Americas Don't buy a Grenadier (Steering pump noise and HVAC issues)

[anand]

Are you referring to the pre production trucks that were there just to test drive on a course at 5mph, and we were told missing parts and other oddities would naturally be rectified by production time?

I assure you we did far in excess of 5mph (motorway speeds), they weren't really missing anything physically (other than the jacks, which were oddly removed; and the winch controllers which were erroneously removed by the company that stored the vehicles); their software was definitely not up to snuff (especially not the 3 or 4 that never got the software update to enable Android Auto/Carplay/etc.) and there were an amalgamation of Euro/US spec (through an odd mix of left over RoW PTO parts).

The vast majority of oddities that they had were rectified before production (either before MY23 RoW production or MY24 North American production), and while a number of parts were updated prior to production, they function/appear the same to the end user (like the overhead panel that was originally held in just with clips, but they added bolts before production).

The drivetrain was well sorted by the time the North American PTO2 trucks were assembled (however, they did have the early/initial transfer case)

 

[Zimm]

I assure you we did far in excess of 5mph (motorway speeds), they weren't really missing anything physically (other than the jacks, which were oddly removed; and the winch controllers which were erroneously removed by the company that stored the vehicles); their software was definitely not up to snuff (especially not the 3 or 4 that never got the software update to enable Android Auto/Carplay/etc.) and there were an amalgamation of Euro/US spec (through an odd mix of left over RoW PTO parts).

The vast majority of oddities that they had were rectified before production (either before MY23 RoW production or MY24 North American production), and while a number of parts were updated prior to production, they function/appear the same to the end user (like the overhead panel that was originally held in just with clips, but they added bolts before production).

The drivetrain was well sorted by the time the North American PTO2 trucks were assembled (however, they did have the early/initial transfer case)

I'm sure YOU drove it everywhere, but we didn't. "It's 99.9%" wasn't the company line to the prospective buyers. It really was all CYA. If something was questioned, "these are pre production, they aren't even road legal, lots of equipment doesn't work" was the answer. So, if there's a suggestion a disgruntled buyer has some culpability because they drove it, it looses air. My dealer Demo test drive was in winter so I had the windows up. I don't recall if I had it running while I outside of the car. I don't think I did.

Personally, I didn't hear any wine outside any of the cars, shezimm didn't say anything (and she's effin picky about everything), my drive was windows up, and there are specific tones I no longer recognize from loud bangs often indoors. I mean, my new refrigerator door warning can apparently be heard on the third floor, but it's inaudible to me in the room while I'm having a normal Db conversation. My Pioneer sx-1250 and 701s I bought in HS sound like an am transistor radio to me..... I believe the complaints, but I'm not really the best judge on acceptable levels of pump noise here. Maybe I'm the ideal buyer afterall.

 

[‘Chine]

It's the door that guides HVAC air flow to different vents. It makes a high pitch squeal when on level 4 fan.

How do you fix it? It’s very annoying. In TN, we need level 4.

 

[Jackattack13]

How do you fix it? It’s very annoying. In TN, we need level 4.

No fix. Just use 3.

 

[Dus10R]

Hey I just bought a brand new vehicle, one that’s basically still in testing but I fully expected it to be Toyota reliable and it isn’t so Im going to see if I can bomb my resale value by posting bad stuff and telling people not to buy one instead of just getting it fixed under warranty.

That bout sums it up.

Have had mine since January, daily driver, no issues. I sort of hope nobody buys them, I like having something that not everyone does…

Or two things.

 

[bigleonski]

Hey I just bought a brand new vehicle, one that’s basically still in testing but I fully expected it to be Toyota reliable and it isn’t so Im going to see if I can bomb my resale value by posting bad stuff and telling people not to buy one instead of just getting it fixed under warranty.

That bout sums it up.

Have had mine since January, daily driver, no issues. I sort of hope nobody buys them, I like having something that not everyone does…

Or two things.

Hmmmmm, working out which one of those to drive out of the garage each morning must be hard work. The struggle is real.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

OP - so did you get a new PS pump? Did it fix the whine issue?

 

[Zimm]

Hey I just bought a brand new vehicle, one that’s basically still in testing but I fully expected it to be Toyota reliable and it isn’t so Im going to see if I can bomb my resale value by posting bad stuff and telling people not to buy one instead of just getting it fixed under warranty.

That bout sums it up.

Have had mine since January, daily driver, no issues. I sort of hope nobody buys them, I like having something that not everyone does…

Or two things.

WOW!!! look at YOU. You have two cars!! You're such a sly humblebragger, I bet no one noticed.

You do realize, that saying the Ineos you bought wasn't intended to be sold to you as a complete and reliable product on par with any other car manufacturer, is nothing short of gut punch to Ineos management, and likely does more to kill future sales than any steering pump complain. You must have made all that money for your sports car in PR or marketing.

 

[IdahoGrenadier]

OP - so did you get a new PS pump? Did it fix the whine issue?

