'15 SR5 DCSB Wind Noise (SOLVED!!!!)

gkomo · Mar 22, 2016

Just FYI, its been a while now since i did "my" mod, no wind noise whatsoever. For those who are skeptical it was like $4 in drip line and five minutes of my time. See if it cures your symptoms then move onto something more permanent after you know thats the problem?

rottenpixies · Mar 22, 2016

gkomo said: ↑

Just FYI, its been a while now since i did "my" mod, no wind noise whatsoever. For those who are skeptical it was like $4 in drip line and five minutes of my time. See if it cures your symptoms then move onto something more permanent after you know thats the problem?
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I put 3/8 surgical tubing in the channel you did and it didn't stop my wind noise. Maybe that was too big compared to the drip line?

neverstuck · Mar 22, 2016

Jerimyr2000[OP] said: ↑

Ok guys, so its been a grueling few months of stealership let downs trying to get this thing resolved. But finally when I was at my wits end, I e-mailed the GM of the dealer explaining my dissatisfaction with his service department on this one. Well guess what, later that day the service DIRECTOR for the dealership called. I had spoken with the service manager, while he was nice, he was useless in solving this issue. Well the service director told me he had been with Toyota for ~19yrs and that due to his dealership being one of the big boys that he worked with the engineering department that solves defects. Due to the large number of vehicles his dealership sees, he ends up seeing more of the defects, due to this he works directly with engineering on reporting problems and finding solutions.

The first thing he said to me was, "A lot of Tacomas have that noise, and the '15s seem to be the worst". He said that as of a week or two ago Toyota stopped selling the replacement door seals because they are very aware that there is an issue and that replacing the seals doesnt work. What he said after that I really liked, he told me they are working on a new door seal that is thicker and firmer, and that the engineers have a 2015 Tacoma they are using as their test vehicle. He told me that once the new seals are released that myself and everyone with this issue would be receiving a new set. Then he told me the best news of all. He told me they had a temporary fix that would work until the new seals are released.

What they did was, they took 7/16" vacuum hose or windshield washer tubing (either works) and they pulled the seal that is on the door back and ran the rubber tubing behind the seal. They started at the top corner of the trailing edge of the door and run it all the way across the top and down to just below where the side mirror is on the door. Doing this makes the door seal stick out further, and makes it harder to compress while closing the door.

We are having some really bad storms in Houston last night and today, normally with the wind blowing like it is, my truck would be howling like crazy going down the road, but not any more, it's actually quieter inside the cab than it has ever been!!

I am at work currently, but I will post pictures of the tubing and where it is ran when I get home tonight.

Can one of the mods make this a sticky or something like that, I know that after conducting a quick search there are several threads like this, and a lot of unhappy Tacoma owners dealing with this noise. I would like to make sure everyone sees this one, as I know for me it made me a lot happier driving my truck now.
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You should link this post 64 to your first post OP. Quick link to the solution you advertise. Thanks for the write up by the way.

gkomo · Mar 22, 2016

rottenpixies said: ↑

I put 3/8 surgical tubing in the channel you did and it didn't stop my wind noise. Maybe that was too big compared to the drip line?
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Possibly, I used the 1/4" and it fit snuggly in between the two flaps of weatherstripping.

kgarrett11 · Mar 22, 2016

estrada_e234 said: ↑

Are you a victim as well?
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Unfortunately.... :-(

eppy · Mar 23, 2016

Guys, I use Honda shin-Etsu grease for tightening up my wore out trim seals. You always keep your trim tight! Lol

Rattlejay65 · Mar 23, 2016

estrada_e234 said: ↑

Are you by any chance an engineering major? With a focus in fluids/aerodynamics I'd assume? Took my fluids/aerodynamics course last semester and you described the lift portion of it just as I remember.
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I started out in mechanical engineering while in the Air Force. Was in Spain, our only English speaking instructor's wife got sick and he quit, so me and the others had to change majors. My first degree was in Aeronautics and now I'm an ER nurse. It was a mid life crisis job change, lol. But yes, I did take a bunch of engineering classes back in the day. Funny how you remember all that stuff after 20 plus years. Thanks and good luck with school. It's worth it.

estrada_e234 · Mar 23, 2016

Are you guys doing something like this?
Unfortunately, I'm watching the video in a quiet room with no headphones so I couldn't listen to his commentary but the procedure looks the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XR-J7VTN80

rottenpixies · Mar 23, 2016

estrada_e234 said: ↑

Are you guys doing something like this?
Unfortunately, I'm watching the video in a quiet room with no headphones so I couldn't listen to his commentary but the procedure looks the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XR-J7VTN80
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I did that exact method to the door seal on the cab like he does in the video. I'm planning to do similar to the seal on the door. Only issue is there is no cavity to fish the tubing into like on the cab side. So will have to cut a slit into it or something like others here stated.

