2016 LC Windshield Noise in Strong Crosswinds (1 Viewer)

[016LC]

Just got back from 4,000 mile drive from WI to AZ and return in our 2016 LC. When crossing the TX panhandle at around 65-70 mph(two lane highway) with a 30mph crosswind perpindicular to our direction of travel, we get a sound from the windshield that sounds like radio static(Audio is off) or maybe a deck of cards being shuffled. While my wife was driving I could put my hand on the flimsy black plastic surround that is behind the rearview mirror and up against the windshield, and also covers the rain sensor. This seems to be the source of the noise as it would change when I put my hand on it. I think it is vibrating.

I bought this vehicle in 2017 as a CPO with only 8,000 miles on the odometer and believe the windshield is original to the vehicle--now has 92.000.

Is this surround easily removed for inspection? Could it be loose? Has anyone else experienced this type sound? It is not a frequent occurrence as the wind conditions seem to have to be just right to cause it.

 

[bloc]

I get that sound too on occasion and haven't been able to track it down in 80k miles of driving.

At this point I consider it "personality"

 

[Fisher23]

Is it an OEM windshield? Maybe the rain detector, or upper seal was installed incorrectly.
I do not get that on my 2016.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I had a similar sound, fluttering from the windshield above 65mph. I tracked it down to a broken piece of plastic on the underside of the cowl. I pulled it all apart and repaired the cowl.



Try tapping on the cowl just below the passenger side wiper to see if you hear a rattle.

 

[stonepa]

Pretty much normal. Everything is original on my LC and it has done this since new when the wind is strong and at the right angle.

 

[bloc]

I had a similar sound, fluttering from the windshield above 65mph. I am nearly certain I tracked it down to a broken piece of plastic on the underside of the cowl. I pulled it all apart and repaired the cowl, but I haven't driven at highway speeds since the repair so I can't verify it solved the noise problem.

Try tapping on the cowl just below the passenger side wiper to see if you hear a rattle.

Any idea how this got broken?

 

[AnyMal]

Just got back from 4,000 mile drive from WI to AZ and return in our 2016 LC. When crossing the TX panhandle at around 65-70 mph(two lane highway) with a 30mph crosswind perpindicular to our direction of travel, we get a sound from the windshield that sounds like radio static(Audio is off) or maybe a deck of cards being shuffled. While my wife was driving I could put my hand on the flimsy black plastic surround that is behind the rearview mirror and up against the windshield, and also covers the rain sensor. This seems to be the source of the noise as it would change when I put my hand on it. I think it is vibrating.

I bought this vehicle in 2017 as a CPO with only 8,000 miles on the odometer and believe the windshield is original to the vehicle--now has 92.000.

Is this surround easily removed for inspection? Could it be loose? Has anyone else experienced this type sound? It is not a frequent occurrence as the wind conditions seem to have to be just right to cause it.

Not sure about bad windshield seal, but for me, its a bad sunroof surround seal. 2017 LX.

I get a bad hiss from there, specially if i tilt - close, instead of slide - close. I did the relearn procedure with zero success, and of course Lexus warranty does not give a rats ass. Just like my drivers mirror wobble. It hasnt “failed”…

I posted a car care nut video on it I believe already but if you isolate it to sunroof vs windscreen / mirror area its not a hard fix. Just finicky. Maybe you can check there? Its easy for the rubber to dry out up there.

But a bad windscreen seal would have me worried with water intrusion. Def keep investigating.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Two pieces of plastic were "welded" together at the factory by melting the plastic. Somehow (past windshield replacement, heat cycles?), that weld broke loose. So, it wasn't so much that the plastic broke. More like, the connection between the two plastic pieces of the cowl broke loose.

 

[016LC]

Thanks for all the helpful comments.

The windshield carries the Toyota name in the lower driver's side corner so I think it is the original.
I rapped on the cowl plastic and poked around, but nothing seems loose. While doing so, I did notice that the windshield end of the long plastic piece that runs front-to-back along the hood opening, and carries the rubber bulb hood seal, was very loose and likely could flutter back and forth under the right wind conditions so I taped down its loose edge with Galfer tape. My wife, who has far better hearing than I, is convinced that the sound is coming from the passenger side windshield wiper blade--while that seems unlikely to me, it is in the vicinity of the loose plastic piece that I taped. We also cannot recall the sound ever occurring with a crosswind from driver side to passenger side, always the opposite. It is so infrequent that it will take time to see if the tape makes any difference--in any event it is easier than trying to disassemble the rear view mirror assembly as a potential source.

The other "excitement" in the 4000 mile trip was rodent damage to the knock sensor wiring harness which lives beneath the intake manifold--being out-of-town I had to take it to a dealer for repair--the good news is that it was promptly repaired, bad news is that it was not inexpensive. I carry an OBD reader which accurately pinpointed the problem, but I do not carry enough tools with me to tackle such a repair, and we needed the vehicle ASAP. This wiring failure put the vehicle in the "limp-home" mode which seems to force a start in second gear and not allow upshifts beyond third gear. So at 40mph rpms are at 3000 which is not conducive to high speed travel, but we could get to the grocery store and some close-by restaurants while waiting for the new harness to arrive. Why Toyota uses wiring that tastes like soybeans to the rodent population is beyond me. I hope Airbus and Boeing do not use it.