ne0phyte
Active Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Hi guys, I've been reading these forums for advice and tips on troubleshooting wind noise, and I have come up with a DIY fix that works really well!
First off, I would like to thank Hamdan's post for getting me started:
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/wind-noise-solved-at-last-using-tube-rubber-seal.17797/
I would definitely read through what he's done as my fix is somewhat based on that
However, I will try to make a more concise guide here with pictures to help streamline the process.
FYI, I have a 2024 R1S build/VIN.
Part 1: Figure out what kind of wind noise you have
-If you have very obvious wind noise coming from one spot (most likely the seal from the A pillar window), then Rivian Service can actually replace that seal and fix it
-However, if it's the more general "the car just seems loud at highway speeds", then Rivian Service will say "it's within spec", and leave you frustrated. I, like many others, have taken my car in for wind noise only for them to tell me that. If this is the type of wind noise that you have, then we can move on to our DIY fix
Part 2: The Fix
From my extensive testing using painter's tape to seal areas, I've found 3 common areas that seem to really help remove the wind noise.
They are:
1. The door frame seal (on car frame, and on door),
2. The seal around the edge of the door
3. The seals INSIDE the window
Additional Areas:
4. Rear door seals and rear window seals
5. Windshield and Roof
These additional areas weren't "high yield" for me, which is why I initially didn't do them. What I mean by that is doing #1-3 got rid of 85-90% of the windnoise and were very high yield. The car became just as quiet as a BMW X5e (see below for dB measurements). However, as a tinkerer/DIY guy, I couldn't resist more experimentation. Doing the rear doors, and windshield helped get that 10-15% windnoise that was left, and made the car DEAD quiet (my wife says the BMW X5e is louder now)
Amazon Parts:
Door Frame Seal (buy 2):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H89G7D1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Car Weather Stripping,Universal Self Adhesive Auto Door Rubber Draft Seal Strip,Car Window Door Engine Cover Noise Insulation(47/100 Inch Wide X 2/5 Inch Thick X 33 Feet Long)
Door Edge Seal and Inside Window Seals (buy 2):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NL4D2T8?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Trim-LOK Rubber Cord Seal for Gun and Pistol Cases, Tackle Boxes, Cooler Lids, Replacement O-Ring Watertight Weatherstripping Seal - 0.25
***7/23/2024 update***
reading users' posts, the 0.25 trimlok may be too small or too big (as the tolerances aren't that great, hence the windnoise).
uxcell on amazon makes round seals in a lot of sizes, so you can try different sizes that work for you:
https://a.co/d/8pu2ZiH
******
Door Frame Fix
For the door frame, I used the L shaped weather stripping and placed it around the existing seal on the car frame, and behind the existing seal on the door itself. The idea is basically to puff up the existing seal on the door, and to give more rubber surface area on the door frame to make a tighter seal
Doing this helped make the car quieter, but the buffeting kind of wind noise was still apparent at highway speeds. The rubber can be inserted around the existing seal quite snugly. I was able to make it look pretty good, with only minimal adhesive use. You do not need to buy adhesive, the seal comes with an adhesive back arleady. I used one solid piece all the way around the door and put the ends towards the front bottom of the door, so you really can't see any gaps.
Outer Door Seal Fix
The leading front edge and top of each door also has a rubber seal. However, due to the door tolerances not being great, I think a lot of wind noise slips in here, especially at highway speeds. I would recommend placing a continuous Trim-Lok cord seal along the entire seal. FYI, it does shrink a little bit in the sun, so I would cut the piece a little long initially.
Inside Window Fix
After adding rubber seals to the door frame and outer door seals, I would say my wind noise went from a B- to a B+. However, I would still get some buffeting noise at high speeds. To put it in terms of numbers, I used to hear significant wind noise above 60mph. After the Door Frame Fix and Outer Door Seal Fix, I would hear wind noise around 75mph (quieter, but still noticeable).
My windows do close all the way (this was verified by Rivian Service), but listening carefully, I could still hear wind noise coming through the window. Once I rolled down the window, I saw the same type of seal as on the outer door seal. There are two layers, but again - I guess the manufacturing tolerances aren't great yet, and I don't think the seal is making a tight contact with the window glass.
