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

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.

 

Now that is a brilliant idea! I might even try that one myself.

 

does your control arms have holes in them

 

At which point of the door seal was the hole incision done, so we could do the same thing in our garage too? Hope to see pictures if at all possible..Thanks..

 

This is a closeup of the upper left corner of the driver's door on my Tacoma.
You can see the incision area. (It might be a little higher than used by other posters)
Remember to lubricate the tubing well, as I mentioned in an earlier post ... it will be quite difficult to insert through the entire tunnel if not lubed.
Extend the inserted tubing to a few inches below the bend at the right side of the driver's door.
(Ignore the foam tape ... that was from a previous experiment)

Today's drive was much quieter than in the "unfixed, no-tubing condition. Still some wind noise at 65-75 MPH, but that is to be expected.

 

Update on my fix since it's been about a week. No noise at all, but will continue to monitor it.

 

Glad to hear this has improved your wind noise! I unfortunately didn't have time to do the fix myself this weekend, but plan to get to it soon!

 

Try my method, no wind noise, the truck is significantly quieter than it ever was, even before the weird noise started. My method was developed by the Toyota engineers working to solve this issue. But hey what do they know, just try whatever method you want.

 

Been so busy but meaning to try your method soon, maybe tonight. Do you think running some 7/16 insulation tape would have same as effect as taping up the tubing?

 

I don't think the tape was for anything more than to hold the tubing into place, they used 2 sided foam tape, I believe 3m makes it. The 7/16" Vacuum tubing is the part that is important, whatever method you use to keep it tucked behind the seal should be fine.

 

Yep.
Tried it first, using a slightly shorter piece of tubing, and patches of 2-sided sticky tape.
It worked pretty well ... with some negative cosmetics for some reason. And, to "do it right", I would have to peel back at least the top quarter of the door seal, put the sticky tape all around the inside of the door, put the tubing on the tape, then replace the door seal.

So, I tried an easier way to beef up the top of the door seal, as a DIY project, rather than a more time-consuming effort. However, I definitely will ask about "official" Toyota fixes when next I bring my truck to the dealer. If they volunteer to perform the "do it right" fix you described, I will be happy to have them do it, for even more noise reduction. (Today's 60-75 MPH tests were quite good, with some wind noise in crosswinds. At 55 or below, the straight-line wind noise level was well below the tire/road noise!)

Oh ... do you know if Toyota will issue a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) describing your fix, since you say it was developed by Toyota engineers? The number of that TSB would really be helpful for those of us who want our dealers to fix the problem!

 

I started to try to apply the method you had done... I am just wondering when you hit the clips that attach the seal to the door, was the tubing cut and then started again on the other side of the clip? Or did they manage to make one long tube just go around the clips?

 

I'm getting in on this!
I posted something earlier today and someone was kind enough to point me to this thread..

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2015-tacoma-wind-noise-over-x-mph.423337/#post-12092587

I would like to add that I also mentioned a different noise coming from a different area of the truck to see if any of you guys have heard it as well.

OP, I'm around 8000 miles on my truck, so I'm getting close to my 2nd oil change. I will definitely bring this issue up. What are the chances they'll do anything about it?

 

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.

 

Subs

 

Are you a victim as well?

 

if worse comes to worst and the dealer does nothing about it, what kind of lubricant are you guys using for pushing the tubing through the seal?
I think the first guy who tried used armor all.. I have dow corning silicon grease at my work. Wouldn't wanna try anything that could cause any harm.

 

Use a silicone lube like this: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/blaster-silicone-lube-16-sl/10948798-P?searchTerm=silcone+lube

 

Looks like a good product. Thanks!

 

I used it to fish tubing into the seal on the cab side. I am planning on doing it to the door seal like done by OP here soon.

The stuff is actually good for the seals. People wipe down all there door seals with it to make them last longer.