amdave

Hello all,

I feel very fortunate to be able to join this group of LS 460 owners.

I purchased a brand new 09 LS 460 a few weeks ago - it is an amazingly beautiful car and a joy to look at.

Unfortunately, I think I have the dreaded wind noise problem, as there is very noticeable wind noise above about 65 mph - it gets pretty bad when it is really windy outside.

I love driving the car and have a long daily commute - however, this issue it starting to bother/annoy me and I find it takes away from my enjoyment.

My question is this - how should I approach getting this fixed? Should I just do the brilliant fix described by Jeff on this forum (many props to you Jeff for coming up with this)? Or is it worth taking it to the dealer and seeing what they can do? Will the dealer be able to fix this? My only issue is that I am not the most mechanically inclined person, so doing it myself would be fairly stressful I think. Also, would trying to fix it myself somehow void the warranty or anything sinister like that?

Any advice on dealing with this issue is appreciated. Thanks!

amdave

By the way, here is a photo of my car in case anyone is curious. Black on blask with chrome wheels and tinted windows, I love it! I would hate to have to get rid of it for such a minor issue.

encore888

Welcome to ClubLexus, amdave! Hope you find this forum useful. Thanks for sharing the pic of your car, looks beautiful.

With regards to your questions...

...firstly, have you tried lowering the window a bit to see if the noise level is affected? It might be related to the window seal/travel issue, which the dealer may be able to address. Otherwise, you could consider the jmcraney fix, but yes it could be more stressful especially for those not used to working on their cars. Not sure about voiding warranty but since the fix isn't too noticeable if done properly, it probably won't be a big issue.

If you are willing to wait a while, several members have reported that Lexus corporate is preparing to issue a definitive fix which may approximate the results achieved by jmcraney's, but the details are as far not available:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...d-is-near.html

Good luck in getting the issue resolved.

jmcraney

I know you are distressed that your car has the wind noise problem. It is very likely it can be fixed easily. There are many rumors that Lexus is about to come out with a solution. Those rumors have been around for months. It was one year ago this week that I told Lexus about fixing my car. ONE YEAR AGO!!!!

You should be able to get in an okay frame of mind knowing that you can stop the problem any time you want to by doing the fix that many others have done. I am very confident that it will solve your problem. With that in mind I would try to patiently wait a few weeks to see if Lexus will come through. When your patience runs out, fix your car and move on. There is nothing that they can do that will make your car quieter or look any better than what I have suggested. And I urge you not to try to force them into some desperation sort of repair that might irrevocably compromise the integrity of your car. I have seen some strange things mentioned, like caulking fender wells, adding insulation to doors, adding foam to doors and under the body, new window seals, new drip seals etc.

Everything is going to be okay!! Your car will be exceptionally quiet.

Mike_TX

Amdave, I would also like you to consider the other alternative - that the wind noise you hear is not excessive or unusual. Without denying some people may have a legitimate wind noise issue, keep in mind that the power of suggestion is strong ... you can tell a group of people they look bad and a sizeable percentage of them will actually start feeling bad.

There is wind buffeting and swishing in my '08 LS460, but when I drive ANY other car - my wife's Cadillac STS, my buddy's M-B GL450, etc. - the wind noise in those cars is louder than mine! I do believe there is truth in the fact the LS is so quiet in terms of engine and tire noise that things like wind noise just seem to be louder than they really are. And then, of course, if you're focusing on it, it will seem even louder.

So, maybe you should drive another car back-to-back with your LS on the same day and on the same route, and see if your car really IS as loud as you think.

I'll admit I broke down and did Jeff's triangle fix months ago, just to see if it made any difference. It didn't. Your mileage may vary.

I really don't know the answer to this whole issue - we're told some people have gotten so overwrought that they've actually gotten Lexus to buy their cars back. That's a shame, IMO, since this is a fantastic car, and I'll wager those people end up in cars that are just as noisy if not more so. There's only so much designers can do to overcome the forces of Nature.

I guess all I'm saying is try not to obsess on this and make it into something bigger than it is. If you do, I'll almost guarantee you will end up hating your car.

.
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amdave

I appreciate the feedback. I am not the type to worry too much about these things, but if the fix doesn't hurt and might help, it is probably worth doing, don't you think?

kmaahs

My 08 LS460 just had its 5k check. I mentioned the wind problem to the dealer and they said the fix they are using is the new glass approach. Yes, they admitted it is a serious piece of work on the doors.
I remember that some on this board have had that done and were not satisfied.
Is there a general opinion on the "new glass" approach represented here? Are there real dangers involved in messing with our virginal entries?

encore888

Some have said the new glass helped, but others have felt that the problem was not fully solved until they implemented jmcraney's fix. Additionally, you have to be very certain you trust the service team as they take apart the door, to put it back perfectly.

