Moonroof wind buffeting / wind noise

[kidkusu]

It is not a "design flaw". It's the laws of aeodynamics.

If it's not a "Design flaw", how come my Dodge Magnum did not make this buffetting sound

 

[givenuponsociety]

my civic didn't do it either.

 

[kidkusu]

This must be your first retracting sunroof. Virtually all retracting sunroofs do the same thing. Not a VW thing. My 911 does it, my Audis did it and all my VW with SR did it. Think of it like a flute or a jug band. Air over the top of a closed chamber makes a noise.

GREAT INFO THANKS NORTHGTI

Hey I got it lets just call it a sumoonroof or a moosunroof or even a hole in the friggin roof will do. I also just found out today that if you just turn the knob till it stops it will wind back with about 4 inches still exposed. but if you turn the dial all the way till it stops and then force it another 1/4 turn or so the moosunroof opens all the way up till there is nothing exposed, Isn't that AMAZING

 

[gti mkv]

bilbos is correct with this one folks! the remedy to this is just crack one of the windows slightly. the reason is because you equalize the pressure from inside and out or something like that. and get it right...its called the thingy that slides back and forth and up and down. geez! every one knows that!

 

[vDubr]

It is a design flaw. My Honda and BMW don't do it. Only my GTI does.

 

[Slowride]

It is a design flaw. My Honda and BMW don't do it. Only my GTI does.

I guess this would be a good time to say that my Honda doesn't do this either...

 

[GTT]

It is a design flaw. My Honda and BMW don't do it. Only my GTI does.

Which BMW do you have that doesn't do it?

My E46 325i does the same thing if you open the sunroof and don't open any of the windows.
The buffeting has a low resonance that vibrates into my skull. I have to crack one of the windows (rears work great) to equalize the pressure created and then the throbbing stops.

I've found that this issue is worse with sedans. I even get annoying buffeting by just opening my drivers window. I have to open one of the rear windows to equalize the pressure again.
In a sedan the B pilloar is so close to your head that the buffeting gets extreme even with one of the front windows down. The sunroof is just a window no top of the car and aerodynamics affect it as well.

BTW, have you guys checked the air foil at the front of the roof opening to make sure it's coming up high enough? That fail is supposed to help direct air up and over the opening.
Maybe it's not popping up high enough or their were made too small?
Take a look next time.

T

 

[Tricky]

I checked my foil and yes, it does come up all the way. I really don't see what the big deal is. Yes, with the moonroof open all the way and my windows up it is very very loud, but I just close my moonroof a little bit (like 1 or 2 clicks on the dial) and it stops. :iono:

 

[GTT]

I checked my foil and yes, it does come up all the way. I really don't see what the big deal is. Yes, with the moonroof open all the way and my windows up it is very very loud, but I just close my moonroof a little bit (like 1 or 2 clicks on the dial) and it stops. :iono:

That's what most of us are saying, but there are a few who feel the buffeting is extreme and/or out of character with other sunroof/moonroof designs.
My experience is that what is described is quite common and "normal".

T

 

[Teknophreak]

OMG, close the damn thing and shut up about it!

Ok, now I have to throw my .02 in... Some quick science - when you have air moving rapidly over a surface, a region of low pressure is generated. (google Bernoulli's principle) The lower pressure region over the car interacts with the higher pressure region in the car. The sound you hear is caused by this pressure differential being distorted (higher pressure being pulled out of the car) and then "snapping" back to it's original state (because the vacuum created in the cabin is stronger than the force of the low pressure region above the car) The "snapping back" creates a pressure wave that your ears/brain "hear" as a whomping sound.

Sooooo.....it's not a design flaw - you're just driving a well put together vehicle. If your Honda didn't do it, it's because it wasn't as air tight as your VW. Crack a window or turn on the fan.

LOL, I wonder how close my "explanation" is to being accurate???

 

[Shovels]

Hey I got it lets just call it a sumoonroof or a moosunroof or even a hole in the friggin roof will do. I also just found out today that if you just turn the knob till it stops it will wind back with about 4 inches still exposed. but if you turn the dial all the way till it stops and then force it another 1/4 turn or so the moosunroof opens all the way up till there is nothing exposed, Isn't that AMAZING

Thats why it does not open all the way back unless you force it so as ye dont get the air problem....lol....all this fuss over a sunroof...try living in this part of the world where all it ever does is fecking rain :biggrin:

 

[vDubr]

Which BMW do you have that doesn't do it?

My E46 325i does the same thing if you open the sunroof and don't open any of the windows.
The buffeting has a low resonance that vibrates into my skull. I have to crack one of the windows (rears work great) to equalize the pressure created and then the throbbing stops.

I've found that this issue is worse with sedans. I even get annoying buffeting by just opening my drivers window. I have to open one of the rear windows to equalize the pressure again.
In a sedan the B pilloar is so close to your head that the buffeting gets extreme even with one of the front windows down. The sunroof is just a window no top of the car and aerodynamics affect it as well.

BTW, have you guys checked the air foil at the front of the roof opening to make sure it's coming up high enough? That fail is supposed to help direct air up and over the opening.
Maybe it's not popping up high enough or their were made too small?
Take a look next time.

T

I have an E60 525i. It isn't as quite as my Accord's but much quiter than my GTI. No buffeting, though.

 

[Slowride]

Sooooo.....it's not a design flaw - you're just driving a well put together vehicle. If your Honda didn't do it, it's because it wasn't as air tight as your VW.

:clap:

 

[car]

Yeah, I've never ridden in a car with a hole in the roof that didn't have this happen to some degree, including Acuras, Lexuses (Lexi?), BMWs, Audis, my 98 gti, etc etc etc. My highschool buddy's Daytona actually had a warning sticker on the roof that said you could experience serious headaches if you didn't crack a window with the roof open.
I'm not a physicist or anything, just relaying my experiences.

 

[Shovels]

I'm not a physicist or anything, just relaying my experiences.

Dont think its physicist's we have here just perfectionsists and they are driving a German car so guess its to be expected :wink: