[markcanderson]

Hi,

I've got a 93 and at over 100Mph the wind breaks through the driver's door seal, ... is this normal with your cars?

I'm checking because I've got a month left on warranty... and nothing's gone wrong, so I'm clutching at straws now...

(p.s. autobahn driving,.. before anyone starts..)

 

[kprm77]

That's not happened on my 9000 Carlsson at over 100mph. Mind you there's a lot of noise anyway, so not entirely sure I'd hear it.

Just trying to remember the last time I was on the Autobahn ;-)

Kevin Mc
(Moonlighting on the other lists again)

 

[jnevillea]

Yes - my rapid 93 Tid (still for sale!) does exactly that - reminds me of an Austin Maestro I once owned. If you get a cure let us know - and no autobahns in Ireland!

 

[quarryeff]

Ditto my 1999 9-3 Coupe. I've heard the door can be 'bent' to eradicate noise.

 

[jb]

9-3 5dr. Don't even need to be close to 100 to get an annoying high pitched whistle and it get's louder as speed increases.

local dealer has had a couple of attempts at re-setting the door but no noticable difference.

 

[sgould]

I fixed wind noise on a Montego and a Metro by bending the window surround. Do it with the glass wound down, it's easier. You may need to adjust the alignment of the lower glass track behind the door trim. I found that without the track adjustment winding the glass up put the door back where it was.

One further point - check which door is noisy. I once spent some time on the driver's door when the noise was from the hinge edge of the rear door!

 

[Neil M]

Before you go bending any door! Check the plastic trim down the outside on the windscreen - it was not attached at the bottom on my 900 Coupe, and vibrated at high speed causing a whistling noise.

 

[markcanderson]

Thanks guys...

Firstly, I now know that it's a common problem with 93s... secondly there will be no door bending...

It's not a whistling noise... it's the wind blowing straight through the door seal at high pressure (i.e. higher speeds)... i can place my finger on to the seal and push to completely break the seal around the door and winds breaks straight through into the cabin... this can occur without my prompting with gusts of wind on-top of the speed.

 

[sgould]

It's more likely to be the high speed airflow outside sucking the seal out rather than pushing it in. The only solution is to squeeze the seal tighter onto its seat by moving the door closer to the body. If you don't want to bend the door you'll have to adjust the latch or hinges. If you do that make sure that you mark the original positions before you slacken the fastenings - they move in all directions and you may want to go back to square one and start again. Best to slacken just enough so you can move the bits only by gently tapping with a (soft faced) hammer.

 

[sgould]

It's more likely to be the high speed airflow outside sucking the seal out rather than pushing it in. The only solution is to squeeze the seal tighter onto its seat by moving the door closer to the body. If you don't want to bend the door you'll have to adjust the latch or hinges. If you do that make sure that you mark the original positions before you slacken the fastenings - they move in all directions and you may want to go back to square one and start again. Best to slacken just enough so you can move the bits only by gently tapping with a (soft faced) hammer.

 

[sgould]

Sorry! It seems to post twice from Internet Explorer.

Another thought (via Netscape): The rubber seals perform all sorts of contortions, especially around the sharp corners. You could try a simple spray with a good rubber/nylon silicone lubricant to help the seals seat. Worth a try before you do anything more drastic.

 

[Jez]

Mark,

I test drove a 9-3 and commented on the noise. The dealer said that this is not normal and if I bought a car and reported it they would look into it.

I have since bought an Aero Coupe (very nice) and the noise does occur at high speed on windy days only. I just don't feel I have enough justification to go back and tell them that at 100+ on a windy day the door sounds like it is about to blow off.

I would imagine it is almost certainly going to be down to the very steep windscreen. A design almost completely unique to the 900/9-3. I don't want to start fiddling with it myself but I only do 100+ very occasionally on very quiet roads (hmm, hang on - no, no, no, I don't at all - that was a joke) So what's the point of grumbling. I will just have to put up with it. I don't care, I love the car.

 

[john]

The dealer said that this is not normal and if I bought a car and reported it they would look into it.

to which I would say, "you fix the problem and I might consider buying it"

/john

 

[oreee]

I am taking my 9-3 01 in for the fourth time tomorrow to try and get this windnoise taken care of. I hear the noise starting at 50mph. It is driving me mad. The first time I took it to the dealer it was a rainy day -- they "could not hear the noise." The second time the windshield was re-sealed and the third time the sideview mirrors were removed and and the seals replaced. Wish me luck.

 

[jb]

Over the past few days I've found an alternative to fixing the windnoise. All I needed to do is try to install some acoustic deadening material in the door panels for the AS3 speakers... I've managed to create a whole symphony of extra rattles, buzzes, hums and squeaks and no longer care about the windnoise! Humph.

jb (Bodgit and Scarper plc)

 

[MartinR]

I know what you guys are talking about now. Got the same problem on the way to work yesterday when it was *really* windy.
JB, your AS3 fix sound like a good 'un to me .

MR

(A14 regular)

 

[RobertA]

Yes, I know what you mean. Driving up the M40 couple of days ago it was very windy. Door seals on drivers side seemed to lift off with every gust of wind causing severe drafts and a lot of (temporary) noise.

 

[saabman]

I think if your wind noise goes through the door seals you should either stop eating so many baked beans or stop being so scared at high speeds

 

[markcanderson]

Saabman,

Hmmm..

I'll take the baked beans as a given,

however, when you're sitting cruising at over 130mph.. everything has the potential to be scarey.

Of course crossing the length of Germany at 130 these days is impossible.. keep getting stuck behind 'slow' Audis.

 

[oreee]

Well folks, the dealer kept my car for three days in an attempt to get rid of the windnoise. It's still there. Eveything that could be sealed was. I am at a lost and so is the dealer. I suspect this is something that I must live with. This was not a problem with my 900 SE ('96)