Excessive wind noise

[Dan Ciezniewzki]

Excessive wind noice

I'm having problem with excessive wind noice on my NSX I just got a few months ago. When I drive in excess of 120mph the noice always come in like clock work, sometimes even alittle around 105-115. I've made sure that the targa roof is on correctly and the windows are up all the way. When I posted about this problem a few months ago a few of you suggested the the windows may not be alligined corretly. But when I took it to my dealer he dismissed that because he said the windows were free floating and that he does know anything in regards to alligining it correctly, and he also kind of laughed off that it occurs at 120 saying that they can't take it out and test it at those speeds and it might just be from the wind being disrupted at high speed by the mirrors, which for a high performace car that will do 168 I doubt.
The only advice he gave me is to use the lubercating grease (that's for the targa roo) and lubercated the rubber around the door and window which I'll do when it gets allittle warmer.

So I was windering if others have this problem and how would I fix it, and is this only a targa problem or do coupe's have it too, because it they don't than it's not the mirrors disturbing the wind.

The excessive noice really takes the enjoyment out of going fast and is unbarrable when trying to sustain speeds over 120 for more than a couple of minutes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Dan

 

[Spinner]

I was reading in the FAQ section at the very top of this page, regarding windnoise. Could be a number of things including gaskets....Might want to try and head on there first. I think its under the trouble shooting section.

 

[Bryan]

Yes, I think this is normal. The wind noise doesn't start until 125-130 on my 96 T (although a headwind or gusts makes it happen sooner.) Adjusting the windows will raise the threshold, but I think it's inherent in the frameless window design.

One previous post says:

I used to have wind noise with my targa at 110. Acura adjusted it and it is quiet up to about 130-ish. Any faster than this and the noise is just a "design flaw". My coupe was quiet to at least 140.

The wind noise is pretty loud and would be very annoying at cruise. But, cruising at 130 is not terribly practical in this state

 

[Dan Ciezniewzki]

does anyone know if this happens in other cars like the newer Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches?

 

[nsxtasy]

When I posted about this problem a few months ago a few of you suggested the the windows may not be alligined corretly. But when I took it to my dealer he dismissed that because he said the windows were free floating and that he does know anything in regards to alligining it correctly

There is an extensive adjustment/alignment procedure for the side windows of the NSX. It takes up five pages in the service manual. (It's in the body section, under Doors - Glass Adjustment.)

I can only guess that your dealer is certainly guilty of lack of experience and probably laziness or incompetence, maybe even all of these. I think you need to take your car to a dealership who is more familiar with the NSX. I am not joking when I say this. (I am aware that you have only two choices in Indianapolis, one a relatively new Acura franchise. I do not know whether either does much NSX work, but I can put you in touch with another owner or two in your area if you're looking for a recommendation, either in town or elsewhere. I know Chicago is not that close but if you ever come up here, I can recommend a dealer here to fix your problem. Oh, and I hope you can make it to our big two-day NSX Club event in South Bend in early April.)

As I noted in your earlier topic, I experienced the exact same problem in my '91 Coupe. My dealer adjusted the glass and the problem disappeared, never to be heard again.

 

[ncdogdoc]

Ken is right on the money (as usual) on this one. Take it to a dealer that has some sense. All "floating" windows as he calls them have an alignment, and can be made to fit more snugly against the weather stripping. Now, I cannot say yours has this problem without actually riding with you, but this is the most likely scenario.

 

[timothyaw]

Hey Dan, I'm in Indianapolis as well. I just got a 01 NSX. I got it through Hubler Acura on the southside. I know the service manager there pretty well, he SAYS the NSX tech is pretty good but thats what HE says lol. Who are you using to do maintenance on your car?

 

[ibNSXtcN]

wind noise.

Ive been having wind noise at 85 mph. I had the windows adjusted but still hear a hissing. At 110 is louder than my stereo. At 140 mph its like being near a F***ing jet. Where can i buy some weather stripping to replace mine. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Juice]

I just took my door apart to install the "window figit thingies" and was wondering how hard it would be to do the window adjustment on my own. Has anyone here done this before? Any pointers?

 

[EIFFEL]

window adj. is not for novice, it is not hard as far as the actual work involved, but knowind what to adj. and how much is more of a art( or many trial and errors) please do what Ken suggests and find a GOOD dealer to get this done properly.

 

[Yellow Rose]

.....is this only a targa problem or do coupe's have it too.....

You have only two options - sell the targa and buy a coupe or keep the targa but do not exceed 120.

I have had a coupe and I now have a targa. The wind noise originates from two aerodynamic sources, and neither of the sources are the side-view mirrors.

1 - On the outside of the a-pillar is a small plastic tab about the size of a quarter. The position of this tab is different on the coupe vs targa.

2 - the leading edge of the targa roof (not the car's roof where the aluminum meets the top of the windshield) is a seam that causes aerodynamic turbulence. The coupe's roof is smooth the entire surface.

You think wind noise is loud at 120? You should hear it at 163.

 

[zomby woof]

andy, there's another aero factor...the bernoulli effect. at the speeds we're talking here, we can assume the air is incompressible (or incomprehensible, if you wish), so that as the air speeds around the car, a low pressure zone is created. with the car windows up, the pressure inside the car is static (ambient), or very nearly so. the pressure difference will force the windows open, even if only a tiny bit, making wind noise.

F-4 aircraft have the same problem with the auxiliary air doors on the bottom of the airplane. when the landing gear is extended, the doors are open to allow more air into the engine, and they close when the gear goes up. however, at cruise speed (not much over 400 kts, even) the doors begin to open due to the pressure differential between the outside of the airplane and inside the engine bay (exacerbated by that pesky ram effect, of course).

i think the little tabs on the A-pillars are there to keep the windows from popping open, although i haven't put kinematics to it. i guess i could sit in the car and see if i could force the window open. but at even a half-psi pressure differential, that's about 300 pounds acting on the window to push it open (that's just a WAG, based on another guesstimate of window area, assuming pressure center is a little below halfway up the window, so don't hold me to it).

i rode in an F-40 (sorry for using the "F" word) at 180 mph, and it's quite loud there, too. and i could hear the noise increasing exponentially (somewhere about 2, i would imagine) with speed increase.

the 350Z windows lower and raise authomatically, about 3/8", when the doors are opened and closed, and they stay tucked up inside the window seals that way, obviating the requirement for other retention devices.

or, as ken said, we could get the windows adjusted.

 

[mlambert890]

It's interesting because I get the same wind noise on the 03. It seems like it really shouldnt come from the factory requiring dealer tweaking, to be honest. I had assumed it is a design flaw. Unless I have the incredibly bad luck of buying the one 03 that has this problem?

 

[coolnsx]

Andy, I'm going to have to go with you on the 163 MPH, I'll certainly never be able to disprove it. Welcome Back!

 

[ChopsJazz]

Ken's right on the money. They don't al do that. My car never made a sound at speeds under 145 mph. Only around 145 and 150+ did the windows start to roar. But after the widow fix-it thingies they leak a bit, like yours, around 125 mph.

Take it to a dealer and have the windows adjusted.

 

[Juice]

I have to admit that I am quite impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of having the car automaticly roll down the window upon opening the door, then up after the door closes. It seems it would solve an awful lot of issues upfront if the NSX had acquired this design.