Can you turn off the fake sound in newer hybrids and EV's?

Huh? Has it come to this? Are people walking in the road so distracted by what they are doing, having their head buried in their phone or something, that they can't notice anything around them? And are drivers so distracted they can't avoid running over people?
I was coasting into a parking spot, engine on but transmission in neutral, in my 1994 Ranger and startled an old lady. She said "that's a very quiet truck" and I just said "yeah I guess." 🤣 If it was in gear you'd have to be totally deaf to miss it.
 
The big question here is, have you asked your neighbor if the sound bothers him?

What if this was a neighbor that ride a Harley? Would the noise bother you?
 
Huh? Has it come to this? Are people walking in the road so distracted by what they are doing, having their head buried in their phone or something, that they can't notice anything around them? And are drivers so distracted they can't avoid running over people?
Yes to both of the above. But there is a third reason - the blind. They do get out in the world and use something called "mobility skills". Our youngest son is blind and is out in public frequently. He even goes for 2 and 3 mile long walks by himself, using his cane.

Scott

IMG_7084.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I would turn off fake exhaust sound as well. It's basically false advertising.
The fake shifts and engine sounds sure sounds nice in sport mode. There is no fake exhaust noise. Mine sounds like a nicely tuned engine going thru the gears. Basically I can turn it off using any other mode. When the Hybrid gets boring getting 45 mpg, some entertainment is nice. The safety beepers are a necessity in our increasingly noisy world. A hybrid or EV moving without the safety beepers, is easily overwhelmed by the din in our community.
 
I don't see why the noise has to be so LOUD. It's more noisy than most IC cars.
It's not near as loud as the 4 pickups in my neighborhood with loud exhausts, that leave at half hour intervals starting at 6:30 AM every day. Then when it gets cold they sit and idle loudly for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes sleeping in a bit tough.
 
It's not near as loud as the 4 pickups in my neighborhood with loud exhausts, that leave at half hour intervals starting at 6:30 AM every day. Then when it gets cold they sit and idle loudly for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes sleeping in a bit tough.
For blind folks.

Not for deaf people!

When I was in HI on the 21st floor (Honolulu) some clown would gun his Harley at 1:30AM and I mean GUN IT. Wow.
 
It's not near as loud as the 4 pickups in my neighborhood with loud exhausts, that leave at half hour intervals starting at 6:30 AM every day. Then when it gets cold they sit and idle loudly for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes sleeping in a bit tough.

Do you have the guy in your neighborhood that has some piece of junk with no exhaust in his yard that he goes out and starts up once a week, revving the crap out of the engine for about half an hour, then shuts it off and goes inside?
 
Do you have the guy in your neighborhood that has some piece of junk with no exhaust in his yard that he goes out and starts up once a week, revving the crap out of the engine for about half an hour, then shuts it off and goes inside?
Not really since a certain neighbor moved. Although I fired up the riding mower to run all the fuel out a week ago. It took a half hour. At least the blades weren't engaged.
 
Not really since a certain neighbor moved. Although I fired up the riding mower to run all the fuel out a week ago. It took a half hour. At least the blades weren't engaged.

Seems like a lot of neighborhoods have "that guy".

Riding mowers aren't that loud; you really won't much hear them beyond a few hundred feet.
 
I would have been inclined to silence the fake noise if I had a car that has that "feature".
I never considered that a blind person would be out walking around. With that thought in mind, I would want it silent only on an interstate environment, but would want the noise present around pedestrians.

I wonder if the cars have some programming that shuts off the noise in a higher speed situation?
 
I would have been inclined to silence the fake noise if I had a car that has that "feature".
I never considered that a blind person would be out walking around. With that thought in mind, I would want it silent only on an interstate environment, but would want the noise present around pedestrians.

I wonder if the cars have some programming that shuts off the noise in a higher speed situation?
The exterior warning sounds are turned off above 25mph
 
Thanks Hermann! The newest car in our family is a 2008 car. I am not familiar with all the newer nanny devices.
A friend rented a car that had something like lane keeping assist. I would not like to have "suggestive" pulls by some automated system trying to correct my desired move..
It would be like getting in a fight with an autopilot in an airplane. That is usually caused by pilot error, but there are usually at least three ways to disable an autopilot.
 
The exterior warning sounds are turned off above 25mph

I also believe mine shuts the artificial noise off if the engine is running.

Mine does not make anything like a "locomotive sound" and its not easy to hear from a distance. It does make a louder chime in reverse, but the noise in forward is more of a light whirring... not any louder than the engine would be IMO.

As for the driver aids, i did not think i would like them, but the Active cruise/lane centering/LKAS and BSM are all helpful after a slight adjustment period, i think Fords implementation is fairly good., though not perfect.
 
I love my OHSA beeper in reverse. Gets lots of looks. The Maverick Hybrid makes a Jetson's flying car sound below 25 mph in drive. 🛸 It's the law. Disconecting it and backing over someone could have serious legal consequences. If someone dies it could be real SERIOUS.
The maverick beeper isn’t bad. I heard this toyota highlander hybrid sound that’s like grinding metal. It’s pretty bad but totally normal.
 
The maverick beeper isn’t bad. I heard this toyota highlander hybrid sound that’s like grinding metal. It’s pretty bad but totally normal.
This is quieter in fwd and louder in reverse than the 2021 Venza hybrid I had.
 
Back
Top