It made the door sound way more sturdy when its closed but didn't do much for wind noise. Hoping doing it to the door will improve it. I think I will do OPs method with tape behind the seal before cutting it open and trying to fish it through.

estrada_e234 · Mar 23, 2016

rottenpixies said: ↑

I did that exact method to the door seal on the cab like he does in the video. I'm planning to do similar to the seal on the door. Only issue is there is no cavity to fish the tubing into like on the cab side. So will have to cut a slit into it or something like others here stated.

It made the door sound way more sturdy when its closed but didn't do much for wind noise. Hoping doing it to the door will improve it. I think I will do OPs method with tape behind the seal before cutting it open and trying to fish it through.
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By cab, are you referring to the rear window seal?

rottenpixies · Mar 23, 2016

estrada_e234 said: ↑

By cab, are you referring to the rear window seal?
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The driver weatherstrip seal attached to the truck side instead of the door.

This one

estrada_e234 · Mar 23, 2016

rottenpixies said: ↑

The driver weatherstrip seal attached to the truck side instead of the door.

This one

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Gotcha, thanks!

Did more reading on another Tacoma Forum.. Seems like it's happening with some of the '16s as well:

McFlywannabe · Mar 24, 2016

I don't know how much this will help but I was having the annoying whistle as well. No matter how hard I tried to find the cause, I couldn't. It almost sounded like it was coming from outside.
I installed my custom grill this weekend and after driving to work (highway the whole way. 45-65mph) the sound is magically gone.

rottenpixies · Mar 24, 2016

McFlywannabe said: ↑

I don't know how much this will help but I was having the annoying whistle as well. No matter how hard I tried to find the cause, I couldn't. It almost sounded like it was coming from outside.
I installed my custom grill this weekend and after driving to work (highway the whole way. 45-65mph) the sound is magically gone.
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Interesting. What grill did you install?

McFlywannabe · Mar 24, 2016

rottenpixies said: ↑

Interesting. What grill did you install?
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SS Grill from @customcargrills

I don't know if it will solve anyone's issues. It just did mine

wardamntaco · Mar 24, 2016

I've been searching for a solution for a "screeching" or "howling" noise when traveling at highway speeds in a cross wind. Found this discussion ( https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/solved-howling-noise-between-35-45.410480/) in the 3rd gen forum and I'm going to try it out first chance I get. Seems weird to me that it's the LCA's considering it sounds like the noise is coming from the passenger side A-Pillar, but since we basically have the same style LCA's as the 3rd gens and the noise sounds exactly like the noise in the video in the thread I figured it was worth a shot.

wardamntaco · Mar 24, 2016

wardamntaco said: ↑

I've been searching for a solution for a "screeching" or "howling" noise when traveling at highway speeds in a cross wind. Found this discussion ( https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/solved-howling-noise-between-35-45.410480/) in the 3rd gen forum and I'm going to try it out first chance I get. Seems weird to me that it's the LCA's considering it sounds like the noise is coming from the passenger side A-Pillar, but since we basically have the same style LCA's as the 3rd gens and the noise sounds exactly like the noise in the video in the thread I figured it was worth a shot.
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Actually, here is a better sound clip of the noise I'm hearing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAV1h2YISA4

deadbird8 · Mar 27, 2016

wardamntaco said: ↑

Actually, here is a better sound clip of the noise I'm hearing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAV1h2YISA4
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CBoy808 said: ↑

i get this exact sound in my 2012 tacoma driving in a certain area here...it only happens in areas there is a cross wind too.
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For both of you- that seems to be the Window Seal 'kazoo' noise. I solved it on my 2014 with some RTV silicone on the window seal. See the solution I used here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/window-noise-in-crosswinds-consolidated-solutions.424117/

HB Taco · Mar 27, 2016

Rattlejay65 said: ↑

Now I've not read all the posts on this one, but this problem of a high-pitched wind noise when driving in cross winds is not an exclusive Toyota problem. I've experienced this in many different car makes and models. There are a couple of reasons you get this noise. Most of all it is a design issue and a flexing of the metal issue. This coupled with high driving speeds and cross winds will certainly cause this high-pitched noise. If you are driving at 74 mph, this is category I hurricane wind speeds. Jump up to 96 mph and you have level II hurricane wind speeds.

