It's only when the AC compressor is running. and if I ramp up temperature (down to Max Air) the pitch changes and it gets louder. Really noticiable in electric mode.
Well...If you actually heard the noise you would probably agree that it is a ridicuously obnoxious grinding noise. Just strange that they wouldn't use a hybrid compressor(quiet) like other manufacturers use.
That's a bit sad. I was hoping Ford would acknowledge the problem. I have Toyota Prius as well (Hybrid) and the AC doesn't make any unusual noises at all.
I also have an extremely loud AC grinding noise...but the dealer told me (twice) that it is normal. I may look into this hood liner kit to help quiet it down. It's not too noticeable inside the vehicle, but if I'm standing outside with the AC running it's downright embarrassing.
Thanks for the info. I've had 3 separate instances where this has happened while towing. Every time it was while making a left turn from a stop. Luckily, I"ve haven't had any error messages yet. I did report the incident to the NHTSA Report a Vehicle Safety Problem, Equipment Issue | NHTSA...