I had our Terrain for about 2 weeks and took it on a road trip over the weekend. While fooling around with the toys, I rolled down the rear windows at highway speed (100 - 130 km/h) and discovered a horrible noise that I can only describe as a "wind echo". The wind from the back windows would enter the cabin, vibrate and cause an unbearable thumping "echo". It almost sounds like the subwoofer in the back is on at full power, so I thought that it might be the noise canceling feature, but I have a SLE-2 V6 and from what I understand the noise canceling system is only in the I4. Am I correct with this assumption and has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking it could be an aerodynamic flaw caused by the body shape and large fenders.
Design Flaw?
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Yep, as was said before it's not really a design flaw. This would happen in most, if not all vehicles in some form or another. Definitely not caused by the fenders lmao! Cracking the sunroof, or front side windows should eliminate this by giving the overpressure a way to escape. I know in my RX-7, if I open only one window at highway speeds the 'thumping' is physically painful.
Thanks guys. This is the first 4 door vehicle I've owned as the others before have been 2 door coupes or trucks. I knew it probably wasn't from the body styling as the first step in any design is to place a clay model in a wind tunnel. Not that I'll be rolling down the rear windows at highway speeds all the time, but it was something I hadn't experienced before.
If you were to take it back (and I sure hope you don't...try some of the other suggestions such as rolling down another window slightly or open the sunroof if all you want to do is vent...heck, use the vents...LOL) make sure you read the fine print.ron_colle said:
You can't just "give the car back".
You will pay for whatever miles you've put on it, and maybe other things I don't know about.
Just an FYI.
Why is everyone treating this as a joke. If the rear window is not supposed to be opened why have one in the first place(Snowitch) This sound starts at 60 kmh(40mph) and up which is not an unreasonable speed to roll the windows down. It is a design flaw and nobody speaks up to GM. It us up to you to speak out and not accept poor design and improper testing. I intend to do all I can to return this vehicle. To (Gearhead) Not all vehicles have this problem, My Acura(MDX) does not have this problem and my friend's Toyota does not have thisw problem.
Snowitch, I have been an IT professional for over 15 years, and currently manage an IT department including Help Desk. I expect my staff to investigate a problem and not call it a problem between the keyboard and the chair. I would fire someone from my help desk if they ever used "PEBCAK" with a customer. Your customer service skills need some honing, read the "Seven Habits of Highly effective People by Steven Covey. You probably work in a Support role, no wonder some usres call you the help/less desk
With your attitude and language you obviously don't belong in a Forum. A forum is to discuss issues and problems and get some action by GM or others, not to dismiss them as a joke. Sorry for the typo, your fingers never slip? Just your mind. I have just talked to the GMC dealer and they admitted having a design problem with the wind noise and will be rectified with the 2011 model.
Of course not all vehicles have this "problem" at noted speed.ron_colle said:
The interiors are all different.
There's things called harmonics and resonance and apparently you've noticed this at a certain speed.
Maybe other vehicles have this "problem" at other speeds?
I don't know, but I have experienced it in other vehicles, that's for sure.
I travelled almost exclusively for almost 15 years straight so rental cars a plenty under my feet.
Never bothered to note the speed, merely adjusted the window(s).
Last I checked, this was a free forum for exchange of ideas by owners.
We don't know if GM monitors these forums, maybe an enthusiast here or there, but I'm sure not many GM staff are going to run home from work and jump on the forums.
Maybe while at work, well that's another story! LOL!
If I was paying a fee to visit here, I may use the tone in which you're addressing other Members here, but I'm not, so if it bothers you so much, return the vehicle.
I don't work for GM or for this Forum, so makes no difference to me...carry on, but by all means, lighten up ron_colle, you're gonna blow a gasket!
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I know I had the wind noise on my TSX, easily fixed by ajusting the window or opening up the front. Go ahead and return the vehicle for something as stupid as that. You'll also lose your sales tax, so hope it's worth it.
Folks folks folks, this "rear windows buffeting" issue is a very common issue on a lot of cars. This is NOT a Terrain/GM thing. I've experienced this in just about every 4-door vehicle I've ever driven (all Hondas and Toyotas). A quick http://www.google.ca/search?q=rear+windows+open+buffeting&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a"]Google Search[/URL] reveals it's a very common issue (in longer sedans/SUVs). I even experience in on my wife's 2-door Hyundai Accent, with only 1 window open, and occasionally had this happen to me in a 2-door Civic (the poster child of quality). Depending on speed and outside wind, we occasionally get a nasty buffeting effect. The effect is caused by an imbalance in pressure - if you have a whole bunch of air rushing into the vehicle, it potentially has nowhere to go, so pressure builds up and air is forced out, and then back in again. A friend of mine who's an Engineer explained this to me once when we had this happen on a road-trip after he opened the window (on a Dodge Caravan).
Don't get me wrong, I'm traditionally very anti-GM, and would love to take shots at GM's quality, but when this happens to me in the best of cars (Accords, Camrys, Civics, etc), I have to be fair to GM. Return your Terrain, whatever, but this happens on TONS of cars.
Open/close another window a crack - problem solved.
fficial&client=firefox-a"]Google Search[/URL] reveals it's a very common issue (in longer sedans/SUVs). I even experience in on my wife's 2-door Hyundai Accent, with only 1 window open, and occasionally had this happen to me in a 2-door Civic (the poster child of quality). Depending on speed and outside wind, we occasionally get a nasty buffeting effect. The effect is caused by an imbalance in pressure - if you have a whole bunch of air rushing into the vehicle, it potentially has nowhere to go, so pressure builds up and air is forced out, and then back in again. A friend of mine who's an Engineer explained this to me once when we had this happen on a road-trip after he opened the window (on a Dodge Caravan).Don't get me wrong, I'm traditionally very anti-GM, and would love to take shots at GM's quality, but when this happens to me in the best of cars (Accords, Camrys, Civics, etc), I have to be fair to GM. Return your Terrain, whatever, but this happens on TONS of cars.
Open/close another window a crack - problem solved.
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109 Posts
Add ventvisors, maybe that will help.
Wow, someone really stirred the pot here. I thought this was over and done with the first few replies to my original post. To bury the hatchet, my original intention was an inquiry to the wind noise as I have never experienced that before. My solution was to crack the front windows. Really, how many times are you going to be driving with the back windows down and not the front? I was experimenting and came across this. As far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as a perfect vehicle. Every car, truck, suv well have it's shortcomings or flaws, the most important thing is the vehicle perfect for YOU? Love my Terrain. If someone is going to return a car based on wind noise I would suggest that isn't the main reason and there is an underlying issue. On another note, tinted the front windows over the weekend... looks great!
Used 20% which is pretty close to the factory tint in the back and rear. The factory may be about 25% as they seem a touch lighter, but you can't tell from outside. Front tint is illegal here in BC, but I'm going to take my chances as I see a lot of people with front window tint around here.
I traded my '04 Acura MDX in on my Terrain and I can most certain say that it suffered from the same buffeting when only one rear window was opened, and yes, it was mostly at highway speeds. I too have had this occur on every four door SUV I've owned and it's become automatic over the years to crack a front window to eliminate.ron_colle said:
Someone is going to get a great deal on a slightly used Terrain if you return it!
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