Easy tips

What is wind throb?

What is wind throb?

Whether you call it wind throb or buffeting or just plain annoying, it happens when someone in the car opens a single window at speed and it stops when a second window rolls down. Modern cars and trucks are more subject to air thump because they’re so aerodynamically efficient and well sealed against wind intrusion.

Why does my car make a noise when I open the window?

Whether you call it wind throb or buffeting or just plain annoying, it happens when someone in the car opens a single window at speed and it stops when a second window rolls down. The phenomenon that produces this noise is the Helmholtz Resonance, the same principle that makes a bottle hum when you blow over its open top.

How can I reduce wind noise in my car?

Installing wind deflectors on your vehicle is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to drastically reduce the wind noise you’re experiencing right now. It’s a plastic piece that covers the top of your window and prevents the wind from hitting the area where your window meets the weatherstripping.

How to stop that irritating thumping sound your open car window?

Every driver has experienced the infuriating thundering noise as they open their window on the motorway – but there’s a simple solution to fix it EVERY driver will have experienced the irritating sound an open car window makes at high speed.

Who is the chief engineer for wind noise?

Jim Zunich, GM’s global vehicle performance chief engineer for wind noise, explains: “We want nice, smooth attached air for aerodynamics, but that’s worse for buffeting.” See the top image for how the side-mirror shape can affect air movement around the front windows, and the middle image for how not much can influence flow around the rears.

Whether you call it wind throb or buffeting or just plain annoying, it happens when someone in the car opens a single window at speed and it stops when a second window rolls down. The phenomenon that produces this noise is the Helmholtz Resonance, the same principle that makes a bottle hum when you blow over its open top.

Jim Zunich, GM’s global vehicle performance chief engineer for wind noise, explains: “We want nice, smooth attached air for aerodynamics, but that’s worse for buffeting.” See the top image for how the side-mirror shape can affect air movement around the front windows, and the middle image for how not much can influence flow around the rears.

Why do cars have to have windows down?

Modern cars have to be as aerodynamically slick as possible to meet today’s fuel economy demands. That means controlling the airflow over every inch of the car’s surface. When you open a window, you’re wrecking that carefully-controlled airflow.

How can you reduce air buffeting with windows down?

Open them less, and you get more turbulance around the crack of the window; more, and you get more outside noise, and the airflow is less; so there is less cooling. Opening a sunroof apparently has the same effect. Most of the helicopter effect comes from opening the rear window, not the front ones.

Author Image
Ruth Doyle