# Wind noise, dealer said it's normal? But is it?



## jsnowbordr47 (Aug 10, 2013)

How much wind noise is acceptable for this vehicle? I just had mine at the dealer for several days due to the wind noise that they acknowledged. They replaced the door seals on the driver and passenger side, but when I picked up my vehicle, the service advisor said the noise is normal, because of the 2 piece mirror that the new Cruze uses, despite the fact that to my ear the noise on the driver side is coming from nowhere near the side mirrors more closer to the B-pillar. Also, it seems that the wind noise is actually worse now that they've changed the door seals. He said he tested a 2017 Cruze off the lot and that it also had wind noise. To me the sound is as if the door is not closed fully.

I find it hard to believe that a brand new car would have this type of wind noise. To my ear it's very noticeable at 60+mph. 

Anyone else dealing with wind noise issues and being told to pound sand by the dealership? Should a brand new car in 2016 have noticeable wind noise? Or does it sound like the dealership just giving me the runaround so they don't have to do more research into the matter? In that case it's time for another dealership.


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## EricSmit (Dec 21, 2016)

You can go to another dealership if you want, but they'll tell you the same thing. It's noisy.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

If it is anything like previous models then yes, you will have bad wind noise. The wind noise in my 13 LT is annoying but nothing fixed it.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

wasney said:


> If it is anything like previous models then yes, you will have bad wind noise. The wind noise in my 13 LT is annoying but nothing fixed it.


My ECO has very little wind noise and it's the same body design. One of the biggest sources of wind noise is incomplete or loose door seals on the leading edge of the back doors. Check there - that weather stripping should be secured to the door (mine had to be glued in place) and go from the bottom of the window to the top of the door.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

obermd said:


> My ECO has very little wind noise and it's the same body design. One of the biggest sources of wind noise is incomplete or loose door seals on the leading edge of the back doors. Check there - that weather stripping should be secured to the door (mine had to be glued in place) and go from the bottom of the window to the top of the door.



Mine has all that, someone on the FB suggested that to me a few months ago. Mine is noticeably coming from the front of the driver's door. Like it is the mirror or something. I was thinking of taking some sealing foam strip or something to see if the noise is from the crack where the mirror can fold in.


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## Mikeselky85 (Nov 6, 2016)

I just went through this issue on my Cruze hatchback. Took it to my local dealer body shop, they taped the door up and located the issue to be the window felt. They replaced it and I hadn't heard any noises from it since. I had a significant wind noise from my drivers window and I made sure that the dealer knew exactly what I was talking about. I'm also an ASE master tech, so I made sure they understood fully and that I knew it wasn't a normal noise


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## jsnowbordr47 (Aug 10, 2013)

I think I'm going to go test drive another 2016/2017 Cruze just to compare, I just need to wait for the weather in my area to clear up. If there's noticeably less wind noise I'm definitely going to go to another dealership. There's a Buick/Cadillac dealership that I sometimes go to for service, but since this is a brand new Chevy, I figured the Chevrolet dealership would be best equipped to handle any issues with the new cars.


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## Philb (Jun 18, 2016)

This might be worth a try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egvfsf6cw7Q


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

Mikeselky85 said:


> I just went through this issue on my Cruze hatchback. Took it to my local dealer body shop, they taped the door up and located the issue to be the window felt. They replaced it and I hadn't heard any noises from it since. I had a significant wind noise from my drivers window and I made sure that the dealer knew exactly what I was talking about. I'm also an ASE master tech, so I made sure they understood fully and that I knew it wasn't a normal noise


We never did anything with the felt on the window. I will have to check into that. However, I have a slight whistle and I taped up the mirror crack for where it folds and it mostly went away. I was thinking it was that.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

Philb said:


> This might be worth a try:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egvfsf6cw7Q



This isn't a bad idea either.


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## wasney (Mar 3, 2015)

It's like $70 for the window seal. Jeeze.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

To determine if it is the mirror, drive the car with the mirror folded back.
If there is still noise, tape the seam where the mirror meets the base (the pivot point) with the mirror still folded.
Check for noise.

If the sound changes during any of these experiments, you likely are hearing 'wind ruffle' around the mirrors. Common, and one of the most aggravating components in the carmaking business.
There is no fix for 'wind ruffle'......the mirror housing transfers the vibration into the door skin which acts as a speaker cone.

If these tests change nothing then focus on door and glass seals......you can tape the glass at the dew wiper (lower seal) and see if change occurs. Also, paper (most use a dollar bill....tougher material) between seal and body and gently drag it through looking for resistance is the normal door seal test.

Add to this, each of us perceives sound differently: a frequency that can be heard by one individual may not be noticed by another.
So, a sound that you perceive as abnormal (and irritating) may be heard by another as just a general sound that all tin boxes in motion make while passing through the air.

Good luck!
Rob


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## Cruzen Vegas (Aug 27, 2015)

jsnowbordr47 said:


> I think I'm going to go test drive another 2016/2017 Cruze just to compare, I just need to wait for the weather in my area to clear up. If there's noticeably less wind noise I'm definitely going to go to another dealership. There's a Buick/Cadillac dealership that I sometimes go to for service, but since this is a brand new Chevy, I figured the Chevrolet dealership would be best equipped to handle any issues with the new cars.



