Wind noise alert to all suburban owners!

**84fiero123** · 10-05-2007, 09:15 PM

My wife came home tonight and swore the rear tires on our 94 Burb were coming apart. She said when the rear windows were down more than part way she heard a weird noise like the rear tires were coming apart or something, almost like she was getting a flat..

A low rumble or thumping noise when just the rear windows were down more than part way. This noise goes away as soon as you put one of the front windows down some, it doesn’t have to be all the way.

This has got to be a design flaw in the passenger compartment air flow, or maybe a clogged rear vent but there is no way of finding out if the vents are clogged or just not able to handle that amount of flow because it only happens over 50 MPH.

It would not happen in the tail gate version of the Burbs if you let the tailgate glass down because the air has a path to escape.

Why they didn’t design the barn doors with a window that goes down or opens out at the bottom is beyond me. My Ford cargo vans have the windows in the back doors and they open from the bottom and I have never heard this noise.

So heads up all Burb owners with the barn doors in the back.

**tbplus10** · 10-06-2007, 01:20 AM

This happens in the tailgate versions also. If you drive with the rear glass in the up position you'll suck exhaust fumes in. I got in the habit of running the rear windows a quarter of the way up and this stops the noise.

**Cableguy** · 10-06-2007, 08:41 AM

My K5 used to do that. When I put duals on I always put them on either side. Straight out the back has lead to my retardedness (So my doctor says....Fumes! Who knew

**Skarch** · 10-08-2007, 11:02 AM

My GTI does this too. I have to crack the sunroof if I have both windows open. Its just wind buffetting because you are increasing the pressure in the vehicle.

**unplugged** · 10-09-2007, 12:59 AM

I get the buffeting on my 93. It is very dangerous to drive with any opening to the rear of the vehicle because of carbon monoxide fumes. I roll the front windows down a bit to change the airflow and it reduces the buffeting.

**84fiero123** · 10-09-2007, 06:51 AM

I was not recommending the opening of the tailgate window in traffic guys, just at highway speeds when this problem occurs.
I would think at highway speeds when this noise occurs there would be little chance of exhaust entering the passenger compartment at speeds over 40MPH when you have the rear passenger doors windows down.

Again I do not recommend driving around in city traffic with the tailgate window down.

Duh my bad for not clarifying that.

**FireRed** · 10-16-2007, 09:36 PM

Newby here! I have two subs a 97 GMC and an 02 Chevy, the buffeting is not limited to subs. My Park Ave and our Audi will also buffet like crazy at speed until you crack a front window. Now a tip is when running in real hot weather a 1 inch drop in a rear window will increase interior cooling quite a bit. That tip was passed onto me by a dealer buddy, he says since the inseptiion of flow through which all vehicle have there must be a way for some air to get out. Try it on a super hot day it will surprise you I know it did me, I had alway corked it up tight so as not to lose th e cold.

Phil

**JayMack75** · 10-28-2007, 05:48 PM

Its just the way that the air flows. If you're experiencing the problem, crack the window in the opposite location so as to allow the cross air flow the least amount of resistance. Problem solved. This is not only in suburbans, but all vehicles where all windows roll down in the rear from my experience.

**Bens Dad** · 01-21-2008, 07:54 PM

my suburban does this , and so does my 2001 buick, i think it is something that the uaw came up with to keep you from falling asleep

**WhosDatGuy** · 03-10-2008, 04:42 PM

My '01 Focus wagon does the same thing with the rear windows down. In my youth I had a Probe with a bad vibration problem, after a few dollars in the shop it was chaulked up to taking my sunroof out, it's all air flow.