Air disturbance, Rear Windows & Air Pressure/Ear Pressure (Merged)

[reMarkable]

Now that I've had my '08 Mazda5 for a week - I discovered an air pressure "thing", when a rear window is rolled part of the way down. I've had exactly the same experience in a friend's '07 RAV 4 - and he's complained about it apparently long before I experienced it: At highway speeds, when a rear window is rolled down part of the way - a strange, uncomfortable air pressure phenomena occurs - it's rather hard to describe - but it's painful on the ears. It's not so much noisy or loud, as it is a moderate, pulsing pressure on the ear drums. The people in the back don't seem to experience it (and/or they are kids and it doesn't affect them.) The remedy for the situation is to open a front window a few inches and it seems to balance out the air pressure - and the problem disappears.

I assume it has something to do with the design of (at least both) the vehicles I've experienced it in - different as they might be.

Any one else run accoss this?

 

[MazdaPam]

Same in my Buick. It hurts, so I don't do it. (bike)

 

[terbow]

yea almost every car ive been in does it. if u find the 'sweet spot'.

 

[rweatherford]

Resonant frequency.

Just open the front window a little and forget it.

 

[jeebusm3]

I find that most newer cars have horrible wind turbulence with windows down. It sucks.

 

[offset_98]

Seems the newer cars do it...my Crown Vic, Explorer, Camaro and Altima never did it but the CX-7, Rondo, TSX all did.

 

[justanothermp5]

yup happens in my car all the time, u just cant have one window open, u have to have a sunroof or other window open too to stop that annoying sound

 

[jandree22]

Heh, sometimes I apparently get this effect going according to my wife. I can’t hear s***, but she’s over there in agony… I dunno. (lol2) But I have had it where I can here it too.

Just take a baseball bat to your rear windshield and you won’t have to bother with putting down your rear windows or sunroof anymore

 

[skyhawk]

I think the designers did not expect windows to be opened at that high speed, in the highway. Otherwise, they could have easily incorporated a pressure relief system, and proudly included the feature in their specs.

 

[reMarkable]

Thanks to everyone for responding - I didn't realize it an issue that's so common. I assume it has something to do with modern vehicle design of some sort.

 

[rweatherford]

There is no attached laminar air flow on old car windows. Too much crap around them.

Think about blowing across the top of a jug or soda bottle and you just got the picture for what happens when you open a window on a car with good laminar flow down the side windows.

One more reason we get good fuel mileage.

 

[$chocker]

rweatherford - great explanation. I had an idea what was going on there, but couldn't come up with the terminology.

I've been amused at times when people freak out about the "horrible design flaw" that causes this problem (nobody freaking out on THIS board, fortunately).

 

[reMarkable]

Thanks rweatherford - it does seem to make sense - although a quick peek at Wikipedia helped: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laminar_flow

 

[jeebusm3]

There is no attached laminar air flow on old car windows. Too much crap around them.

Think about blowing across the top of a jug or soda bottle and you just got the picture for what happens when you open a window on a car with good laminar flow down the side windows.

One more reason we get good fuel mileage.

I would trade 1MPG for windows I could roll down on the freeway.

 

[jandree22]

I would trade 1MPG for windows I could roll down on the freeway.

1st and 2nd rows already roll down the entire way. If you’re talkin rolling down the 3rd row side windows, that’s a pretty quick way to lose body stiffness in the C-pillar. If you’re talking about a pop open or roll down window on the hatch (like in a 4Runner), yeah, that’s much needed in this car.

 

[jeebusm3]

1st and 2nd rows already roll down the entire way. If youre talkin rolling down the 3rd row side windows, thats a pretty quick way to lose body stiffness in the C-pillar. If youre talking about a pop open or roll down window on the hatch (like in a 4Runner), yeah, thats much needed in this car.

I'm talking about being able to roll them down without them having annoying wind buffeting and pressure.

I can roll one, two, three, or 4 windows ALL the way down on my 20 y/o bimmer and you can still have a conversation, your hair isn't going all crazy directions, etc.

 

[rweatherford]

I would trade 1MPG for windows I could roll down on the freeway.

Buy some of those stick on ventshade window things. That should do it.

Anything that disrupts smooth air flow around the window.

 

[jeebusm3]

Buy some of those stick on ventshade window things. That should do it.

Anything that disrupts smooth air flow around the window.

Yeah, I've considered those. I don't really love the way they look.

 

[rweatherford]

Life is full of decisions. Have you tried the front and rear window trick yet? That may solve your problem well enough.

 

[fourfree]

The layman's term is called "helicopter noise" . . .

There is no attached laminar air flow on old car windows. Too much crap around them.

Think about blowing across the top of a jug or soda bottle and you just got the picture for what happens when you open a window on a car with good laminar flow down the side windows.

One more reason we get good fuel mileage.

It is also contributed by the way today's vehicles are better sealed - so once the air comes in, it can't easily get out.

It primarily affects 2-box vehicle designs - SUVs, wagons and vans. The simple fix is cracking the front window. Other things that will work is putting something on the B-pillar to disrupt the air flow or placing a vertical divider about 3/4 back on the rear window (kinda looks like where a fixed window divider splits the window on some rear car doors). Both work but look ugly.