You must be in the San Fernando Valley from that statement right? talking about Woodland Hills Gmc/Cadillac?


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## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

My 2012 is actually very quiet. Even at 75+ mph.


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## Philb (Jun 18, 2016)

Camcruse said:


> My 2012 is actually very quiet. Even at 75+ mph.


My 2013 is also very quiet even at highway speeds with the main source of noise coming from the tires. There is no discernible wind noise.


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## jsnowbordr47 (Aug 10, 2013)

Cruzen Vegas said:


> You must be in the San Fernando Valley from that statement right? talking about Woodland Hills Gmc/Cadillac?


lol No, Nor-Cal, San Joaquin County, Chase Chevrolet and Mataga Buick GMC Cadillac.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

Philb said:


> My 2013 is also very quiet even at highway speeds with the main source of noise coming from the tires. There is no discernible wind noise.


Same, my 2014 LT is extremely quiet, I only hear tire noise even when the wind is blowing me off the highway. Sucks the gen 2 hasn't fared the same.


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## Philb (Jun 18, 2016)

The OP stated "To me the sound is as if the door is not closed fully." If the noise is coming from the top of the door this quick fix might be worth a try.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDkow3T9GdU


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## jsnowbordr47 (Aug 10, 2013)

I just got back from a test drive of a 2017 Cruze LT off of the lot of this same dealership. I did notice slight noise from the driver's side, but nothing like what's going on with my car. I was driving freeway speed, 70mph, and it was about 1/16 of the noise in my car. But the most dramatic difference was the passenger side, little to no wind noise at all. Mine sounds like it's straight up missing a piece of the weather stripping/door seals in comparison.

The car I test drove was one of the dealer's previous loaner cars, so it was well broken in/used, but still pretty new. It's very clear now that something is off on my car, and that the wind noise is not normal. 

Now the question is what do I do... go back to this service department and ask them to look at it again... go to the other GM dealership and hope they can fix it... or maybe send an e-mail to one of the service managers instead of a service advisor... I also noticed that I got the Customer Service Satisfaction Survey in my inbox last night... maybe I'll start with that.

I can deal with the car having some issues off the lot... as long as the dealership/manufacturer fixes them. So far they've fixed one problem, attempted to fix another (the wind) and then brushed it off as being normal for the vehicle. I've had plenty of friends buying new cars from Honda, Hyundai, etc, and some of them have had powertrains or other major components replaced within the first 50k (we even had a friend have her new Honda Accord blessed by her priest... and then the water pump went out a month or so later lol). So it happens.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Recommendation: Don't waste your time e-mailing anyone.....all you'll end up with the standard 'Sorry....see your dealer response'.

Suggest going back to the dealer you road tested the other example from and tell them your experience (Yours is quiet, mine is not) so they will be more motivated to do a comparison road test. Be clear that this is a highway speed concern that occurs at or above a certain speed.

Rob


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## Tom Expert (Sep 21, 2020)

jsnowbordr47 said:


> How much wind noise is acceptable for this vehicle? I just had mine at the dealer for several days due to the wind noise that they acknowledged. They replaced the door seals on the driver and passenger side, but when I picked up my vehicle, the service advisor said the noise is normal, because of the 2 piece mirror that the new Cruze uses, despite the fact that to my ear the noise on the driver side is coming from nowhere near the side mirrors more closer to the B-pillar. Also, it seems that the wind noise is actually worse now that they've changed the door seals. He said he tested a 2017 Cruze off the lot and that it also had wind noise. To me the sound is as if the door is not closed fully.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that a brand new car would have this type of wind noise. To my ear it's very noticeable at 60+mph.
> 
> Anyone else dealing with wind noise issues and being told to pound sand by the dealership? Should a brand new car in 2016 have noticeable wind noise? Or does it sound like the dealership just giving me the runaround so they don't have to do more research into the matter? In that case it's time for another dealership.


Just got a 17 cruze and hear the same noise, Its the window seal. I determined that upper right and rear of the drivers window looking from outside that the seal was just engineered wrong, simple fix 3/16ths or 1/4 th inch foam concrete crack filler rod or a soft piece of data cable , tucked in the rear lower and up around the corner. 50 Cent fix


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## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

My 18 doesn't have wind noise. At least not any audible "hiss" or "squeal" you'd typically get from wind noise if it were an actual defect. All cars have noise. Pricey luxury cars just have more sound deadening material in the panels to mask it. 

Do you have a video of the noise in question? 

Also no chance the service advisor knows about design constraints of the mirror causing wind noise. That's him giving you their best sales pitch so you won't ask questions. You could test this really easily though like the other poster said by just folding the mirror in and going for a drive. Or put a piece of tape over that gap and drive it at speed. But if you're hearing any kind of "hiss" in the cabin it's because the door seal isn't tight most likely. I've seen windshields make noise too but that's less common on a new car.


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## 17Hatch6MT (Dec 28, 2015)

My dealer acknowledged the noise, thought it was from the back door. Reset the back door & now it's ever so slightly crooked 😒. I finally figured out what you did... it's coming from the upper rear corner of the driver's side glass.


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