GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

i have a 2003 Vibe GT,and last night, my 2nd nite having it, we were going down the interstate around 65mph, and my friend sitting in the back sit let the back right window down. it was the only window down and the way the wind was coming in made our ears start popping really really bad and was making a horrible wind tunnel noise.anyone else experienced this????????Greg

If it bothers ya that bad, you can always *gasp* roll the window up.. HAHA.. Sorry.. yet another smart-a$$ comment from your's truly....

yeah seems to do it really bad when one back window is down, the further down it is the worst it sounds.someone please test this so ill know if its just mine or notGreg

We have had simular problems with other cars and suvs with roof racks. try moving the bows for and aft. Sometimes the cross bows are installed backwards, to close together, ect. Also we have seen cars that this just happens because the efficency of the airodynamics is so good that the air flowing over the surface of the car is so fast, that when you open a window, you have upset the air flow.This usualy makes a low pitched thumping sound(what I would think it would sound like inside a helicopter). I'll try to drive one today to see what happens.

I have an idea what may be causing it, and have heard this in many cars!Its like when you blow across the top of a beer bottle or something and it makes a whistle like noise. It has to do with the air pressure... the window open is causing air to want to come in but it cannot equalize out of another open window since the rest of them are closed. Happens with my mom's Buick century, and I have the same problem with one window open in my Probe. Try opening the opposite window just a crack. It should be enough to get rid of the sound! (If its what I think it is anyway)

Driving at highway speeds with only one back window open, I get a standing pressure wave in my Vibe, a pulsating, throbbing, ear popping thumping. It goes away if I open another window or the sunroof, so it's easy to deal with and doesn't happen all that often, but I've never had a car that did this before. I think this may be what was being talked about in this old thread, has anyone else run into this "feature"?

You should definately open more than just one windows if you are just barely opening them. That noise or pressure happens in both my Vibe and my wife's car when you only crack on window in the back.

This situation happens with all vehicles, it's just more noticeable in some than others. It is a matter of air pressure. With one window open the interior of the car builds up pressure until it exceeds the exterior pressure and for a split second the air flow reverses until the exterior pressure is greater and then the air flow reverses again, etc, etc, etc. The larger the interior volume the more noticeable it will be. The reason it isn't as bad when a front window is the only one open is because you are sitting closer to the "balanced" point of air pressure and the front windows proximity to the front windshield, the air is creating a vacuum at the edges and will create an out flow at the front edge of the side windows.The fix is to open any other window so a "flow" will be created instead of a pressurize/vacuum/pressurize/vacuum/pressurize/vacuum/pressurize/vacuum/pressurize/vacuum/pressurize/vacuum, and so on...Question: Is this post reply long winded, to technical, and therefore ignored as techno babble?

I never roll the back windows down unless I am rolling all four windows down. But yeah I've seen/heard this in mine

quote:Question: Is this post reply long winded, to technical, and therefore ignored as techno babble?technobabble would have been if you had said something like the ionic flux transition ripple through the Hummelschmidt principle efffect on the mass amplifier to generate a Steinmetz reaction in my inner ear created erratic neuronic impulses that simulated the perceived sound. Without the power package, I usually never open the rear windows, but this weekend a rear seat passenger did, so although I've had the car for 7 months, I never noticed how strong the effect in a Vibe was until now.

As mentioned, this is simply a law of physics. It works like this in all cars, except that it's more noticable in some than others. Cars with more interior space will amplify the effect, or at least that's what I've noticed. Hint: Don't keep only one window rolled down at high speeds. At least crack another one to allow the air to flow and balance the pressure.

I first experienced it this weekend, and using the search feature I found that it had already been posted here over a year ago. Way to go search feature, now bolded for your searching convenience.

You think the Vibe is bad try driving a 2003 Buick Century on the highway with both rear windows down. I had one on vacation in June and decided to open the rear windows to get some air...major mistake!!

I used to have a blazer that did it bad, and when Ice froze on the roof rack and you drove at high speeds it would just HOWL. sounded horrible. and yes when my son rolls down the window in back on the vibe it makes that helicopter noise

I just don't notice any noise. Maybe it's me. I've never driven a "quiet" car. Perhaps I'm just used to the road noise. Doesn't bother me anyway.I don't drive with side windows down...either with moonroof open, or all windows closed and A/C going...

when i have my dogs in the back, i have to roll both rear windows down to avoid the tunnel noise. very annoying. any vehicle will have that problem, so i just make sure that the opposite window is cracked just a little. that helps reduce or eliminate the problem.

i think in general its just kind of a noisey car.

quote:technobabble would have been if you had said something like the ionic flux transition ripple through the Hummelschmidt principle efffect on the mass amplifier to generate a Steinmetz reaction in my inner ear created erratic neuronic impulses that simulated the perceived sound.ABSOLUTLY HILARIOUS

quote:technobabble would have been if you had said something like the ionic flux transition ripple through the Hummelschmidt principle efffect on the mass amplifier to generate a Steinmetz reaction in my inner ear created erratic neuronic impulses that simulated the perceived sound. Don't forget the 1.21 gigawatts of power needed to operate the flux capacitor...

Ah well. Whatever. You get the jist...

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i hadnt read this post before but deffinaly noticed this when one of my passenges opend their window, my head nearly exploded

This is like when you are driving at high speeds with one window cracked and the pressure builds up but can neutralize a little bit, but have you noticed that if you put the window up at high speeds and seal the car up, your ears will pop at the last second because the pressure has no way to regulate. I just rambled, I think it made sense.

I once had a car with a sunroof that created this some problem. Had to drive around with the windows cracked whenever the roof was open fully.

I had a 2000 Jetta that made the noise from my Vibe seem like nothing. It sounded/felt like a helicopter was taking off from the back seat.

Is it worse or better with ventvisors?Anyone noticed? I'm considering taking mine off, because I just don't use them for what I intended (leave the windows cracked during the day) and I don't smoke anymore (well, occasionally, but never in the car), so I thought I might take them off to resell in OH, but if the noise is going to increase, I'll keep them!