Wind Noise at Driver's Door

[Lugboot]

Before I go ahead and assume I have to replace the door seal on my driver's door, I thought I'd ask the question to see is anyone else has experienced windnoise around their driver's door.

At highway speeds, I'm getting a fair amount of wind whistling near the front top edge of my driver's door, very similar to my old Chevy PU. I looked at the door seals on both front doors last night and noticed that the passenger side door seal fills the gap between the door and the rain gutter at the top front corner of the door much better than the driver's side.

Based on the condition of the pinstriping on the driver's side versus the passenger's side of the truck, I'm assuming it was parked outside with the driver's side facing south with a lot more sun exposure during most of its life in Montana. The pin striping on the driver's side is faded and cracked while the passenger side looks darn near new. Would this sun exposure affect the door seal rubber, too? I would assume it'd be a possibility.

I'm tired of my driver's door sounding like a POS Chevy! Oh yeah--I did search but didn't find anything specifically for a door seal.

Thanks!

 

[txlonghorn]

I have a lot of wind noise coming from that same area on the highway, and I also wondered if maybe the weather stripping/seal was to blame. I honestly can't tell you whether it is normal or not.

 

[Moxwell]

I recall reading something about the mirror causing the same wind noise as well as info on a tsb on how to repair on a recent post. I am getting the same wind noise that you described.

 

[Hants]

Take a dollar bill and close it in the door in various places. If you can easily pull it out, the the seal likely needs to be replaced.

I had a new fender & driver's door installed, and had similar wind noise. It took a couple of trips back to the shop, but they finally gave up on "tweaking", and installed a new seal... problem solved.

When I asked CDan, I think he said the seal was about $45.

 

[gray]

I have the same problem; wind noise that seems to be coming from the top rear corner of the DS door; looking at the door seal, it seems a bit crushed, and is ripped just a tad(about 1/2cm) at the 90 degree turn.

I have also wondered; should we also replace the seal that is on the body around where the door closes on?

Any body experts out there??

g

 

[Lugboot]

Take a dollar bill and close it in the door in various places. If you can easily pull it out, the the seal likely needs to be replaced.

I had a new fender & driver's door installed, and had similar wind noise. It took a couple of trips back to the shop, but they finally gave up on "tweaking", and installed a new seal... problem solved.

When I asked CDan, I think he said the seal was about $45.

I'll try the dollar bill trick--thanks. And $45 isn't a bad price--good to know! By "tweaking" do you mean they adjusted the position of the door in the frame? I looked at that, too, and it appears both doors are centered in the frames identically on mine--uniform gap all around.

I have the same problem; wind noise that seems to be coming from the top rear corner of the DS door; looking at the door seal, it seems a bit crushed, and is ripped just a tad(about 1/2cm) at the 90 degree turn.

I have also wondered; should I replace the seal that is on the body around where the door closes on also?

Any body experts out there??

g

"Crushed" is a decent way to describe it. The door seal doesn't fill the gap between the door and the door frame completely. Mine's at the leading edge of the door, and based on the difference of appearance from the passenger side, I suspect it's allowing air to sneak in at speed and whistle at me.

 

[gray]

Agree with lugboot;
the front of the door seal near the hinges/fender also look crushed or pinched, or like they have taken a set from being, well, crushed and pinched for 12 years.

IME, tweaking can be done by adjusting the hinges, but I know that body shops can (do) actually beat on the window frame (top part of a door) to get it to seal better; but that is done with the door completely apart; no glass,etc. Not something I want anyone to do to my 80 thank you.

I think I will order a new seal; heck, been thinking about it myself for about 5 years; it's only money.

g

 

[Miescha]

I have some very minor wind noise that I always just assumed was normal as this is not a modern super-luxury sedan. However, I used a large suction cup with hand grip (you could probably find a cheap one at Harbor Frieght for around $15) and attached it to the inside of the window. Then, at 65mph on an open highway, I pulled on the suction cup to see if my door would close any tighter or if I could eliminate the noise by essentially making a better seal.

I don't think I need a new door seal (though I'm sure it probably wouldn't hurt after 11 years), but I do think I need new window channels and I need to better align the glass in the channel. I was able to pull the rear edge of the glass upward and that seemed to markedly reduce the noise.

There are tons of posts about how to adjust the glass so it closes evenly. I figured my windows were closing slow anyway, so I ordered the channels for both front doors from CDan (~$60 each) but have yet to install them (maybe this weekend). I also read up on how to adjust the glass in the channels so it closes evenly (I can see from the marks on the top edge of my door glass that the front seats before the rear - which doesn't fully seat at all based on my suction cup test).

I'm thinking the new window channels and proper glass alignment will reduce my wind noise while improving the window up/down movement.

Just my $0.02

 

[Hants]

By "tweaking" do you mean they adjusted the position of the door in the frame? I looked at that, too, and it appears both doors are centered in the frames identically on mine--uniform gap all around.

