Hearing a strange noise from front when driving over 60 - anyone experience the same?

[bwayout]

First off, it's been pretty windy, here in Dallas for the last couple of months. It seems that I'll hear this noise more at night when I'm traveling NW and the wind is coing from the NW. I mention that only because I think there might be a correlation ... or maybe it's the speed my MP5 is being driven at on the highway.

My 2003 MP5 is slightly over a year old. With over 14,000 miles.

Has anyone else noticed when driving at higher speeds (over 60 miles per hour) that coming somewhere from the front windshield/wipers area. It's been hard to pin-point, (it could even be coming from under the engine compartment ... ) there is some kind of whiny howl like whistle that sounds very random but with my foot off the accelerator it goes away - but if I speed up it becomes more constant (at 75 to 80+ miles an hour) it become one long interrupted tone where the pitch does not changed. Switching my vents from fresh/outside to recirculated or turning on the windshield wipers does not effect the noise in any way. Once the noise begins, only coasting of the gas petal and letting the car go slower will effect it.

Has anyone had the same or similar experience? Does anyone know what's causing it. Can this be fixed?

I have yet to take it to the dealer for service, I thought I'd try all you MP5ers first!

 

[bwayout]

Please no jokes about my problem being caused by the nut that's holding the steering wheel ... or my need for speed ...

 

[Nutari]

Its the roof racks. I used to have that too.. riiiight at 65 or so.. whistling.

I removed my roof racks and no whistly.. can go 100 now with no whistles.
not that I drive 100... just assuming.. you know.. that IF I were to drive 100......

First off, it's been pretty windy, here in Dallas for the last couple of months. It seems that I'll hear this noise more at night when I'm traveling NW and the wind is coing from the NW. I mention that only because I think there might be a correlation ... or maybe it's the speed my MP5 is being driven at on the highway.

My 2003 MP5 is slightly over a year old. With over 14,000 miles.

Has anyone else noticed when driving at higher speeds (over 60 miles per hour) that coming somewhere from the front windshield/wipers area. It's been hard to pin-point, (it could even be coming from under the engine compartment ... ) there is some kind of whiny howl like whistle that sounds very random but with my foot off the accelerator it goes away - but if I speed up it becomes more constant (at 75 to 80+ miles an hour) it become one long interrupted tone where the pitch does not changed. Switching my vents from fresh/outside to recirculated or turning on the windshield wipers does not effect the noise in any way. Once the noise begins, only coasting of the gas petal and letting the car go slower will effect it.

Has anyone had the same or similar experience? Does anyone know what's causing it. Can this be fixed?

I have yet to take it to the dealer for service, I thought I'd try all you MP5ers first!

 

[Khoifather]

Same here, took roof rack and kaboom, no more whistle noise, yeeee haw!!!!

 

[BadApple]

i have the same thing but only over 70 or so...and its not the roof racks sounds as if it is comming from under the engine. i have neons so i was thinking it was one of the wires hanging down and the wind was catching it...(nope) so i am clueless..but it is definately not the roof racks...it occurs while they are off as well....

 

[Pretzellogic]

Roof rack = whistle symphony

No roof rack = you still have the massive amounts of wind noise, but at least the whistle is gone.

 

[blynzoo]

No, you still get the whistle without roof racks, I have mine off.
I also had my dealer reseat the front windshield, so that's not it.
I have several theories, but need someone else to drive the car for me.

1) passenger rear-view mirror does not sit flush against door (bad design).
2) passenger door sticks out a bit more than the front quarter panel
3) some random whistle from the grill under the windshield.

If someone were to just tape up these 3 places, and determine if the whistle goes away, it could be done pretty easily.

B

 

[bwayout]

Thanks ... but ...

Its the roof racks.

Sorry, my roof racks are also off. And the sound is coming from somewhere from in front of me ...

 

[bwayout]

i have the same thing but only over 70 or so...and its not the roof racks sounds as if it is comming from under the engine. i have neons so i was thinking it was one of the wires hanging down and the wind was catching it...(nope) so i am clueless..but it is definately not the roof racks...it occurs while they are off as well....

What color are your neons? Bet it looks sweet! Saddly, my car is stock (... although at one point just after I bought it, I was thinking about getting those tire air valve lights, but never did).