With the new glass, the addition of laminated glass is particular for 2007 models; your 2008 LS 460 should have it already.

It might be worth the while to do jmcraney's triangle fix as that seems to be the most effective method, according to the user reports, and it does not require taking apart the door.

topgun04

I had an 08 that has the wind noise problem (bought my car in 12/08).. Took the car in the next day. Talk to the tech and drove with him. he acknowledge the problem but there is nothing that he can do to fix it... so I apply JMC original fix and it reduce the problem by at least 75%. And I am not mechanically incline as well. But the fix is really easy to apply... It takes me 15 minutes or so... I can still hear some wind noise but it is quieter any other cars that I ever own except the 02 LS430.. So I am happy for now.. I think Jmc metal plate thing will work even better... So I say if the wind noise bother you, at least try the original fix..

Gojirra99

I never consider my almost one year old LS460L as having any "unusual" wind noise at 70mph, there will be some on any car if you go fast enough and there is cross wind, it's still the quietest car I've ever experienced.
Just turn on the stereo and listen to music, & all will be forgotten, works for me

If I do get bothered by this(if and when the problem surface which makes it more noisy than I would consider "normal") some time in the future, there will always be jmcraney's fix, it's simple and cheap enough.

I8ABMR

I had a whistling noise off the side mirrors for months after I bought my GS 350. I complained twice and then they finally just replaced the side mirrors. I am noise free now

JTS09

Okay Folks, here ya go!

I went thru every imaginable attempt to track this ongoing and perplexing problem with most 460's. I had the front glass replaced with the 460L glass, and no improvement. I read the feedback on the front window frame triangle and and mirror acoustic harmonics, and did the repairs the blogs suggested, and no improvement. I spent a few hours with my local Lexus Diagnostic Specialist and we noticed that bumping the front windows down a fraction of travel did eliminate a lot of the noise. We tore into the door and found that the problem is not pressure on the upper seal, but the fact that when you raise the window into it's full closed position, the window actually bows a little, and pulls itself away from the lower seal area. The door was taken apart and he applied some extra 3M sealant at the base of the inner seal area, in effect. adding some extra pressure and area to the seal mass at the base of the window. have had the car back now for a week, and the noise is significantly improved! Can still hear the normal amount of airflow one would expect from around the side mirror, but once again, a major improvement!
More to follow. Jim

JTS09

Okay Folks, here ya go!

I went thru every imaginable attempt to track this ongoing and perplexing problem with most 460's. I had the front glass replaced with the 460L glass, and no improvement. I read the feedback on the front window frame triangle and and mirror acoustic harmonics, and did the repairs the blogs suggested, and no improvement. I spent a few hours with my local Lexus Diagnostic Specialist and we noticed that bumping the front windows down a fraction of travel did eliminate a lot of the noise. We tore into the door and found that the problem is not pressure on the upper seal, but the fact that when you raise the window into it's full closed position, the window actually bows a little, and pulls itself away from the lower seal area. The door was taken apart and he applied some extra 3M sealant at the base of the inner seal area, in effect. adding some extra pressure and area to the seal mass at the base of the window. have had the car back now for a week, and the noise is significantly improved! Can still hear the normal amount of airflow one would expect from around the side mirror, but once again, a major improvement!
More to follow. Jim

JTS09

One more update for you.
My Dealer also stated there is supposed to be an official new TSB on the Wind noise Issue, and his Fatory Rep thought it was going to be a similar repair to that we had just done. I am bringing the car in next week, to do the same fix to the Front Right Passenger Window next.
Never noticed any similar noise coming from the Passenger side, and assumed it was only eminating from the Drivers Side, until I was a passenger for the follow up test drive. Once again, try giving a quick momentary bump down on the window (just a 1/16th or so)if you have been having this issue. Good chance you'll hear it hush up noticably. I noticed it had been present even down to much slower speeds, once I tuned into the problem. All eliminated now.

jmcraney

I have long understood that the window bows out when it tops out and that the "tapping down" effect is related to that and I think I have said that several times, but I am not sure since I have said so much.

I think that what happens is that the triangle trim gets pushed out along the rear edge that rides on the rubber window seal. Doing the triangle trim repair that I have described should solve the problem for some.