Wind noise after windshield replacement- W*hat* is the fix?

[rwheelz]

This is driving me insane! I have read every thread on here that I can find. This is a 2003 LX470 and the windshield had to be replaced due to a crack. The car has nightvision and this was a $1500 job.

The installer used all new parts for install- I discussed the process with him prior to the install with information I found in threads here on IH8MUD. Brand new trim, rubber strips that get intalled over the rivets, etc... I have been back to this guy 3 times. He has taken the trim entirely off and redone it all, but the wind noise persists.

It is sort of located at the bottom pass side, but is very diffuse. Overall, the truck is just MUCH noisier than it was previously. As an example, my brand new Subaru was noisier than our 2003 LX when I bought it, but is now silent in comparison. The noise can be heard by 35mph and can be heard just sitting facing into the wind on a gusty day. Occasionally, I hear a "tone" when driving fast on the highway on a windy day. It is incredibly obnoxious!

Suggestions? The glass guy is helpful, but is frustrated himself. We agreed to both seek out sources of information for possible fixes. He planned to call the office where they train people or something!


[Mod: edited language in the title. This is a family show!]

 

[Topoguide]

I just had many windshield woes myself after a problematic install. After a second windshield (due to waviness of the glass) and multiple trips to have the “lead tech” try to fix wind noise issues I finally got it resolved.

If the tone you are referencing is a whistling sound then my understanding is that this is an air leak in the bead of adhesive that is used to hold the windshield on. If it is just a loud wind rushing sound it may very well be the molding on the exterior.

For me the wind noise was due to the trim not being installed properly, thus it was not tight enough and caused external wind noise which was as you have said VERY ANNOYING. Once the trim was pulled tight it was just as quiet as I remembered that it should be.

For the tech to finally listen to me I wiggled the loose trim and then forced wedges in to show the gap. The wedges made it quieter, and when the tech saw how loose the trim was after removing the wedges he finally found a way to pull the trim tight.

Good luck.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I "fixed" our wind shield noise by stuffing paper shims between the trim and body until the noise went away. We were on a road trip and it was driving us crazy so that was my short term solution. In your case it might be a way to find the problem area so you and your glass guy know where to look. I stuffed a post-it folded in half three times between the trim and the frame on the lower PS of the window and the noise went away.


For me taking the truck to a different shop solved the problem long term. The new shop used the correct rivets and the problem magically disappeared.

 

[1loudLX]

I never ever want to replace my windshield.

 

[bamachem]

For me, it was thin inferior glass along with a poor install on the trim pieces. Better glass installed at a better shop fixed it for me. That was 3 weeks ago or so. This weekend on the way back home from the inlaws I got -not one-, -not two-, but THREE rock chips in the new glass within the span of two hours! I'm beyond PISSED.

 

[re_guderian]

I'm getting my windshield replaced today. Finding a shop that has actually done a LC is tough. They all say "yeah, I've done a bunch", but you never know. I've printed out the FSM instructions for the guy to reference - it's like 12 pages long! The rivets just seem like a pain all the way around. I'm sure there's got to be a better design, no? Anyway, I'm kind of anxious to see how this goes.

 

[re_guderian]

I just had many windshield woes myself after a problematic install. After a second windshield (due to waviness of the glass) and multiple trips to have the “lead tech” try to fix wind noise issues I finally got it resolved.

If the tone you are referencing is a whistling sound then my understanding is that this is an air leak in the bead of adhesive that is used to hold the windshield on. If it is just a loud wind rushing sound it may very well be the molding on the exterior.

For me the wind noise was due to the trim not being installed properly, thus it was not tight enough and caused external wind noise which was as you have said VERY ANNOYING. Once the trim was pulled tight it was just as quiet as I remembered that it should be.

For the tech to finally listen to me I wiggled the loose trim and then forced wedges in to show the gap. The wedges made it quieter, and when the tech saw how loose the trim was after removing the wedges he finally found a way to pull the trim tight.

Good luck.

who did your install?

edit: never mind, I know where you got yours done...

 

[freeheel720]

I had the same issue after an install a few years ago. I think it turned out to be a loose trim strip. I had my installer come back out and he easily fixed the problem.

It was installed by Kevin at Evergreen Auto Glass in Evergreen, CO. (303)679-6010. If you call him and ask about what he did to fix Arthur Rader''s LC wind noise, he might remember. He also might not, but it might be worth a try.

Hope it works out for you!

 

[Topoguide]

Hey Rob... welcome to the 100 section

Sounds like you figured it out already but for everyone else, stay away from K&D Auto Glass in Phoenix. They have a contract with all the Phoenix area dealers and have done "a lot" of Cruisers... at least according to them. By my experience with their "lead installer" I really doubt that. What was I thinking going with a company a dealer contracts with?!? Of course on the upside the weight of the dealership service manager helped get them to come back out to finally fix it.

 

[re_guderian]

Hey Mike!

