Pinging Noise fx35 AWD

fx35beast

Member
Location
toronto, canada
Car
2008 FX35
Hi everyone at InfinitiScene, I am a new member to this forum and I'm surprised at the amount of information that can be obtained from this community. I have read quite a lot of the threads, but could not acquire an answer to my problem. I have had my FX35 for about one year now. Nevertheless, this is my problem.
When I first start my vehicle and proceed to drive away at a slow to moderate speed, once my speedometer hits 20-25 kmh (10-15 mph), I hear a pinging or some sort of spring noise coming either from the transmission or the front axle. I am trying to figure out what is that noise and what's its significance?
According to a buddy of mine, who also drives a FX35. He says that when he talked to someone at the Infiniti dealership, they stated that this particular noise is normal. Furthermore, Infiniti said that it pertains to the AWD (front wheels) disengaging after the vehicle surpasses 20-25 kmh, which means that the vehicle is in rear wheel drive mode. Is this really the case, or are they not revealing the truth?
Your feedback with respect to this matter would be deeply appreciated. :confused:
 
A single ping from the front from an initial start is the ABS system doing a self test. Completely normal and expected.
 
Thanks for the reply. I guess from an initial start, the ABS system is doing a self test. Fine. What does this self test entail? Is it checking the sensors?
 
Thanks for the thread, It was very informative. Now, I know that the spring noise is actually a good thing. It is pleasing to know that I am not the only one who has experienced this phenomena.
 
OK. So, this has nothing to do with the front wheel drive disengaging (i.e. AWD to Rear wheel drive)? BTW, when does the AWD deactivate and run on RWD?


The ATTESA-ETS layout is more advanced than the ATTESA system, and uses a 16bit microprocessor that monitors the cars movements at 10 times per second to sense traction loss by measuring the speed of each wheel via the ABS sensors. A three axis G-Sensor mounted underneath the center console feed lateral and longitudinal inputs into an ECU, which controls both the ATTESA-ETS 4WD system and the ABS system. The ECU can then direct up to and including 50% of the power to the front wheels. When slip is detected on one of the rear wheels (rear wheels turn 5% or more than the front wheels), the system directs torque to the front wheels which run a viscous LSD. Rather than locking the AWD in all the time or having a system that is "all or nothing", the ATTESA-ETS system can apportion different ratios of torque to the front wheels as it sees fit. This provides the driver with an AWD vehicle that performs like a rear wheel drive vehicle in perfect conditions and can recover control when conditions aren't as perfect. From factory, the system is set up to provide slight oversteer in handling, and in fact the harder the car is cornered the LESS the 4wd system engages the front wheels. This promotes the oversteer rather than understeer which is apparent in most AWD/4WD vehicles. The advantage to a more traditional ATTESA (Viscous LSD) system is response in hundredths of a second.
 
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