Biggest "missed" design flaw???

blacklabel · 03-02-2007, 10:14 PM

Hi all,

I have had my trusty 98 AU Futura for nearly 3 years now, and it's by far the most reliable and comfortable car I have ever owned.
However I discovered something today,that I never had experienced before,and it was something that rattled my brain- literally!!

It's summer of course here in NZ, like in Oz and pretty damn hot.
My car has power front windows and manual winder rears, so I usually travel with the front windows only down,cos I can control them from my drivers side-convenient and more than enough breeze in the cabin.

Well, today it was damn hot, and I wound down the rear windows to halfway while parked up in the driveway to keep the car a bit cooler.So I decide to go up the local shops this avo to get a few bevys. I left the rear windows as they were,got in and took off and then lowered the front windows to get a real cool,breezy ride.
Well- I **** you not- the absolute wind noise and circulation of air in the cabin even at only 60kms was so bad it actually felt like my brain was shaking.You had to shout to hear yourself.And the "vibrations" in the airflow were actually physically painful to the 'ol mellon!
It was very very uncomfortable and I actually stopped halfway,got out and wound the rear windows back up closed!

I have never experienced anything like this in any other car I have ever owned.
I put it down to the cabin shape and poor airflow dynamics- regardless of what level the rear windows were,if the fronts were wound down too the results were the same.LOUD!
But it's a real eye opener- if you haven't experienced this yourself, then try it- I'm sure you will be as staggered as I was.

Perhaps the ultimate unfixable design flaw?

poolkeeper · 03-02-2007, 10:18 PM

get a ute :hihi:
my mums el does that all the time..

GK · 03-02-2007, 10:19 PM

I used to get it in both my Ford Lasers (89 & 95) as well as my 2 AUs.

Sounds like a chopper is in the car, very loud! LOL!

GK

Laminge · 03-02-2007, 10:20 PM

Same thing in all my cars, Fairmont, Falcon, Explorer, Kluger and Territory.

I believe there is only one make of car that may have had this issues solved, one of the merc models if I remember correctly

XR Rob · 03-02-2007, 10:26 PM

Oh man, I will have to experiment with this tomorrow

With power windows all 'round, I will be able to quickly save myself if the noise gets too bad

cArSiK · 03-02-2007, 10:35 PM

every car i have been in does it. I dont believe it happens if you have a sunroof....

Kryton · 03-02-2007, 10:44 PM

my AU was the same, the BA is the same.
no other car i have ever owned apart from these 2 have ever had this problem.
i got a little bored driving home the other so i put BOTH back windows down in the BA whilst doing 105kmh...........the whole car vibrated so violently i couldnt get the windows up quick enough.
every window and panel in the car was pulsing, even the rear view mirror. it got that bad i thought the rear windscreen was going to shatter from it.
but it does come in handy when people in the back set are annoying you....crank the music and roll down the rear windows (make sure you lock them so the rear passengers cant put them back up!).

sfr rob · 03-02-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laminge

Same thing in all my cars, Fairmont, Falcon, Explorer, Kluger and Territory.

I believe there is only one make of car that may have had this issues solved, one of the merc models if I remember correctly

I think it was the CLK CONVERTABLE hehe.

Every car I have had has done this, it has to be one of the worst things ever, especially if you only open 1 window, mainly rears. :togo:
I found opening the fronts a bit stops it, it has something to with air pressure ( derrr ), going in and out and acting like a subwoofer, its a fact, but i dont know the exact name for it.

**GasoLane** · 03-02-2007, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laminge

Same thing in all my cars, Fairmont, Falcon, Explorer, Kluger and Territory.

I believe there is only one make of car that may have had this issues solved, one of the merc models if I remember correctly

Not a problem in XJ Jags, '74-'78. Dont know about the newer ones, I could never afford one of them

LUXO_8 · 03-02-2007, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cArSiK

every car i have been in does it. I dont believe it happens if you have a sunroof....

i was going to say that its happened in every other car ive been in except for my fairlane for some reason.......but guess what...i have a sunroof!
and everytime the windows are down, the sunroof is up or fully open

so maybe theres actually truth to what you've said

XR6-VCT-2000 · 04-02-2007, 12:02 AM

yeah my missus bitches about this all the time ..lol, it's really noticable in the front passengers seat with the drivers window fully down and the front passengers window half way down / with both rear windows closed ! . As mentioned , its sounds like a helicopter in the car

.