Yup. Then they tried "adjusting" the frame that supports the window, then the A pillar (which *may* have been tweaked).

It blows me away that I had to make several trips, and they put in quite a bit of time, rather than just replacing a cheap piece of rubber.

 

[aktundra]

I have noise as well. It seems to be near the top. If sitting at a light, I can hear whoosh, whoosh, whoosh as cars go by in the other lane.

I was not sure if the sound was leaking from the door gasket or the window seal.

Half way in the back if my mind remember some kind of TSB or repair kit from Toyota.

Can anybody confirm?

 

[hobbes]

CDan has the low down on the TSB kit. It was just a box of felt. If you have a 97, it probably came installed.

I've had wind noise on my '97 and window motor problems as well. I've replaced the window channel and the strip that you put your arm on if you are driving with the window down. The wind noise has been reduced somewhat, but is still noticable. I think both of those seals were under $50 a piece. There are two door seals, one on the door and one on the body. My appear to be in decent shape, but obviously getting old and crushed like all the rest. I've used the Honda conditioner on them, so they are still soft (but they still leak air). I imagine the door seal would be fairly pricey.

 

[gray]

CDan has the low down on the TSB kit. It was just a box of felt. If you have a 97, it probably came installed.

I've had wind noise on my '97 and window motor problems as well. I've replaced the window channel and the strip that you put your arm on if you are driving with the window down. The wind noise has been reduced somewhat, but is still noticable. I think both of those seals were under $50 a piece. There are two door seals, one on the door and one on the body. My appear to be in decent shape, but obviously getting old and crushed like all the rest. I've used the Honda conditioner on them, so they are still soft (but they still leak air). I imagine the door seal would be fairly pricey.

Do you know any more details on that door seal kit and/or TSB?

g

 

[cartercd]

Search this forum or elsewhere on-line and you can probably find the TSB. If you PM me your e-mail address I'll send it to you. It is TSB BO007–96 "FRONT DOOR BELT MOLDING WIND NOISE" and the fix was put into place starting with FZJ80–0119754. Would love it if we could post .pdf files here!

 

[Lugboot]

Any way you could email me that pdf file of the TSB?

 

[cartercd]

Check your in-box.

 

[alia176]

Can I have a copy as well?

TIA.

 

[KliersLC]

He he he,

This has been covered before.

Those with wind noise from the top rear of the door(not the window) can try this. It has worked for me as well as several others.

Roll the window down, put a shoe in the door (sans foot) and close the door as far as you can with the show in it. Then GENTLY press the top of the door frame in toward the vehicle. Don't go too much as this usually only requires a small adjustment. Test drive, rinse and repeat as necessary.

 

[gray]

He he he,

This has been covered before.

Those with wind noise from the top rear of the door(not the window) can try this. It has worked for me as well as several others.

Roll the window down, put a shoe in the door (sans foot) and close the door as far as you can with the show in it. Then GENTLY press the top of the door frame in toward the vehicle. Don't go too much as this usually only requires a small adjustment. Test drive, rinse and repeat as necessary.

I'm confused; put a shoe in the door? Where, what size shoe, what type shoe, where do you put the shoe, and why a shoe, cause it is somewhat flexible???

Are you saying put something at the bottom of the door to kinda act like a lever arm, then press in at the top of the door to bend it in??

g

 

[KliersLC]

I'm confused; put a shoe in the door? Where, what size shoe, what type shoe, where do you put the shoe, and why a shoe, cause it is somewhat flexible???

Are you saying put something at the bottom of the door to kinda act like a lever arm, then press in at the top of the door to bend it in??

g

Yer not confused.....

Put your shoe in the door, just below the bottom of the window, and make sure the window is down.

Why a shoe?

Dunno...

Ask Doug

A more controllable way to gently bend the upper door frame into the body a bit is to use an old tennis shoe. You put the tennis shoe at the base of the upper door frame and close the door against it, then press on the upper door frame to flex/bend it in a more controlled way than using your knee. It does not take much and you'll put a few more pounds of pressure on the window seal to seal out the noise. The shoe is simply to have something firm, yet soft enough not to damage the paint on the B pillar or door (or A pillar if the noise is up front). A little goes a long way here and bending it in an eighth inch would be considered dramatic. So, flex it a few times and go for a drive. Then repeat. Body shops do this all the time. Window up or down, but not halfway up.

DougM

 

[BillyGoatMTB]

He he he,

This has been covered before.

Those with wind noise from the top rear of the door(not the window) can try this. It has worked for me as well as several others.

Roll the window down, put a shoe in the door (sans foot) and close the door as far as you can with the show in it. Then GENTLY press the top of the door frame in toward the vehicle. Don't go too much as this usually only requires a small adjustment. Test drive, rinse and repeat as necessary.

This is perfect, thank you! I was looking at this the other day and looking at the hinges on the frame thinking about adjusting it or shimming it