kirkland715

so i was driving down the freeway and wanted to air out my car (chinese food) but i just had my front windows tinted so i couldn't open those windows... anyway i opened the two back windows and the car started shaking like crazy and my ear drums felt like they were about to burst. just to be sure i wasn't having a stroke or seizure i did it a few more times. LOL and same thing! has anyone else noticed this? If not you should try it and tell me if its just my rdx or if it happens to you. i should probably also note that this is my first cuv/suv/truck etc so i dunno if this is just a normal airflow thing with bigger vehicles, so go easy on me.

rosen39

You are not alone. It has happened with this car, and my RX-350. It also changes with the sunroof open or closed. It's just the harmonics caused by the air flow in the cabin with those windows open.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

most cars display this phenomenon

NBP04TL4ME

Agreed. It has and does happen in every car I've owned with four doors.

blSwagger

It happens in my 4-door GTI. And yes, it's so bad that it hurts my ears.

kirkland715

i've had around 10 cars in my life and have never had this happen. especially not to this degree. i thought maybe it was an suv thing since this is my first vehicle that is not a car. strange to hear that people feel it in their cars.

to be clear it is not a small nuisance, i'm talking about an unbearable shake and ear pain. perhaps i just have sensitive ears? lol

kirkland715

interesting... i guess i learned something new the hard way. Now i have to go drive my infiniti and see if i just never really paid attention to it. i could have sworn i've driven around on the highway with the back windows down. I think the windows don't go all the way down though, that may be why it doesn't happen!?

NBP04TL4ME

Don't believe it has anything to do with how far down the window go, but it has been a long time since I have played with it. Yes - the buffetting of the wind within the car can be very painful. Just crack a front window or open the sunroof and you should be fine.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

this happens in a lot of cars (TL and MDX included, CRVs). i read somewhere it's caused by the pressure differences and the aerodynamics of cars these days. i dont' open my windows when i drive...the last thing i need is the outdoor crap (we have a lot fo this here) blowing into my car. if i lived somewhere else where nature wasn't as much of an issue...my sunroof would be open all day any day if the sun is out.

CoachRick

If you want a real treat, open just ONE rear window! Our pup likes to look out of the passenger rear window and you had better get another open in a hurry, especially if you're going 30mph or faster. Just cracking the fronts a bit will relieve almost all of the buffeting. I think it's worse in a wagon-type configuration...all of our Volvo wagons/CUVs have displayed this.

davisinla

My old Highlander did the same thing with only the back windows down - it felt like I was riding in a helicopter.

nj2pa2nc

never had problems with the car shaking with the windows or sunroof open. Do get lots of road noise when traveling on the highway. I keep the windows closed but love having the sunroof open majority of the time.

Mike_TX

The car doesn't actually shake. It's just the buffeting of the wind. Virtually all cars do that.

Keep those windows closed.

radiodr

You never will unless you do it under the right circumstances. Sunroof only won't cause the problem. Open just ONE rear window and see what happens. When the buffeting starts just crack another window or sunroof and it will go away.
Opening all of the windows or a pair of front windows will not cause it.
There isn't a car on the planet that won't do this.
It is known as Helmholtz oscillation.
It is the rhythmic pressurization and depressurization of a cars cabin.
Do a Google search.

dcpc08161992

___***
It happened to my traded in my 2010 Venza V6 AWD too! I cracked passenger side front window open half way down and, for a few seconds, I thought something really wrong with the car. The noise is unbearable. I believe most modern cars are not designed to have the windows closed while driving. You can open all the windows but you cannot open just one windows or two of the wrong combinations. It's kind of weird.

wizardjjr

This phenomenon is actually a sign of a nice tight seal within the cabin. All 3 of my 3g TL's had this issue. The double seals are amazing on the doors and windows.

ceb

Correct. Opening a window disrupts the aerodynamics. You'll also notice it when you open the moonroof all the way. Many German cars have a moonroof detente about halfway back. Past that point you'll get buffeting.

markAZ

So it's not a bug...it's a feature.

CharlieZ

I think this is normal!