The Dok · 04-02-2007, 12:16 AM

Nup it doesn't happen in the wagon, however with both front windows down, @110 kph, I can get the LHF seatbelt (retracted position) to make a sound similar to putting cards in bicycle spokes.......

:

The Monty · 04-02-2007, 01:19 AM

Wind down just one rear window at 100k's. It feels like the rest are going to explode. Also if you have both fronts down at 100k's, the seat belt on the passenger side bangs reall loud against the b pillar. Wind the passenger window up 20 mm and it wont do it.

NeishaXR8_347 · 04-02-2007, 01:31 AM

Close windows and put Air con on???

Ford_Boy · 04-02-2007, 01:37 AM

i can't believe this! i was just thinking about making a thread like this. i have noticed this everytime i am in the back seat in my dads ba. i think its the design shape. ive been in my girlfriends parents cars, all holdens and non of them have that problem. they have 3 vt commies and they always have the window down. maybe its a falcon thing. maybe they are more refined so they leave the windows up with the aircon. but no joke today we were going 50 and it was pounding in our ears. such an annoying fault.

HLC · 04-02-2007, 11:37 AM

That's why these cars have air conditioning.

they are intended to be driven with the windows up/aircon on.

who cares about airflow inside the cabin.

LUXO_8 · 04-02-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLC

That's why these cars have air conditioning.

they are intended to be driven with the windows up/aircon on.

who cares about airflow inside the cabin.

im sure i am not alone.....but i cannot stant driving a car with the windows all shut up........even with the ac on.....

i am not clostrofobic by any means....i just cant travel locked up in a car

the windows cracked down 2" is plenty and doesnt have that same buffetting effect

nikos · 04-02-2007, 11:48 AM

Its a similar effect to the way a recorder or whistle works - air is blown over a gap with a sharp edge.

The drumming effect occurs because the gap (window) and cabin are so large that frequency is very low.

GlennBA · 04-02-2007, 12:05 PM

If you wind down all 4 windows all the way it doesn't do it, or if you wind down just the 2 fronts.

walker · 04-02-2007, 12:14 PM

I rekon every car I have ever been in has done that, but now you mention it I can't ever remember a station wagon donig it,

LUXO_8 · 04-02-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walker

I rekon every car I have ever been in has done that, but now you mention it I can't ever remember a station wagon donig it,

my parents AU mont is a wagon and does it a bit....not as bad as some cars ive been in though

fairmont1998 · 04-02-2007, 12:55 PM

A lot of owners manuals even mention it, its that common.

DanXR6T · 04-02-2007, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairmont1998

A lot of owners manuals even mention it, its that common.

You read owner's manuals?

And I agree with Wayne, I don't like driving with the windows up either, I like some natural air. Probably explains why my ute and Navara are always dusty inside though...

Mark351 · 04-02-2007, 01:32 PM

Yay for having a sunroof!

HLC · 04-02-2007, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

im sure i am not alone.....but i cannot stant driving a car with the windows all shut up........even with the ac on.....

i am not clostrofobic by any means....i just cant travel locked up in a car

the windows cracked down 2" is plenty and doesnt have that same buffetting effect

likewise, im just being a ***** lol

Bucknaked · 04-02-2007, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathXR

Yay for having a sunroof!

I'll second that

chief · 04-02-2007, 10:28 PM

My wagon does and does not have the problem. It really depends on the height on the rear windows. Today I drove with the front and the rear driver side down. No problems.

Sean-87 · 04-02-2007, 10:36 PM

My AU sedan and my parents wagon both have the problem.

XR Rob · 04-02-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walker

I rekon every car I have ever been in has done that, but now you mention it I can't ever remember a station wagon donig it,

Often they don't, depending ont he model, because of their different shape.

The Dok · 04-02-2007, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeathXR

Yay for having a sunroof!

Indeed, apart from the reduced rollover protection, extra (theft or keys locked in) entry point & somewhere else for the water to enter.......I actually quite like sunroof's.

:

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR Rob

Often they don't, depending ont he model, because of their different shape.

I put it (the lack of sonic boom in my wagon) down to the slope of my bonnet & the lower overall front aerodynamics compared to the std AU front.......... :hihi: