How to Reduce Wind Noise in Your Car

You can reduce wind noise in your car by replacing worn seals, repairing holes and patches of rust, replacing faulty door latches, and using sound-deadening equipment.
Written by Andrew Biro
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
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Reducing wind noise in your car starts with identifying where the wind noise is coming from and what is causing it. Once the source of the offending noise is located, you can take steps to address it—either by replacing old weather stripping, repairing obvious damage, or installing sound-deadening equipment.
Audible wind noise in the cabin is normal for any car, but sometimes it can sound as though you’ve left a window or door open with how loud it is. In many cases, faulty weatherstripping or damage to your car door is the problem and can be fixed with relative ease. But, if the source isn’t obvious, sound-deadening products, like mats or panels, may need to be installed to absorb road vibrations.
Driving down the highway with the sound of the wind howling through your vehicle can be an incredibly annoying experience. That’s why
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What causes wind noise in cars

No matter what sort of car you drive, there is always going to be some level of audible wind noise. After all, a two-ton hunk of metal hurtling down the highway at 70 mph will encounter some wind resistance, making the problem of wind noise completely unavoidable.
That said, as long as we understand how wind noise is created, we can take measures to reduce it—so let’s break down the three main causes of wind noise: aerodynamics, your vehicle’s seals, and changes in air pressure.

Aerodynamics

Generally speaking, the larger and more cumbersome your vehicle is, the more wind noise it generates when you are driving. If your vehicle is unable to efficiently “slice” through the air, so to speak, it will create more wind noise as it is a greater disturbance to the surrounding air pressure. 
If you drive a smaller vehicle, such as a sports car, you won’t generate as much wind noise as you aren’t as great of a disturbance. So, if you hear a lot of wind noise and drive a smaller car, it’s probably for a reason other than aerodynamics.
MORE: What does a spoiler do for a car?

Faulty seals

Another reason your car may be generating excess wind noise is due to bad seals, particularly the weatherstripping seals around your doors, windshield, and windows. This is especially likely if your vehicle is older or you live in a warm climate. 
If the seals become damaged, the air in your cabin will take the path of least resistance and go through the cracks in your weatherstripping, creating unnecessary wind noise.

Changes in air pressure

As you drive, the air pressure inside your vehicle is greater than the air pressure outside of your vehicle. Because of this, the air inside the cabin wants to escape to the lower pressure air outside but can only do so if it has holes to exit through.
Usually, this air is directed through vents in your vehicle. These vents are designed with the sole purpose of allowing air to escape in the quietest manner possible while maintaining proper cabin pressure. But if that air is allowed to escape by other means—such as the faulty weather stripping mentioned above—it will disrupt the proper flow and result in increased wind noise.

How to reduce wind noise in your car

Before you can reduce wind noise in your car, you’ll need to pinpoint where exactly it’s coming from. To do this, begin driving while making the cabin as quiet as possible, and listen for the noise. If possible, have a few passengers do the same to better cover the entire vehicle.
Once you’ve located the source of the offending wind noise, you can do one or more of the following:
  • Replace worn seals and weatherstripping around windows and doors
  • Clean, fix, or replace faulty door latches
  • Repair holes, cracks in the body, and patches of rust or corrosion
  • Repair or replace cracked glass
  • Install sound deadening mats on the floor and/or doors
  • Apply acoustic caulk around permanently sealed windows and soundproofing spray along your vehicle’s undercarriage
  • Install wind deflectors
If excessive wind noise persists, even with these measures, you may be dealing with a more serious issue, in which case you should have a mechanic inspect your vehicle.

How to save money on car insurance

Dealing with excessive wind noise can be a real hassle, but shopping for affordable car insurance shouldn’t have to be—and it doesn’t have to be if you use licensed
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FAQs

Yes! If you’re experiencing more wind noise than usual or simply want to reduce what wind noise there already is, there are several ways to, but first, you have to figure out where the wind noise is coming from. Once you do that, it’s usually just a matter of replacing worn weatherstripping, repairing slight structural damage, or installing sound-deadening equipment.
To figure out where excess wind noise is coming from, you’ll need to conduct two tests. The first is a quiet drive to carefully listen for where the noise may be originating from.
Once you do that, get a second and third opinion—gather a few passengers and have them listen carefully as well, making sure all doors, windows, corners, and sunroofs are checked. After you’ve narrowed down a few places where the wind noise seems to be the loudest, thoroughly inspect them for damage.
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