I also placed a continuous Trim-Lok cord seal along the entire path, and one for each track inside the window. I used a guitar pick (or you can cut a plastic strip from an old credit card) to pry the seal more open to stick the Trim-Lok underneath it. I verified that the windows roll up and down without any interference
Seal Locations:
Pry these open a bit to insert the trim-lok cord seal:
Results:
After applying all 3 fixes, my R1S is dead silent at speeds less than 75mph. I hear a tiny bit of wind noise at 80mph. And I have to go 85-90mph before I would say the wind noise forces me to increase my speaker volume to 12. Even at 85-90mph, the wind noise is MUCH quieter than the stock configuration
In terms of comparison, I a hybrid BMW X5 and I would say the Rivian is now on par with it. I would give it an A- in terms of wind noise. Other cars I've driven that are quieter (rating A) would be an i4 or E-tron.
I've attached pictures to help visualize my DIY fix.
Hope this helps everyone who's sick of hearing wind noise!
completed trim-lok round seals:
--------
Overall Appearance Post DIY Fix:
From the outside, you really can't tell I did anything. Looks very factory, and the trim-lok round seals disappear into the existing seals:
The door frame seals also blend in pretty well. And I started and ended the loop on the inner most part of the frame, so you really have to look for it to see it wasn't factory (see the red arrow):
--------
***Sound Measurement Update*** (before rear doors and windshield)
A forum member requested dB readings as well, so I'm providing them here.
Unfortunately, I do not have any "before" readings (and FYI I'm not going to remove everything and re-do it at this point). I do have an apple watch (series 7), and I recorded readings of my R1S vs my BMW X5 45e hybrid (in electric only mode). The AC fan was off, same stretch of highway, and roughly the same speeds (hard to drive, monitor traffic and snap a quick photo)
For those unfamiliar with the decibel (dB) scale, it is logarithmic. Meaning an increase of 10db is 2x the loudness. so 60db->70dlb is not 16% increased loudness, but 100% increased loudness.
Rivian R1S w added seals:
61mph - 60db
76mph - 65db
82mph -65db
BMW X5 45e
64mph - 61db
76mph - 65db
81mph - 66db
Keep in mind this is an apple watch and not some special sound testing equipment. the 1 db difference is probably well within margin of error, but it shows my initial assessment was correct in saying the Rivian is on par with the BMW in terms of quietness now. See pictures below for proof
--------
Addendum - What about the windshield, rear doors and roof? **Updated 6/13/2024**
Personally, my testing of the windshield and roof did not yield any changes in the wind noise. I used painter's tape to first cover up the panel gaps, and had no effect. I put trim lock cord seal and even bought the T shaped rubber seal that Hamdan's post used, but no change in wind noise for me.
While Rivian's build quality is impressive considering it's short history, I think there is still a lot of variance between each car, so maybe adding windshield and roof seals may help you.
So I initially said that the windshield and roof didn't do much for me, but that was at the start - before I did my fix. I think the vast majority of wind noise is coming from the front doors and door windows, but after you address those issues, you can hear where the remaining windnoise is coming from. Keep in mind, my rivian went from loud to the same as a BMW X5e after just doing the front doors and windows. However, I couldn't stop tinkering, and found some more places that can help. After adding the additional seals, my wife says the Rivian is now quieter than the X5. It is probably the quietest car I've driven now.
Your mileage and results may vary, as people's variances between VINs is quite high, but here's some additional areas to tackle:
Rear Doors
Do the same as the front doors, with the seals around the frame, and behind the door seal. I also put the trim-lok round seals inside the window seal. My car was quiet after doing the fronts, but I could hear some faint wind noise coming from behind me. Putting these in pretty much eliminated that.
Windshield/Roof:
The only windnoise that was left was some mild noise coming from above me. I thought it was the roof, so i taped it up, but it did nothing for me. Still, some people have success, so where you can try to seal it is where the applique meets the glass moonroof. The applique should sit a little higher than the moonroof (so that it blocks the wind). If it does, sealing it or taping it up really won't do anything.
Use a 0.25inch trim-lok to wedge in the gap, or you can buy this :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYSNVCFS
and use the 14mm "T" shaped seal to bridge that gap
What did help get rid of the wind noise above me was actually the windshield. I think the grooves along the windshield funnel the wind up to the top, where it is catching and causing some noise.
What helped for me, was the vertical sides of the windshield. On the BMW, there is no groove between the car frame and the windshield, but there's a trench on each side with the Rivian. I bought this uxcell 8mm (0.31inch) round seal, that wedged perfectly into that groove.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Rubber-Weather-Diameter-Meters/dp/B07ZNH29FH/
you can see how it fits nicely along the windshield groove and then I have to wedge it in at the top of the roof (see above picture)
you can snug in the round seal at the bottom of the windshield
Finally, I tried the top strip of the windshield. It didn't do much for me, but in case it works for you, this is where wind noise might be coming from:
The item is the same as the "T"shaped seal used for the roof (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYSNVCFS), but since the gap is wider, you need to use the 19mm size (it comes with it).