I did get a new pump. I estimate it is about half as loud, with most of the drop coming from the low end, leaving it higher and thinner. So now it's just quite annoying instead of unbearable.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

I did get a new pump. I estimate it is about half as loud, with most of the drop coming from the low end, leaving it higher and thinner. So now it's just quite annoying instead of unbearable.

Damn.. my dealer keeps saying it is how these vehicles are.. I wonder what strategies I can use to get a pump replaced... The noise of the pump does weigh me down, countering the positive thoughts I have for the car... I am at 200miles on the odometer. LOL

Driving around 25mph, with driver side windows down, I can hear the whine, when music is not playing in the car. When window is up, I do not hear it. Was your volume level roughly the same or worse?

 

[IdahoGrenadier]

Damn.. my dealer keeps saying it is how these vehicles are.. I wonder what strategies I can use to get a pump replaced... The noise of the pump does weigh me down, countering the positive thoughts I have for the car... I am at 200miles on the odometer. LOL

Driving around 25mph, with driver side windows down, I can hear the whine, when music is not playing in the car. When window is up, I do not hear it. Was your volume level roughly the same or worse?

We've done trail drives here and I think mine was louder than most. Now it's probably midpoint or quieter than most. It sounds like a newer Jeep. And the idea that a $90k truck sounds like a POS Jeep is pretty ridiculous.

Some of them really do not make much noise, but I'm convinced most of the people who say they don't hear it just don't drive with their windows down. It's the number one thing people notice about the vehicle when it's turned on. At a traffic light with other cars around or - god forbid - a parking garage and it overpowers any other thought.

If you want it replaced, you can keep pushing your dealer. It might improve things, but don't expect it to sound like a car should.

 

[Jackattack13]

We've done trail drives here and I think mine was louder than most. Now it's probably midpoint or quieter than most. It sounds like a newer Jeep. And the idea that a $90k truck sounds like a POS Jeep is pretty ridiculous.

Some of them really do not make much noise, but I'm convinced most of the people who say they don't hear it just don't drive with their windows down. It's the number one thing people notice about the vehicle when it's turned on. At a traffic light with other cars around or - god forbid - a parking garage and it overpowers any other thought.

If you want it replaced, you can keep pushing your dealer. It might improve things, but don't expect it to sound like a car should.

Agree. It's a bit obnoxious with the windows down and in a garage. Even pulled up to some friends on the sidewalk to say hi, and the first thing they asked was "Whats that noise?"

 

[Skydance]

Damn.. my dealer keeps saying it is how these vehicles are.. I wonder what strategies I can use to get a pump replaced... The noise of the pump does weigh me down, countering the positive thoughts I have for the car... I am at 200miles on the odometer. LOL

Driving around 25mph, with driver side windows down, I can hear the whine, when music is not playing in the car. When window is up, I do not hear it. Was your volume level roughly the same or worse?

The steering noise gets quieter after a few thousand miles. Mine was super loud when I first bought it but it gradually got quieter.

 

[IdahoGrenadier]

The steering noise gets quieter after a few thousand miles. Mine was super loud when I first bought it but it gradually got quieter.

I've heard this from some earlier, European buyers. But I've not found later, American buyers with the same experience. My truck had about 5k miles before the swap and 2k after and it has never changed on its own.

Getting quieter would make sense if the problem is air in the system that is working its way out. And I do think there is a problem with air in the system. In addition to the noise, my reservoir was overflowing, which is another symptom. But my dealer tried bleeding some of them early on and didn't get results from that.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

The steering noise gets quieter after a few thousand miles. Mine was super loud when I first bought it but it gradually got quieter.

Interesting, so not a perceived reduction due to you becoming desensitized to it?

 

[Jackattack13]

Interesting, so not a perceived reduction due to you becoming desensitized to it?

That may be the case. Remember the high pitch sound CRT televisions made? Eventually nobody noticed it because it was the norm. Now people go back to CRT televisions and wonder what the noise is or find it annoying.

 

[Cheshire cat]

Can you not test drive a couple of other Grenadiers and then tell the dealer you want one as quiet as that.
If you tell me where to record from I can send you a clip of mine.

 

[AWo]

The steering noise gets quieter after a few thousand miles. Mine was super loud when I first bought it but it gradually got quieter.

Has anyone a possible technical explanation for this? Some kind of minor/normal wear?

AWo

 

[Skydance]

Has anyone a possible technical explanation for this? Some kind of minor/normal wear?

AWo

I’m not an engineer but my best guess was the bedding in of the steering damper therefore creating less resistance and less work for the steering pump. It only whines when you turn it. Also my steering is not as stiff as it was when it was brand new.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

I’m not an engineer but my best guess was the bedding in of the steering damper therefore creating less resistance and less work for the steering pump. It only whines when you turn it. Also my steering is not as stiff as it was when it was brand new.

Mine makes an audible drill sound without the steering wheel turning. Yes it makes more severe sound while actively turning the wheel. However, once the pump has been activated there is an audible dentist drilling sound. If no additional steering input, the pump deactivates after about 5 seconds,