The design of the window frame on the doors on a vehicle where the door window frame closes flush with the side of the roof of the vehicle, will experience this noise while driving at high speeds coupled with cross winds. You see, as the cross wind blows over the roof and falls off the side of the roof over the door, it rolls off and creates vortices. You've all seen a plane landing on the runway during rain or cloudy days and those little rolling trails that are spinning off the ends of the wings, those are vortices. They create high-speed, low pressure, wind force rolling off the roof and over the window door frame which is like a suction force trying to pull the door open. The weakest point of the door mating to the roof is the top rear end of the window frame. So when this high-speed wind goes across the roof at a cross wind direction, the pulling force it creates pulls at the window frame and causes an increase in the gap between the window door frame and the roof, and thus a loss of the seal. So the seal vibrates and causes this very high pitched noise. Some engineers say it's actually the wind that makes the noise. Either way, it is very rapid winds whipping in that little area and it is plenty enough force to vibrate that seal or vibrate that air. Like putting a blade of grass between your thumbs and blowing on it to make a high-pitched noise. Hey, it's a good way to entertain kids at a picnic.

I read a post on here where the owner said the dealer mechanic, or whoever it was, bent the door and made it a tighter seal. I would venture a guess that he just opened the door, put his back against the frame of the body, put his knee against the back of the door and grabbed the top of the window frame and jerked it towards himself. This action will bend the top of the door window frame inward, causing a tighter seal against the door seal when the door is closed. This is only a temporary fix as the metal will eventually flex back to it's original form, because we all know thin metal will flex and bend. If you keep bending the window frame, over and over, the metal will eventually crack. I've seen the window frames welded back on numerous vehicles like this, usually at the back or front of the window frame at the lowest point of the window frame where it meets the door frame.

These vehicles were designed for forward driving in high winds, not necessarily high cross winds. And if you don't think high winds can cause enough low pressure force to pull that window door frame out and away from the body of the vehicle, just think of it as wind blowing in the crevice and pushing it out. But it's really pulling it out from the low pressure. That's what lifts an airplane. Notice the curve of a regular type airplane's wing (not a fighter jet type wing). It has a higher degree of curve on top of the wing and a relatively flat type curve on the bottom of the wing. So when air hits the front of the wing, it splits and some air goes over the wing and some under the wing. That air will meet at the same time at the back of the wing, so the air traveling across the top of the wing has a farther distance to travel to reach the back of the wing as the air traveling under the wing. This faster traveling air on top of the wing causes a lower pressure above the wing and this actuall sucks or pulls the aircraft up. Creating lift. It's the same principle that Indy cars use under the carriage. The force of wind directed under the car sucks the car down with a force that is designed to keep the car stuck to the track. Better traction. They say an Indy car at top speeds could drive on a track inverted and not fall off the track, like defying gravity. This is what is happening to your window when you are driving high speeds and drive through cross-winds. It's the same force and same principle.

So how do you fix it? Nothing will be permanent that I've seen. You can put in fatter seals, but this will eventually cause the metal to flex outward over time. You can keep bending the window frame inward with your knee, but like I've already said, that won't last either. You could just drive slower in cross winds, or like another said on here, just crank up the radio. Toyota, and other manufacturers could put in a little more beef in the metal of the doors, especially around the window frames, or design a duel door latch with another latch up near the top. But I've seen this high-pitched wind noise in Chevys, Fords, Nissans, Hondas and Toyotas. My 2010 RAV4 Limited did it too. But I hope this info helps, or sheds light on the problem. Maybe they will make a different seal, or may have already. Best of luck. I just deal with it. Not going to be bending my doors or trying mods on the seals.
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Great posts on this. I could swear my noise comes from the windshield itself?

Mr. Ed's taco · Mar 28, 2016

From what I've read the dealership will take care of this. I think there is a TSB somewhere about it. Not sure if it was mentioned earlier in the thread.

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