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Wind Noise Front Windows

29K views 63 replies 23 participants last post by  Seal 
#1 ·
We have a 1.5 TSI SEL DSG, 2019 registered [UK]. Mostly we are very pleased with it, it is a really good driving experience, but……

At about 45 mph a wind sound starts on the driver's window. The intensity increases until at motorway speeds it is really annoying, and tiring. The passenger side has the same sound, but at a much, much reduced level. I would like to find out what it could be before I go to the dealer. Things I have learnt so far are:
1. It is very different intensity on the two sides, as stated above
2. If you turn round and go back down the same road, the high level of noise stays on the driver's side [i.e. eliminating wind direction]
3. Some web sites e.g. What Car do not report it as a problem, others do e.g. Top Gear. There are others on both sides.
4. This difference confuses me: I could understand different trims with different size wheels having different road noise levels, but I would have thought all T-Rocs would have the same windscreen, wing mirrors, door panels etc. So why should some T-Rocs have window noise and others not?
5. There are various suggestions put forward by web sites such as big wing mirrors, air hitting the windscreen and being deflected, air hitting the wing mirror posts.
6. I have used masking tape both inside and outside of the door frame but none of this made any difference. I have also taped around the wing mirror - closing off the channel that runs around it, to no avail.

If anybody has an inkling as to what is causing this or how to fix it, I would be grateful. It takes the edge of what otherwise would be a great driving experience. Thank you
 
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#2 ·
Arghhh, so I'm not the only one! My first observation upon driving my T-Roc was how quiet it was... I suppose this is because my previous car had been a Tiguan 2.0 TDi with its inherent diesel sounds. As the T-Roc's 1.5 TSi was so quiet the wind noise from what I assumed to be the driver-side mirror housing became evident. It starts as a hiss at around 40 mph and gets louder, but not too obtrusive... However I noticed that as I went faster this wind noise became less noticeable.
I can still say that the T-Roc is without doubt the quietest car I've had for some time and the fact that you can hold a normal conversation, without having to raise your voice at 70 mph, is a testament to this.
 
#4 ·
Thank you Barnaclebob and troc-on for replying. I have never been in/, or posted to any forum before and I am surprised at the very few replies I have had. Different priorities, I suppose. I tried driving round with the wing mirror post wrapped in cloth and taped, but it made no difference. It was quite a crude experiment, so who knows. Thank you for the wind deflector information, I had been wondering about them. Money saved there. In our car, this wind noise increases the faster you go, no levelling or reduction. I am reluctant to take it in to the dealer because with the best will in the world having this and that tried doesn't sound too sensible. Perhaps I just have to wait and see if a definite answer appears.
 
#5 ·
Hi RP22,

Probably few people have responded because few have any experience of your problem. Wind noise is generally caused by air turbulence and the sound will penetrate into the cabin of any/most vehicles to a greater or lesser extent depending on design and quality of fit of the various components.

I suggest you contact your dealer and arrange to have a drive in another T-Roc for comparison. If that confirms that the wind noise in your car is clearly worse, then the dealer needs to examine the door in detail.

This would need to check that the door is correctly hung and that all the rubber seals are correctly fitted. Following that would be inspection of the window rubbers and guides, and possibly even the interior of the door behind the trim panel, where there might be some sound deadening material. The fitting of the door mirror would also have to be checked to ensure it is tight and any rubber seals between the mirror and the door are fitted correclty.

One other possibility is that the door window is not going fully up into the top channel and may need adjustment.

It is very much an inspection and trial and error approach, as you have already found from your own experiments, and the problem may lie in an area that is not readily visible. I can't see what else you can do besides what I've suggested above.
 
#6 ·
Thank you Impala for writing such a detailed, helpful reply. I am not entirely convinced about the low reply rate being because few readers have the problem. If you Google 'T-Roc Wind Noise' and look at the results, wind noise is mentioned as a problem on these websites: Top Gear, Motoring Research, Auto Express, Autocar, Practical Motoring, the Telegraph, York press, the Standard, the Express, Car Buyer, Press Reader, UK.Motor1.com - all these on just on the first few pages of results. The noises they describe sound very similar to the noise in our T-Roc

You are right that sooner or later I am going to have to go to the dealer, take out another SEL to listen for a comparison [noise wasn't present in an SEL test drive car but at a different dealer] and wait to see what they come up with. However, before I do that I am hoping that I can come across someone who had identified the problem and solved it.

There were lots of good points in your answer, Impala, I wonder if you have any thoughts on one more line of approach? - I understand Volkswagen produces something called Technical Service Bulletins [TSBs] when a fault and its fix is identified, as well as Technical Product Information [TPIs] for vehicle modifications. Do you, or anybody out there, know if these are accessible to the public via the internet, obviously for the T-Roc?
 
#7 ·
Strange that there should be so many magazine & press reports of wind noise being a problem.

