[KimmieG]

Just bought a 2020 Niro EV EX, the car is awesome except for unreasonably loud beep when backing up. It is as loud as a garbage truck and doesn’t stop til I put it into drive. Kia needs to allow a dealership fix to make this sound much lower. The loud sound is less safe because I back up faster so that everyone in the parking lot stops staring and hearing the obnoxious beep. Kia - how can this sound be reduced??

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Look for the threads on this, extensive. Bottom line is you cannot turn if off unless you remove the front bumper cover and unplug the "speaker" which will also eliminate your "running noise".

 

[KimmieG]

Thanks for your response. That is a major job. Can’t believe Kia did not think about controlling the noise level. Do not see where the extensive threads explain how to fix. Is this on Kia site or elsewhere like YouTube?

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Sorry, the three other Kia forums have a lot on this, and I have some info on my site, although there are sort of 3 incarnations for earlier models.

I'm looking for a way to not remove the cover, and add a switch into the wiring harness.

Try kianiroforum.com , insideevsforum.com, speak ev forum... there's 3

Greg

 

[jkhoe]

Been following a lot of threads on this, and if anyone wants to take up the task of removing the bumper and disconnecting the speaker connection for the VESS and reverse beeping sound, I made a video of how it's done! Hopefully this is helpful. The car is running so smooth and silently now.... it is just perfect. I'm still not sure why Kia says these "sounds" are for safety and compliance when all other electrics don't have these types of sounds (maybe it's a matter of time?). In any case, check it out if you want to disable the sounds completely, good luck!

 

[KimmieG]

Thanks for the great video - very helpful!!

 

[jkhoe]

Thanks for the great video - very helpful!!

Glad it was helpful! The hardest part I would say was removing the bumper - it feels like you might break the thing prying it off the last part that's around the headlight. Can def be done alone, or if you have an extra set of hands that's always helpful too. Good luck!!

 

[MikeRoth]

Very helpful. Hard to believe that the sound can't be lowered through a user preference.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Hard to believe there's not a place in the wiring to nuke the sound somehow and not have to take off the bumper!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I'm sure there is, and when I download the wiring diagram, I'll find it... it may only be in the engine compartment, but it has to be there.

I've stated this before, but there are several forums, and each seems to get a new thread on this every month or so.

Greg

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

It would be nice to be able to put them back into operation for inspection. Since there is a move afoot to require sounds for electric cars, it may end up costing you to kill the sounds the hard way and then have to restore them for inspection!

Hiding a switch under the hood or even stringing it into the dash seems like a worthwhile option.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

That's my plan...

 

[DutchEV]

Been following a lot of threads on this, and if anyone wants to take up the task of removing the bumper and disconnecting the speaker connection for the VESS and reverse beeping sound, I made a video of how it's done! Hopefully this is helpful. The car is running so smooth and silently now.... it is just perfect. I'm still not sure why Kia says these "sounds" are for safety and compliance when all other electrics don't have these types of sounds (maybe it's a matter of time?). In any case, check it out if you want to disable the sounds completely, good luck!

jkhoe, I really appreciate your detailed description. We have the car just a few days, but this sound level is rediculous.
One can hear it inside the neighbors houses, when backing out off the driveway.

Have you checked if this only unplugs the speaker?
At that same position is the forward radar -(receiver?) installed.
Can you post here that these systems still work as usual?

Thanks again!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

In a 2020, it is a CAN bus device, which has the CAN bus interface, the electronics to make sound, and an amplifier and a speaker.

Unplugging this device does not cause any issue, i.e. the car does not "search" for this device to be present, so unplugging it causes no issue.

No, the radar unit is in a different place, behind the square "box" apparent in the grille.

There are much more extensive threads on other forums.

Greg

 

[JackoLantern]

Euro versions have a button in the cluster left of the steering wheel... turns off VESS (Virtual Engine Sound System) kills the backup beep too. Should be able to add that switch to your model too.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

In my 2020, the wiring harness does not appear to have the VESS mute wire.

read down this page when I opened up the switch block and also examined the wires from the harness:

Kia Niro EV

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

Greg