I just leased a ux250h and today started to hear a sound whenever the car is on reverse... any ideas? Is it normal?
thanks

 

We'll need a bit more information to minimize everyone here guessing.

• Is it a sudden, quick sound and then it goes away?
• Is it a continuous sound? If so...
  • Does it start when you put it in Reverse and stop when taken out of Reverse?
  • Does it only make the sound while moving in reverse or does it happen while idle in reverse?
• Is it a sound that is audible both from inside and outside the cabin?
• Does it make the sound with the Air Conditioning is completely off?
• Once the car is warmed up by driving a few miles/kilometres, will it still make the sound when put into Reverse?
• Are you able to record this sound and upload it here for us to listen?

 

It’s a continuous sound that starts when I put reverse and ends as soon as I get out of reverse gear.
no sound in any other gear
thanks

 

Pedestrian warning system. Hollow "blowing across a empty bottle" type sound?
When you are moving slowly with the IC engine not running a small speaker warns pedestrians.
Stopped you are not endangering anyone...silent. Rolling electrically.. soft tone. Engine running...not need for the speaker.

 

Yes, this is what I was going to suggest was the cause. It's a federal law (at least in the U.S.) that all electric vehicles and hybrids (when running on battery only) shall produce an audible sound in order to warn pedestrians.

 

I like to call it the tugboat sound.

My old CT200H did that too, along with an audible chime that wouldn't stop, I had Lexus remove that repetitive chime (it only did a mandatory singular 'ding' once corrected) at the dealership (no fee).

 

Thank you for the heads up. I just came back from dealer, they said that it was a common sound and that for the 2020 UX, they made the sound even louder, kind of annoying, and they could not lower the volume nor change the sound type, so I guess will have to leave with it.
Thank you everyone for helping!!!

 

tofuprod is describing an internal signal (our 2010 HS250h had is also) that was to remind you that you were in reverse. (!?!)
Default was the continuous chime, changed it to the one time trill at first dealer service!
The OP observation seems to be the external sound of the Pedestrian Warning. Toyota/Lexus set this up before there was any
legislation (in the US).

 

sorry correct, I was describing two different audibles at once.

 

Mine makes a loud humming sound when in reverse and noticed the Toyota Rav4 makes the same sound while on reverse. The interesting thing is that my UX doesn't do it all the time so not sure if that's a defect or not.

 

Pedestrian Warning only activates when you might endanger others...if you are completely stopped
with or without the IC motor running then it is silent. If you are moving with the (noisy) IC motor running
the speaker sound is off. When you first begin moving on Hybrid electric power it sounds the loudest.
As you roll a bit faster it diminishes the sound. Not sure of the years but perhaps 2019 and 2020's had
an extra loud warning when in reverse because the single speaker was mounted in the front. New and
improved (?) for 2021 they now have a pair of speakers F & R. Thankfully they have eliminated the inside
chime(s) that reminded you that you were in reverse.