Electronic sound to alert pedestirans

[acensor]

Is it just me, or do those sound clips all sound identical (nothing but background noise)?

I've come to the conclusion that people can't hear the i-MiEV, AVAS or not. They notice the car if I tap on the brake pedal because of the mechanical noise. I'm tempted to either put a switch on it, or most likely just unplug it.

Here's the sound of AVAS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W-49r6yvfk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I suspect the sound clips sound like not much of anything because for starters it's not very loud and it dies sound a bit like a background noise, and recorded un professionally, and most if al I imagine because perhaps you might be playing it on wimpy speakers at low volume?

IMO only way to hear what it sounds like to pedestrians is to get someone else to drive it up behind you. That is if you have average hearing acuity...

 

[MLucas]

Same sound from the O-PHEV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEivtfIVNow

Not a very good sound. I've scared the crap out of a lot of people when they realized a car was right behind them.

Should be something more distinctive.

 

[NoBeard]

If anyone can figure out how to hack the sound we'd be really interested!
Ours is being used as a delivery vehicle for our Mead and will be logo'd up with bees on it....we'd LOVE to replace the sound with a recording of our bee hive!

NB

 

[Edysfunction]

I actually hear a higher pitch sound. Canadian 2017 iMiEV. I hear it when driving down the alley where there are fences on both sides. I hate it. There's also the low hum sound, which I can tolerate as it doesn't bother me as much as higher frequencies. I guess I'll have to disconnect the speaker.

Any updates on how to disconnect the AVAS quickly and painlessly?

 

[PV1]

Is it a real high pitch sound? And only when next to a solid object like a wall?

Koorz used to do this. It's coil whine in the MCU. I happened to have a recall on it and the new MCU doesn't do it nearly as bad.

 

[Edysfunction]

Oh, okay.......... I'll mention it to the dealer then.



thanks

 

[Edysfunction]

Still hoping someone will chime in with a quick disconnect method. I really don't want to take the front right tire off and disconnect the speaker if I don't have to.

 

[NoBeard]

And I'd still love even more someone figuring out how to hack the sound so we could replace it with whatever we wanted!
NB

 

[JoeS]

And I'd still love even more someone figuring out how to hack the sound so we could replace it with whatever we wanted

OK, did a little bit of digging and the module that generates the sound is located around the center of the console behind the climate controls. If you have the manual, find it under Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System ¶54A-pages 377-408 (can't believe how many pages of the manual are devoted to this gadget!). The output of this module (they call it an ECU) goes out directly to the external speaker, through three connectors along the way.

The manual says power to this module goes through fuse #15 (located inside the car above the driver's left foot) and it's supposed to be 7.5A but on my SE Premium it's 20A, so I wonder what else it's powering? The fuses look like miniature ATC (with which I'm unfamiliar) and I won't pull mine out until I get some spares - that's a tribute to our i-MiEV that in five years of ownership I haven't bothered to get any fuses. For now, here's a photo of that fusebox cover:

So, the question on the table: has anyone accessed that area under the dashboard to get to that AVAS ECU?

 

[Edysfunction]

ECU is the electronic control unit. I imagine pulling that fuse will kill a whole bunch of other stuff. On Honda's, at least older ones, the ECU controls just about everything. We have an MCU, as well (Motor Control Unit). I've opened up the fuse panel on driver's side to add accessories, both constant and switched 12 volt for extra USB port, dashcam, radar detector, etc.

If someone can point out where the connectors to the AVAS, aside from the one at the unit itself, are I would be eternally grateful.

 

[JoeS]

Edysfunction and NoBeard - check your forum mailbox as I sent each of you a PM.

 

[JoeS]

ECU is the electronic control unit. I imagine pulling that fuse will kill a whole bunch of other stuff....

While the car has a main Electronics Control Unit, Mitsubishi refers to this particular one as the AVAS-ECU, which is nothing more than a tiny module which generates the space-ship audio and sends it to the speaker. I still haven't bought some spare fuses so I can pull the #15 fuse leading to that AVAS-ECU to see what happens.

 

[kkanoski91]

VBugatti,
You are correct, there is a device that looks like a speaker in the front right side of the i.
I am NOT suggesting this be done for safety reasons so do it at your own risk but.....
You would start by taking off the top/inner plastic liner in the right front wheel well under the car.
The speaker is located there facing the right tire.
There is a push on clip type wire connector that when removed will disable the sound. It's a bit tricky to get unclipped but it does come off.
Put electrical tape on the two mating connections to keep water and dirt out.
QUIET

New to this forum. This is old thread, but I am doing this tomorrow! I hate the sound, it is not loud enough anyway. I looked for a fuse, but did not find, so will take the wires off as you suggested. I like QUIET.

Thanks!

 

[bradleydavidgood777]

I have seen it work several times now just in time to save someone from getting really hurt