Wind Noise

[dlm2310]

Hi Everyone,

A few months back I started hearing a severe windnoise above 40 mph on the drivers side window of my Altea (I could have sworn it wasn't present when I bought the car).
Anyway I took it to the dealer who confirmed what I was hearing and said they would replace the door seal. This they duly did but did not rectify the problem.

The dealer then told me it is a common problem on Alrea's and is normal ?? I obviously was not happy and was invited to take an Altea off the forecout for a spin. To my amazement the other Altea did exactly the same thing so now I feel back to square one.

I just can't accept it is a feature of the car, does anyone else have the same issue ?

You can imagine what sort of a din it makes on the motorway and it is starting to hack me off big time.

Cheers

 

[googies]

here is a link to a post with same subject.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=49588

 

[dlm2310]

Thanks, ssems a coomon problem then, bummer !!

 

[dlm2310]

common even !!

 

[googies]

i have a Toledo, havnt noticed any unusal or loud wind noise other than the usual kinda road noise and stuff.

 

[Tell]

I don't think that's the thread where we got news of what was being talked about on the German Altea thread thanks to our German friend who posts here. Answer was, there had been a technical fix but it seems to have mixed solutions. It's suppose to be the wing mirror which puts up some air stream, a seal or something is changed on this, which may help. Later versions may have this. One solution is to crank up the radio.

 

[jonial]

I have just fitted the SEAT Kit part Number 5PO 857 939 A and have been amazed by the results.

The car is now completely devoid of the annoying wind noise from the mirrors.

The kit, which does both mirrors costs 26 pence and my Dealer R.M.Fisher of Galgate Lancaster has 3 kits in stock.

The self adhesive sponge rubber seals are very easy to fit. You just remove the plastic cover on the front edge of the Front doors and then remove the two screws then the mirror can be eased off its mounting and the seals installed.

All in all a great step forward in my opinion

 

[Tell]

Any one else want to guinea pig test it ?.

What do theses actualy do ?. Photo ?.

 

[Wilkip]

Hey Hey sounds go to me, would like a pic too just to see what its all about. At the moment just turning up the stero to block out the wind noise.

 

[jonial]

Hi Tell

A bit hard to photo but one of the seals fits vertically between the rear of the mirror housing and the door.

The other shaped seal fits between the rear bulge on the mirror housing and the actual side window glass. This in my opinion kills most of the noise as it fills the narrow gap which existed on my Altea between the bulge and the window glass so prventing the wind blowing accross the gap.

The whole job took about 10 minutes in the gloom af late yesterday afternoon.

Hope this makes things clearer

Jonial

 

[Tell]

Well if it doesn't take ageis to do and it only cost 26 pence it may be worth trying out. I know when I read the German forumn they seemed a bit in conclusive about it. I always thought it was the way the air streamlined passed the whole mirror not how it streamlined within the mirror behind the glass, which if I've read what you say, correctly, that is what you are saying.

 

[RJS]

Hi

Does the windnoise come on at any particular speed above 40 or is it 40 upwards and onwards.

 

[jonial]

40 and upwards and if it is windy it is very loud indeed

 

[Tell]

It is a known problem although they have a fix which seems to be the 26p bit of foam.... I'll see if my dealer has them.

 

[Tell]

Right since the conversation splashed over into another thread I'll conclude it here so anybody scanning the board in the future or if we point them here will get all the links

So it wanders off to the link below by my cry for help, which has the pictures and the translated text from Klawit's friend from the German Altea board which proved invaluable:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=113195

I've now fitted them and they seem to work fine as far as noise is concerned. I took it on a 70 - 80 MPH trip and the wind rush of before had got gone, just the sound of a few blusters from time to time. To think that those bits of sticky foam fix the problem. You can enjoy music even more at those speeds.

There was one problem which I'm hoping will go away as the foam beds in. The window when fully down catches on the foam when going back up and stops [!]. The drivers side is OK. I had several goes at the passenger side pushing it in further. Basically the existing foam bits are sticky backed, I'm hoping under pressure from the window being closed they will bed down. We're see tomorrow.

The offending bit of foam is shown in the second picture down, see below links.

Basically the white bit in the picture is the existing sticky bit and when you fold it all back together that sticky bit is suppose to stick back on again and hold everything assembled. There is always glue if I find it wont bed in.

To keep this thread totally readable these are the instructions for doing the work with thanks from Klawit and Oliviu. It's Oliviu's text I translated to English with Alta Vista and re-alligned. It's on the other thread but have it here for completeness.


Installation mirror kit!!!

ALTEA(5P1)
TOLEDO(5P2)

All versions OUTSIDE MIRROR, wind noises STARTING FROM 80 KM/H

A cause: Entrance of air between mirror basic carriers and door.

Series: Change at the outside mirror.

Starting from 02.2005, Frg.-Nr.:5R071373

1. From the interior of the vehicle from the cover remove, which the mirror fixing bolts abdecken.(Abb.1)

2. Unscrew the two Torx screws.

3. The mirror remove.

4. The foam pads, as in the illustrations 2 and 3 represented, contained in the repair kit, attach.

5. The two foam pads into the mirrors use, one in curved form, the other one in straight lines form. Here the same pictures again in somewhat larger representation:

http://img379.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1bx4.jpg

http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2oi0.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3ya3.jpg

You do need this text since other than that I don't think I would have worked out what to do with the bits of foam. Note mine is a 2004 Altea, by Feb 2005 and that chassis number Seat improved the design so you don't need the fix based on the text above.

 

[klawit]

There was one problem which I'm hoping will go away as the foam beds in. The window when fully down catches on the foam when going back up and stops [!]. The drivers side is OK. I had several goes at the passenger side pushing it in further. Basically the existing foam bits are sticky backed, I'm hoping under pressure from the window being closed they will bed down. We're see tomorrow.
....
Note mine is a 2004 Altea, by Feb 2005 and that chassis number Seat improved the design so you don't need the fix based on the text above.

Hi Tell,

the problem with the windows catching on the foam was reported once in our board as well. As the foam needs to settle down a bit it might just take a short while to bed in ... exactly as you noticed above.
Just wanted to calm you down on this.


Even a couple of modelyear 2006 Alteas (build 2nd half of 2005) from our board hadn't had the foam-kit fitted, so there is no final certainty about that improved design.
But if you look real close from the outside in along the mirrors socket rims you might be able to see the stripes ... if fitted.

Silent runnings ...
Klaus

 

[Hobbit]

Have the foam kits now been fitted to all newer models as standard do you know?

I have a 2007 spec 1.9 TDi Stylance bought new in July 06. Still have some wind noise when on the motorway which is quite noticable above 40 - 50 mph. Wind nose sounds like it is coming frm the top of the door/ window frame.
Is it worth asking the dealer to check this out under warranty?

 

[jonial]

Hi Hobbit

In view of Klawit's comments I would say yes

In my opinion there should not be any wind noise that you are describing

 

[klawit]

Hello Hobbit,

in all likelihood the mirror-kit is fitted in your Altea ... but sometimes, there is a need to additionally readjust the seals around the doors upper part ... or, in some cases, even bending/adjusting the doors a little helped to get rid of most of the still remaining wind noises.

greets ... Klaus

 

[Tell]

Klawit

Yes I gave it a day and the drive yesterday resulted in them bedding down OK. Ran the windows up and down this morning without problem.

It is much more silent with the constant low level ruslle almost gone at speeds. The effect must be due to the air rushing past the mirror assembly then looping back into the area that the foam helps to seal better.

Net effect is that I can hear parts of music I couldn't hear before in the car which must only be good.