Anyway, so far, so good. I used Adam's Auto Glass, and aside from a stripped phillips screw that holds on the rear-view mirror, the new windshield went in w/o issues. It's a Pilkington with the bronze tint. I checked it good for waviness before it went in. Trim pieces are tight and there is no wind noise. Rivets looked hard to get in. Won't know about any water leakage until it rains again, in oh... say about 4 months? And even then we keep it garaged. Maybe I'll go hose it down this weekend and check for leaks...

 

[rwheelz]

Well mine was factory glass, but now I am at the point where I have to go back to the guy and say try a new piece of glass. I can't deal with the noise.

 

[Topoguide]

The guy that finally got mine fixed said that some installers he knows ditch the rivets and use bolts to pull the trim tight. He said he prefers rivets because that is what it calls for... but he was at his whits end and I'm sure would have used bolts if he would have had them.

I dunno, maybe it's worth a try before replacing the glass again. If nothing else there shouldn't be any question about the trim being tight or not...

 

[mtnracer]

My LC is actually on its 3rd windshield (original, 1 under previous owner, 1 by me) and the wind noise actually went away after I had it replaced.

My installer mentioned that the first replacement job was very sloppy with lots of excess sealant in some places and gaps in others.

Point is: some installers do better jobs than others. I think for your $1500 you can ask them to re-do the install.

 

[rwheelz]

Update: the glass guy tells me he had ordered a new rivet gun that will fit better and is going to try it again. If this doesn't work, I will be pushing for new glass... my insurance company is ready to back me up due to faulty install, since they paid $1000 of this bill!

 

[no1sportz]

Hello all. Well I am now in the same boat as many here have been with their windshield installs. I just had mine installed by the company that my local Lexus dealer has do all of their glass. The guy is super nice (it seems) and has done hundreds of LXs and Land Cruisers...so he says. We used OEM glass with new rubber trim and rivets. We DID NOT use new rubber molding on the driver and passenger sides however. $1500 later (thankfully insurance covered all but $100) and I have the infamous air leak/noise. This is annoying!!!

I see that several here have had success with getting their issue fixed. I hope this guy can correct the issue. He isn't confident he can as many of his other installs have had the same issue with no resolve. I am going to hound him until he does though...LOL.

Any advice in what to tell him or how to direct him to correct this? Since we didn't use new molding, we are going to try this. I am hoping my insurance will cover that too??? I just put a call in to find out...fingers crossed. My noise is only coming from the passenger side like many have mentioned before. If you have any tips on how to get these two pieces tighter (without screws) please do tell!!!

 

[Liam]

I never ever want to replace my windshield.

the way you drive i cant believe something hasnt flown through it

 

[re_guderian]

...I just had mine installed by the company that my local Lexus dealer has do all of their glass. The guy is super nice (it seems) and has done hundreds of LXs and Land Cruisers...so he says...

This should send up red flags all over the place. Most metro areas don't even have "hundreds" of 100-series/LX trucks in them, let alone a glass shop that's done all their windshields. And nice has nothing to do with it. My money would be on rivets not square/wrong nose on rivet gun. Don't think re-using the rubber (mine's reused) would cause the noise unless it's out of place - but you can easily look to see.

 

[DesertRun]

The noise on mine was horrible. Got the windshield replaced by Safelite and noise is gone. He showed me where the last idiot did a horrible job and he was right with the sealant. Have it re-installed, they did a bad job.

 

[no1sportz]

This should send up red flags all over the place. Most metro areas don't even have "hundreds" of 100-series/LX trucks in them, let alone a glass shop that's done all their windshields. And nice has nothing to do with it. My money would be on rivets not square/wrong nose on rivet gun. Don't think re-using the rubber (mine's reused) would cause the noise unless it's out of place - but you can easily look to see.

I was thinking the same thing however when I talked to him yesterday, he was working on 2 LXs and had another to check today. Apparently this guy is called to fix all the LC/LX issues in the Richmond area. I figured if was addressing three LXs in one week, he has seen his fair share. He has the correct rivet gun and rivets also. We are replacing everything again...he is going to do it next week. I am just thankful I have an awesome insurance rep!

It seems from what I can tell is that he is tired of seeing Land Cruisers with this issue. He knows the truck backwards and forwards...which doesn't necessarily make me feel better when he isn't confident about it getting 100% quiet.

Oh well. He will give it another shot and if that doesn't work, he will just try it again. If he can't fix it, not sure what I will be doing next. Definitely won't be driving it with this crazy noise.

 

[bluejack]

repair? we will see...

I just bought a '00 that had "never been wrecked or anything" but after I brought it home in the driving rain at night (not paying much attention to noise at that point) I noticed glass shards in the vent below the wipers and REALLY bad wind noise even at very low speeds. Apparently the windshield had been replaced....Just got a guy out to look at it and he basically "caulked" a bunch of areas...Said we could always go back and replace the whole thing. I am currently waiting on it to dry so I can hopefully come back here and tell you all what am improvement there has been.

That noise will definitely drive you crazy though.