-----
dB measurement snapshots (prior to windshield and rear door seals being added)
First off, I would like to thank Hamdan's post for getting me started:
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/wind-noise-solved-at-last-using-tube-rubber-seal.17797/
I would definitely read through what he's done as my fix is somewhat based on that
However, I will try to make a more concise guide here with pictures to help streamline the process.
FYI, I have a 2024 R1S build/VIN.
Part 1: Figure out what kind of wind noise you have
-If you have very obvious wind noise coming from one spot (most likely the seal from the A pillar window), then Rivian Service can actually replace that seal and fix it
-However, if it's the more general "the car just seems loud at highway speeds", then Rivian Service will say "it's within spec", and leave you frustrated. I, like many others, have taken my car in for wind noise only for them to tell me that. If this is the type of wind noise that you have, then we can move on to our DIY fix
Part 2: The Fix
From my extensive testing using painter's tape to seal areas, I've found 3 common areas that seem to really help remove the wind noise.
They are:
1. The door frame seal (on car frame, and on door),
2. The seal around the edge of the door
3. The seals INSIDE the window
Additional Areas:
4. Rear door seals and rear window seals
5. Windshield and Roof
These additional areas weren't "high yield" for me, which is why I initially didn't do them. What I mean by that is doing #1-3 got rid of 85-90% of the windnoise and were very high yield. The car became just as quiet as a BMW X5e (see below for dB measurements). However, as a tinkerer/DIY guy, I couldn't resist more experimentation. Doing the rear doors, and windshield helped get that 10-15% windnoise that was left, and made the car DEAD quiet (my wife says the BMW X5e is louder now)
Amazon Parts:
Door Frame Seal (buy 2):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H89G7D1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Car Weather Stripping,Universal Self Adhesive Auto Door Rubber Draft Seal Strip,Car Window Door Engine Cover Noise Insulation(47/100 Inch Wide X 2/5 Inch Thick X 33 Feet Long)
Door Edge Seal and Inside Window Seals (buy 2):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NL4D2T8?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
Trim-LOK Rubber Cord Seal for Gun and Pistol Cases, Tackle Boxes, Cooler Lids, Replacement O-Ring Watertight Weatherstripping Seal - 0.25
***7/23/2024 update***
reading users' posts, the 0.25 trimlok may be too small or too big (as the tolerances aren't that great, hence the windnoise).
uxcell on amazon makes round seals in a lot of sizes, so you can try different sizes that work for you:
https://a.co/d/8pu2ZiH
******
Door Frame Fix
For the door frame, I used the L shaped weather stripping and placed it around the existing seal on the car frame, and behind the existing seal on the door itself. The idea is basically to puff up the existing seal on the door, and to give more rubber surface area on the door frame to make a tighter seal
Doing this helped make the car quieter, but the buffeting kind of wind noise was still apparent at highway speeds. The rubber can be inserted around the existing seal quite snugly. I was able to make it look pretty good, with only minimal adhesive use. You do not need to buy adhesive, the seal comes with an adhesive back arleady. I used one solid piece all the way around the door and put the ends towards the front bottom of the door, so you really can't see any gaps.
Outer Door Seal Fix
The leading front edge and top of each door also has a rubber seal. However, due to the door tolerances not being great, I think a lot of wind noise slips in here, especially at highway speeds. I would recommend placing a continuous Trim-Lok cord seal along the entire seal. FYI, it does shrink a little bit in the sun, so I would cut the piece a little long initially.
Inside Window Fix
After adding rubber seals to the door frame and outer door seals, I would say my wind noise went from a B- to a B+. However, I would still get some buffeting noise at high speeds. To put it in terms of numbers, I used to hear significant wind noise above 60mph. After the Door Frame Fix and Outer Door Seal Fix, I would hear wind noise around 75mph (quieter, but still noticeable).
My windows do close all the way (this was verified by Rivian Service), but listening carefully, I could still hear wind noise coming through the window. Once I rolled down the window, I saw the same type of seal as on the outer door seal. There are two layers, but again - I guess the manufacturing tolerances aren't great yet, and I don't think the seal is making a tight contact with the window glass.
I also placed a continuous Trim-Lok cord seal along the entire path, and one for each track inside the window. I used a guitar pick (or you can cut a plastic strip from an old credit card) to pry the seal more open to stick the Trim-Lok underneath it. I verified that the windows roll up and down without any interference
Seal Locations:
Pry these open a bit to insert the trim-lok cord seal:
Results:
After applying all 3 fixes, my R1S is dead silent at speeds less than 75mph. I hear a tiny bit of wind noise at 80mph. And I have to go 85-90mph before I would say the wind noise forces me to increase my speaker volume to 12. Even at 85-90mph, the wind noise is MUCH quieter than the stock configuration
In terms of comparison, I a hybrid BMW X5 and I would say the Rivian is now on par with it. I would give it an A- in terms of wind noise. Other cars I've driven that are quieter (rating A) would be an i4 or E-tron.
I've attached pictures to help visualize my DIY fix.
Hope this helps everyone who's sick of hearing wind noise!
completed trim-lok round seals:
--------
Overall Appearance Post DIY Fix:
From the outside, you really can't tell I did anything. Looks very factory, and the trim-lok round seals disappear into the existing seals:
The door frame seals also blend in pretty well. And I started and ended the loop on the inner most part of the frame, so you really have to look for it to see it wasn't factory (see the red arrow):
--------
***Sound Measurement Update*** (before rear doors and windshield)
A forum member requested dB readings as well, so I'm providing them here.
Unfortunately, I do not have any "before" readings (and FYI I'm not going to remove everything and re-do it at this point). I do have an apple watch (series 7), and I recorded readings of my R1S vs my BMW X5 45e hybrid (in electric only mode). The AC fan was off, same stretch of highway, and roughly the same speeds (hard to drive, monitor traffic and snap a quick photo)
For those unfamiliar with the decibel (dB) scale, it is logarithmic. Meaning an increase of 10db is 2x the loudness. so 60db->70dlb is not 16% increased loudness, but 100% increased loudness.
Rivian R1S w added seals:
61mph - 60db
76mph - 65db
82mph -65db
BMW X5 45e
64mph - 61db
76mph - 65db
81mph - 66db
Keep in mind this is an apple watch and not some special sound testing equipment. the 1 db difference is probably well within margin of error, but it shows my initial assessment was correct in saying the Rivian is on par with the BMW in terms of quietness now. See pictures below for proof
--------
Addendum - What about the windshield, rear doors and roof? **Updated 6/13/2024**
While Rivian's build quality is impressive considering it's short history, I think there is still a lot of variance between each car, so maybe adding windshield and roof seals may help you.
So I initially said that the windshield and roof didn't do much for me, but that was at the start - before I did my fix. I think the vast majority of wind noise is coming from the front doors and door windows, but after you address those issues, you can hear where the remaining windnoise is coming from. Keep in mind, my rivian went from loud to the same as a BMW X5e after just doing the front doors and windows. However, I couldn't stop tinkering, and found some more places that can help. After adding the additional seals, my wife says the Rivian is now quieter than the X5. It is probably the quietest car I've driven now.
Your mileage and results may vary, as people's variances between VINs is quite high, but here's some additional areas to tackle:
Rear Doors
Do the same as the front doors, with the seals around the frame, and behind the door seal. I also put the trim-lok round seals inside the window seal. My car was quiet after doing the fronts, but I could hear some faint wind noise coming from behind me. Putting these in pretty much eliminated that.
Windshield/Roof:
The only windnoise that was left was some mild noise coming from above me. I thought it was the roof, so i taped it up, but it did nothing for me. Still, some people have success, so where you can try to seal it is where the applique meets the glass moonroof. The applique should sit a little higher than the moonroof (so that it blocks the wind). If it does, sealing it or taping it up really won't do anything.
Use a 0.25inch trim-lok to wedge in the gap, or you can buy this :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYSNVCFS
and use the 14mm "T" shaped seal to bridge that gap
What did help get rid of the wind noise above me was actually the windshield. I think the grooves along the windshield funnel the wind up to the top, where it is catching and causing some noise.
What helped for me, was the vertical sides of the windshield. On the BMW, there is no groove between the car frame and the windshield, but there's a trench on each side with the Rivian. I bought this uxcell 8mm (0.31inch) round seal, that wedged perfectly into that groove.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Rubber-Weather-Diameter-Meters/dp/B07ZNH29FH/
you can see how it fits nicely along the windshield groove and then I have to wedge it in at the top of the roof (see above picture)
you can snug in the round seal at the bottom of the windshield
Finally, I tried the top strip of the windshield. It didn't do much for me, but in case it works for you, this is where wind noise might be coming from:
The item is the same as the "T"shaped seal used for the roof (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYSNVCFS), but since the gap is wider, you need to use the 19mm size (it comes with it).
-----
dB measurement snapshots (prior to windshield and rear door seals being added)
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