I did a search of the forum and there are only maybe 2 or 3 topics in which wind noise is discussed, but not as the main subject. Impressions seem to be split 50-50 between very little and some noise from A-pillars or door mirror, but nothing major like you have described. Maybe you have very acute hearing and percieve this more than others.

Regarding service bulletins and TPIs, I don't think these are available to the public although, as you will find if you look at today's posts in the Kangaroo thread, they can sometimes fall into someone's hands. Your dealer should be able to chack and will surely inform you if any relate to wind noise.
 
#9 ·
Just a suggestion, but if you make up a solution of very soapy water, apply that with a sponge to both the door and window rubbers. If you then drive it immediately afterwards and the noise is reduced or has stopped, then the simple longer term fix is to spray the rubber door seals and the rubber seals around the window with Vertical Blinds Silicone Spray, as this will lubricate the rubber without causing damage.

It can happen that rubber seals dry out, and slightly catch - no let me term that better as do not sit properly once the door or window is closed, as they are insufficiently lubricated. Using a very soapy solution to determine if this could be the cause is a cheap way of determining the fix (as the lubricant from soap is only temporary), Silicone Spray is a more longer term solution.

If this is the case, then environment or other factors could cause rubber seals to dry quicker or slower, thus why some T-ROC's have wind noise, and some door.

Either that or it's a poorly fitted door, which the dealer would need to determine and sort
 
#10 ·
I am a troc 1.5 owner and am facing the same problem with wind noise over 80 kmph. I went to my dealer and asked him to drive the car and tell me for a possible solution. His opinion was that the pillars next to the windscreen create the wind noise because of the car's height.

Any solution would be a great help for me, cause in general it is a really good car.
 
#11 ·
Stam said:
I am a troc 1.5 owner and am facing the same problem with wind noise over 80 kmph. I went to my dealer and asked him to drive the car and tell me for a possible solution. His opinion was that the pillars next to the windscreen create the wind noise because of the car's height.

Any solution would be a great help for me, cause in general it is a really good car.
So why aren't all owners complaining about wind noise :?: :?: :?:
I have to say my Troc is amongst the quietest I've owned over a period of approx 50 yrs even at 80 MPH (on the motorway - I was in a hurry :!: :!: :!: :oops: :oops: ) I do not get excessive noise. In fact, I find it a quite relaxing drive ;) ;)
 
#12 ·
Swsgm30 said:
So why aren't all owners complaining about wind noise :?: :?: :?:
I have to say my Troc is amongst the quietest I've owned over a period of approx 50 yrs even at 80 MPH (on the motorway - I was in a hurry :!: :!: :!: :oops: :oops: ) I do not get excessive noise. In fact, I find it a quite relaxing drive ;) ;)
Perhaps you're partially deaf as well as dangerous? Sorry, couldn't resist :D
 
#13 ·
T Roo said:
Swsgm30 said:
So why aren't all owners complaining about wind noise :?: :?: :?:
I have to say my Troc is amongst the quietest I've owned over a period of approx 50 yrs even at 80 MPH (on the motorway - I was in a hurry :!: :!: :!: :oops: :oops: ) I do not get excessive noise. In fact, I find it a quite relaxing drive ;) ;)
Perhaps you're partially deaf as well as dangerous? Sorry, couldn't resist :D
None taken :!: :!:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ;) ;)
 
#14 ·
Hello Stam, again. I am not sure about the noise being caused by the pillars next to the windscreen. If this was the case all T-Rocs would surely have the same problem, but what is clear from Interneting it is that some do and some don't have this noise.
 
#15 ·
RP22 said:
Hello Stam, again. I am not sure about the noise being caused by the pillars next to the windscreen. If this was the case all T-Rocs would surely have the same problem, but what is clear from Interneting it is that some do and some don't have this noise.
Perhaps it's a 'heavy-breather' .. these roos can be quite excitable :!: :!:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
#16 ·
I'm waiting for VW to issue a TPI announcing that the wind noise is due to flatulent owners who are advised to visit their Doctor for a software update. This is a known characteristic in all people apparently; an interim fix is a strategically inserted bung :mrgreen:
 
#17 ·
T Roo said:
I'm waiting for VW to issue a TPI announcing that the wind noise is due to flatulent owners who are advised to visit their Doctor for a software update. This is a known characteristic in all people apparently; an interim fix is a strategically inserted bung :mrgreen:
Hey T Roo,
Would not that cause a bit of tubo back pressure? :D
 
#21 ·
Hello Stam, thank you for your input. A door realignment, you must be more technically minded than me, please post when you know what happens. I have bought, for a few pounds, the current Technical Service Bulletin for the T-Roc, using the site named further up. There is no mention of any issue involving air noise. I thought the method used by someone [also described above] using an air line to identify the problem was interesting - one person stood outside sprays compressed air steadily all around the door-to-frame, and window-to-door seal areas. A person sits inside and when the air jet passes the weak point - the point of air entry, the noise inside changes. Not that easy if you don't have a workshop. I have driven our T-Roc around with the door and windows sealed up with blue auto grade masking tape, and around the wing mirror, it made no difference at all.

I don't know how much of a T-Roc is assembled by humans and how much by robots, but I would expect the robots to be precisely correct in assembling their parts, variation maybe with the human assembled bits. The point is all T-Rocs do not have this problem, but some do. So which bits are put on by people on the assembly line, no idea.

For information, there is also noise on the passenger side, but at a much lower level - say only about one third of the noise on the driver's side. Also, we picked up our car in April, and it has not rained much since then where we live. However, on the one occasion we were out in serious rain, I was very aware of the noise of wet tyres on wet tarmac coming up through the bottom of the doors, both sides.

We have five hours of motorway travel coming up this weekend, and I should be looking forward to driving this fabulous car. Unfortunately I cannot not hear the noise, then I get annoyed about it, then a headache starts, then it makes me tired. It shouldn't be like that. I am collecting ideas and information before I go to the dealer.
 
#22 ·
RP22 said:
Hello Stam, thank you for your input. A door realignment, you must be more technically minded than me, please post when you know what happens. I have bought, for a few pounds, the current Technical Service Bulletin for the T-Roc, using the site named further up. There is no mention of any issue involving air noise. I thought the method used by someone [also described above] using an air line to identify the problem was interesting - one person stood outside sprays compressed air steadily all around the door-to-frame, and window-to-door seal areas. A person sits inside and when the air jet passes the weak point - the point of air entry, the noise inside changes. Not that easy if you don't have a workshop. I have driven our T-Roc around with the door and windows sealed up with blue auto grade masking tape, and around the wing mirror, it made no difference at all.

I don't know how much of a T-Roc is assembled by humans and how much by robots, but I would expect the robots to be precisely correct in assembling their parts, variation maybe with the human assembled bits. The point is all T-Rocs do not have this problem, but some do. So which bits are put on by people on the assembly line, no idea.

For information, there is also noise on the passenger side, but at a much lower level - say only about one third of the noise on the driver's side. Also, we picked up our car in April, and it has not rained much since then where we live. However, on the one occasion we were out in serious rain, I was very aware of the noise of wet tyres on wet tarmac coming up through the bottom of the doors, both sides.

We have five hours of motorway travel coming up this weekend, and I should be looking forward to driving this fabulous car. Unfortunately I cannot not hear the noise, then I get annoyed about it, then a headache starts, then it makes me tired. It shouldn't be like that. I am collecting ideas and information before I go to the dealer.
Hi RP22 .. don't know if this might help you localise the problem .. a few years ago, I saw an article showing how Ford Workshops were testing for water ingress but this might also be applicable to noise .... they basically used a sound source on the inside or outside and (in their case) a microphone on the opposite position. They were using quite high frequency, barely audible, signals to find quite obscure leaks but it's led me to think that you could play e.g. a radio and listen around the door seals you may get a little closer in your quest
;) ;)
 
#24 ·
To finish this post off: I finally took the T-Roc to the dealership. What brought this decision on was that we have recently been doing a lot of high speed, prolonged motorway driving, and having noisy air swirling on the glass by your head hour after hour is very draining/annoying/put your own word in.

The garage technician wooshed it up a local bypass, and said straight away it was the wing mirrors. No ifs or buts. We then drove another T-Roc which unfortunately had exactly the same noise. Although we had test driven a T-Roc before buying and not noticed the window noise, this second drive today was the end of it. In fairness to the garage, there isn't anything they could have done.

The garage showed me a communication from VW, and the wing mirror noise is accepted as a feature of the T-Roc. There is no way to fix it. There is no door re-alignment possible, and no point in changing the door seals.

We have had Volvos in the past and they offer as an option laminated front side windows, and it was very effective, but I have never seen it offered by any one else, inc. VW.

It has altered how I perceive this car. It is great for poodling around town and going out on Sunday afternoon, but not good for serious motorway driving.
 
#25 ·
RP22 wrote:

The garage showed me a communication from VW, and the wing mirror noise is accepted as a feature of the T-Roc. There is no way to fix it. There is no door re-alignment possible, and no point in changing the door seals.

So this proves conclusively that the fault, as reported by myself and many others, is not a figment of our imagination. Despite my age I do have a very good sense of hearing unimpaired by any industrial cause of hearing loss - or in fact from overly loud music from either so called "high quality" sound systems with their over-powering sub woofers, or by headphones. Having said that, the only thing I can suggest to those of us who can actually hear the wind noise is to turn the music up and drown it out... LOL!!
 
#26 ·
Have you tried turning the switch to fold the mirrors in to see if the noise level changes ? Not sure if you can even do that when the car is in gear and moving :?
 
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