Do you get a breeze through your driver's side window switches while you're driving (windows up, of course)?

My car has the occassional fluttering sound, at freeway+ speeds, that seems to be coming from inside the driver's door. I'm wondering if the breeze that I feel through the window switches could indicate a poor seal somewhere in the door that could make something flap around inside.

Rob144

 

Yep, I do get that as well.

 

Nope, can't say that I have had that issue.

 

Negative Rampart (dating myself with that comment)

 

I used to get a breeze through the window controls of a Volvo and it would significantly increase as I was being passed on the left on the highway. I actually found it to be a useful blind spot monitor under these conditions.

 

I don't recall feeling a breeze but the fluttering sound is common. There was a discussion on this forum a while ago (at least a year ago) about it. Incidentally, I recently noticed that the trim/seal around the bottom of the door is "flappable" and I wondered if that might be the cause of the flutter.

I haven't had a chance to play with it but I plan on looking-into it. I'll let you know what I find-out.

 

That is funny, I just noticed that I do this morning on the way to work. I have a 2007. It was cool air and I though it might be coming from the A/C, but just a guess.

 

I don't think there's any connection from the A/C system to the doors in the RL. Some Acuras had door vents for the defroster, which provided a path for the A/C to the doors.

I'm pretty sure the rubber seals on the bottom are pressed against the body hard enough that they don't flap around. I think the flapping comes from inside the door. The funny thing about the flapping is that it comes and goes depending upon outside wind direction.

 

I put some foam weather strip between the rubber seals at the bottom of the door. I don't get-out much (work from home) but the next time I'm on the highway (next week), I'll report on whether or not the fluttering noise stopped. I agree that the strip seems to be tight when the door is closed but it was a simple thing and hopefully it'll work. If you tap on that strip, it makes a somewhat load noise so it's possible.....

 

Yes, I get the same thing happened to my 07 RL but only happened when I tilt open my sunroof otherwise no air coming out.

 

I checked mine this morning on my way to work while on the highway. I don't get any breeze. Mine is a 2008.

 

Did you try it with the sunroof tilt open?
This is weird because when the sunroof closed nothing come out but when it tilt open the air come out from the power windows panel, it also happened on my 04 TL.

 

Guess I am lucky. I checked with the sunroof tilt/open today and still no breeze through the window controls.

 

Guys, listen to what you're debating!! Your car isn't supposed to be airtight. It's inevitable that you're going to get some "leakage" of outside air. There are drain holes in the door and while there is weatherstripping and insulation, again, it's not supposed to be airtight.

 

The foam strip stopped the fluttering so it's official, at least on my car, that this common fluttering is caused by the weather strip at the bottom of the door.

 

Now I'll have to try it. Pictures?

 

I would love to take pictures for you but I traded my RL in for a Pontiac G8 GT three days ago so I don't have the car any longer.

The fix is pretty self explanatory though. Open the door and look at the rubber strip along the bottom of the door. Tap on it lightly and you'll hear how loud it is when it makes contact with the door. I put a sticky foam weather strip between the rubber strip and the inside of the door where it makes contact. The flutter was totally gone.

I'm very happy with the G8. The 6.0L V8 has some serious low-end torque and it handles very will with the RWD and LSD. It's not even close to the RL in terms of luxury and comfort but I was willing to give all of that up for the power.

The G8 is a 2008 and is loaded minus GPS and sunroof and I got it for $29,460 which is the GM employee pricing. They gave me $29K for my RL so the next difference was only $460 plus tax. I couldn't pass that up.

The owner of the dealership took the RL for a spin during the appraisal and he said, "Wow, that's a nice car. Everything just feels right. Why are you trading it again?" I thought that was pretty funny. Also, the salesman called me the next day to follow-up and he said the owner took the RL home the night before. Maybe he'll buy it for himself and open an Acura dealership too?

I enjoyed my time with the RL and especially with all of you here on this forum. There's a noticeable difference in the culture of this forum vs. the G8 forum that I started following (more "polished" here). I hope I contributed to you all in a positive way.

 

You did in my book. Good luck with the G8. It is very cool looking up close, and sounds great.

 

I applied a length of sticky-back weatherstripping beneath the stock weatherstripping and finally got a chance to see if the problem was cured. The answer is that the fluttering changed -- it got a little less noticeable, but still there.

Since I was careful not to cover the drain holes, I'm wondering if they contribute to the fluttering sound. I.e., they provide a path for air due to some pressure differential at higher speeds, causing a liner inside the door panel to flutter a little bit.

Rob144

 

Rob,

There is also a plastic membrane inside the door. Here is an example:

http://images.omegaowners.com/images...r/DSC06757.jpg


Perhaps this is related to the fluttering sound and how air current is working throught the window switches? And should there be an air current channel, this likely also has some effect of the weather strip along the bottom of the door. This may be a compound issue.

Has your driver's door panel ever been removed? I would take the effort to have it removed and that membrane inspected. It may be loose or punctured opening access for the air flow. Worse, water or moisture may get access to electricals in the door.

But based on your avitar, I guess I need not explain aerodynamics to you!

 

I feel the breeze. I think its Acura's attempt to tease 2005-2008 RL owners in the U.S. on how cooled seats would feel.

 

I have the breeze through the window control switches too. But not always. When the A/C is on, I do not get the breeze but when the A/C is off and the sunroof is open, I get the breeze.

BTW on the fluttering sound at 60 or 70 mph, it was supposed to be because certain grommets at tie down points underneath the car may not have been installed at PDI. I got my grommets installed and the sound reduced so now I can hardly detect it.

 

I haven't removed the door panel on the RL. I've been trying to keep the car "virgin". I've removed door panels on many of my cars, though.

Speaking of aerodynamics, I wonder it the flutter is simply turbulence oustside the car. There have been times the flutter occurs going east, and when I'm going west the flutter is not heard (at the same speed). It implies that wind direction and/or pressure differentials could play a role.

 

i only get the breeze by the window switches when my sunroof has the tilt function open

 

I have noticed this since I picked up the car (2008 model). I get pretty strong air flow through the door handle. Not so much on the window switches but pretty noticeable on the door handle. I'll add it to the list when they do the first oil change.