 

[bwayout]

No, you still get the whistle without roof racks, I have mine off.
I also had my dealer reseat the front windshield, so that's not it.
I have several theories, but need someone else to drive the car for me.

1) passenger rear-view mirror does not sit flush against door (bad design).
2) passenger door sticks out a bit more than the front quarter panel
3) some random whistle from the grill under the windshield.

If someone were to just tape up these 3 places, and determine if the whistle goes away, it could be done pretty easily.

B

Good guesss, blynzoo. I'm tempted to try your suggestions but I need to find some tape that won't ruin the paint (it seems to me that it scraches too easly). Did your dealer have any idea or offer any other suggestions? Also, how long have you been hearing your noise? For me, it it just started a few months back...



(uhm)

 

[BadApple]

What color are your neons? Bet it looks sweet! Saddly, my car is stock (... although at one point just after I bought it, I was thinking about getting those tire air valve lights, but never did).

i have red gold series streetglow neons....ohhh and please dont ever get those valve lights that go on youe wheels...thats RICE!!!!!

 

[bwayout]

i have red gold series streetglow neons....ohhh and please dont ever get those valve lights that go on youe wheels...thats RICE!!!!!

Thanks for the advice!



I haven't done a search, but any pics at night?

 

[bwayout]

...back on topic ...

Its the roof racks. I used to have that too.. riiiight at 65 or so.. whistling.

I removed my roof racks and no whistly.. can go 100 now with no whistles.
not that I drive 100... just assuming.. you know.. that IF I were to drive 100......

You and Khoifather plus Pretzellogic might be right on target...

Yesterday night as I was driving on the Highway, I got that sound again. Thinking about my missing roof rack . . . I realized that I sill have the side support rails on . . . then a thought accured and I poped open my sunroof, by using the left button, opening the top edge as far as it would go, still covering my head, but leaving a wide crack/so it acted more like an airfoil (not pressing the right button to make it slide completly outside and leave a big hole) ...

and that stoped the noise! but of course I could hear the rest of the outside road noise better . . .

 

[uclap5]

im gunna guess its the windshield wiper squirters, or part of the windshield molding.

 

[mdagost103]

got the dealership i had the same problem and my trans blew with only 11,000 miles on it now im without my p5 2003

 

[BadApple]

Thanks for the advice!



I haven't done a search, but any pics at night?

this is the only pic that i got...it sux but the best i can do right now...its a old pic (about a year to be exact) im gonna take some pics latter so i will post 'em!(jacked)
you can bearly see the neons because i was at a airplane hanger and the lights are so damn bright, plus i had a bad camera!

 

[bwayout]

this is the only pic that i got...it sux but the best i can do right now...its a old pic (about a year to be exact) im gonna take some pics latter so i will post 'em!(jacked)
you can bearly see the neons because i was at a airplane hanger and the lights are so damn bright, plus i had a bad camera!

Thanks! All in all a great location...

 

[bwayout]

im gunna guess its the windshield wiper squirters, or part of the windshield molding.

My first guess was that it was from the wiper blades, but when I turned them on - they didn't affect the noise ...

I did a little more experimenting last night as I drove home, from work And as I discovered before ... I can get the sound to stop by opening the sunroof by having only the back top edge up as high as it will go... so it acts as an air dam changing the outside air flow...

The sound continues if the sunroof is slid open so the hole in the roof is empty (plus I've gained a lot more wind noise)

But, I've also noticed that when I lower the driver side window more than half way down the sound will also stop!

 

[bwayout]

got the dealership i had the same problem and my trans blew with only 11,000 miles on it now im without my p5 2003

mdagost103, Sorry to hear about it. Hope they have you in a good loaner car (like a new 3 or even better a RX-8)!

Did your Dealer have ant ideas on your wind noise problem?

 

[old guy]

REPLY:
Horay, someone who has the same problem. Mazda service has not heard of this one. My girl friend has a 2000 Protege ES (no roof rack here) with the same problem at 80MPH. I just purchased a 2002 P5 and the noise starts at 72mph. The cause seems to be the same as in your case. Have you found anything about the cause or the fix? old guy