Travelbill

Ok, This is strange and unfortunately I could not test it much as the weather here is 5 degrees right now. Here is the deal. I was driving down the highway about 65 - 70 and I lowered my rear windows down about half way. All of a sudden there was a - thump, thump, thump noise that kept getting louder and louder. I rolled the windows up trying to find the noise thinking is was something that I could not hear with the windows down. The noise went away. Thinking it was a tire (but felt no vibration); I slowly lowered the rear windows down again - a little at a time. About 1/2 way again - the harmonic thumping noise came back. The longer the windows are down - the louder the noise becomes.

Anyway with it being 5 degrees - I rolled up the windows and decided I would let you California guys with the great weather see if the same thing happens to anyone else.

Or, if anyone can help me figure this out - I am all ears (or eyes in cyberspace).

Thanks

Bill

msoemax

Many cars exhibit this sound when you roll the rear windows down. What is happening is that as the air passes over your car it encounters your open windows. This causes a disturbance in the airflow over the car. The result is the sound that you end up hearing. It's a matter of pressure changes between the inside and outside of the vehicle. You will notice this with one window down too. The severity of this varies by car and combination of how the windows are open. This is a super simplified answer, so take it for what it's worth...a simple and quick answer.

CanadianMoFo

Its like blowing across the mouth of a pop bottle. It makes a low pitched noise. Only in this case you are inside the pop bottle.

Mike_TX

It's usually referred to as "buffeting". It's the air flow being broken up and pulsing through your car's interior. Can definitely give you a headache after a while!

Perfectly normal.

Mike

Travelbill

Thanks everyone, I appericate the responses. It was just strange the way it worked on my 04. No other car that I have had in the past acted this way. With all my shimmy problems, leaking sky view, bad interior panels and memory seat issues with my 6 speed - I have learned to question everything.

Thanks

Bill