Profit”….

Unless I missing the sarcasm your comments kind of make it obvious why some features are locked…. Because watching videos while driving is the responsible thing to do….

sigh.

Reactions: 4

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