Buzzing sound

GEM Forum
1

My 2003 GEM buzzes after about 1 minute of driving. The brake is disengaged (checked that first) and there is no code. It stops when the GEM is turned off.
Thanks.
Holly

2

Are you certain it’s not throwing some form of error that perhaps you’re not catching when it’s momentarily displayed? My 2001 GEM has done this before when I had a “over voltage” error (-16) caused by overcharging the batteries. In my case I could watch the display and see the -16 flashed on the screen for a second before it reverted to the MPH.

Al

3

Good idea…I am watching and think that the 16 is the mph. Just before that, it hit 30 (probably not the mph). Any idea what the 30 code means?
Thanks.
Holly

4

The error code will be preceeded by a “-” (minus) sign. So it should be -16 or -30. There’s another thread on this forum couple of levels up that lists all the GEM error codes.

The -16 error code is “high voltage” [pack voltage is >86v] and will cause a buzzing sound (at least on my GEM when it happened to me). I don’t think there is a -30 error code as far as I can tell.

Al

5

Al,
Thanks so much…i will look at the display again. I dont think there was a dash in front of either number.
Holly

6

I don’t know of a code -30. A list of codes can be found here:
http://www.electricforum.com/cars/neighborhood-vehicles/2486-complete-list-gem-error-codes.html
That thread is a sticky on the main NEV forum.

Daniel

7

[quote=hollymer;17434]Al,
I dont think there was a dash in front of either number.
Holly[/quote]

If there’s no dash, it’s not an error code. In that case, it may be MPH (16?) followed briefly by the battery state of charge (SOC) 30%. Or maybe 30 MPH and then 16% for SOC. The former makes more sense however especially since you report the buzzing starts fairly quickly after powering up.

It will show the speed (most of the time) and then briefly SOC before resuming showing the MPH. I’d expect the SOC to be near 100 in the few minutes before you report the buzzing starts. I’d also expect the MPH to go from 0 to xx when you accelerate or decelerate.

Can you verify that the SOC is 100 when you start and the speed is zero? When you are running along and 16 is being displayed does that seem to be about right as MPH?

Al