GS 430 air leak in pass window
03-30-04, 03:43 PM
#16
Some possible open holes. . .
Okay, I got on my back w/ my Mag flashlight to inspect the underbody of my '99 GS400, and here's what I've found:
1. 3 sizes of underbody plugs
There are about 3 sizes of rubber plugs on the underbody: 1 large one (about silver dollar sized; I believe there are 3 on each side), 1 med. size (nickel sized; on the main frame rail of the car, about 4 on each side), and a small one (dime sized; on the inner frame rail of the car; about 4 on each side). Don't quote me on the quanity of plugs on the frame howeever.
2. Open, unplugged holes in underbody (4 total).
There seems to be 2 open (unplugged) underbody holes on each side (4 total) on my car (identical on both sides).
The first one is on the main frame rail (about 10" in front of the rear tires, and go towards the middle of the car about 20"),
The second one is at the front of the car (about 6" back from the front tire, and about 8" towards the middle of the car). See the following pics for clarification. Is this normal?
My question:
1. Does everyone have the 4 observed unplugged holes that I mentioned above in #2? Check out the following pics for clarification, and see if your car has them unplugged as well. If so, they might be drainage holes, if not, I think I just found out why my car has this "gush of wind noise" that I've been living with for so long at freeway speeds (makes my ears almost deaf).
Here's the first pic, it's of the front driver's side hole. Note that around the unplugged hole, there appears to be a 1/6" lip that does not have underbody coating. Is this normal to be unplugged (i.e. for drainage purposes), or is it because a rubber body plug fell out? Check your car to see if this is the case.
1. 3 sizes of underbody plugs
There are about 3 sizes of rubber plugs on the underbody: 1 large one (about silver dollar sized; I believe there are 3 on each side), 1 med. size (nickel sized; on the main frame rail of the car, about 4 on each side), and a small one (dime sized; on the inner frame rail of the car; about 4 on each side). Don't quote me on the quanity of plugs on the frame howeever.
2. Open, unplugged holes in underbody (4 total).
There seems to be 2 open (unplugged) underbody holes on each side (4 total) on my car (identical on both sides).
The first one is on the main frame rail (about 10" in front of the rear tires, and go towards the middle of the car about 20"),
The second one is at the front of the car (about 6" back from the front tire, and about 8" towards the middle of the car). See the following pics for clarification. Is this normal?
My question:
1. Does everyone have the 4 observed unplugged holes that I mentioned above in #2? Check out the following pics for clarification, and see if your car has them unplugged as well. If so, they might be drainage holes, if not, I think I just found out why my car has this "gush of wind noise" that I've been living with for so long at freeway speeds (makes my ears almost deaf).
Here's the first pic, it's of the front driver's side hole. Note that around the unplugged hole, there appears to be a 1/6" lip that does not have underbody coating. Is this normal to be unplugged (i.e. for drainage purposes), or is it because a rubber body plug fell out? Check your car to see if this is the case.
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-30-04 at 04:24 PM.
03-30-04, 03:51 PM
#17
Front Passenger side unplugged hole
Here's the passenger side front unplugged hole. Again, it is about 6" back from the front tire, and about 8" towards the middle of the car.
This hole is a bit different than the other hole. It appears to be caved in a bit from road debris hitting sometime ago. Nonetheless, this may very well, be the culprit of the observed wind noise that I hear in my car at freeway speeds as the hole is angled for wind to blow in there. I'm going to try to flatten it out (the sheet metal appears to be very soft).
Again, does everyone else have this hole unplugged?
This hole is a bit different than the other hole. It appears to be caved in a bit from road debris hitting sometime ago. Nonetheless, this may very well, be the culprit of the observed wind noise that I hear in my car at freeway speeds as the hole is angled for wind to blow in there. I'm going to try to flatten it out (the sheet metal appears to be very soft).
Again, does everyone else have this hole unplugged?
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-30-04 at 04:22 PM.
03-30-04, 03:58 PM
#18
Rear Passenger side unplugged hole
Here is a pic of the rear passenger side unplugged hole (the rear driver's side is similar). Again, it's on the main frame rail (about 10" in front of the rear tires, and go towards the middle of the car about 20"). Is this hole also present on your car? If you could check, that would be great.
Anyways, if you look closely at this picture, there are 2 sizes of body plugs present in the underbody.
The first one is near the top 1/3 of the pic, at the center line. This is the floor pan plug and of the medium size type (nickel-sized). The second one, to the right of the exposed hole on an adjacent frame rail, is of the smallest type (dime-sized). The largest one (not pictured) is evident when you look at it (silver-dollar sized), and nearest to the sides of the car (they were intact on my car).
Again, can you guys check the 4 unplugged holes (2 in the front, and 2 in the rear) and see if you have rubber plugs in them or not? I'd like to get to the bottom of this gush of wind noise that is present my car at freeway speeds (as my ears were almost red from a 500 mile freeway trip due to the aforementioned loud noise). . .
Thanks again.
Anyways, if you look closely at this picture, there are 2 sizes of body plugs present in the underbody.
The first one is near the top 1/3 of the pic, at the center line. This is the floor pan plug and of the medium size type (nickel-sized). The second one, to the right of the exposed hole on an adjacent frame rail, is of the smallest type (dime-sized). The largest one (not pictured) is evident when you look at it (silver-dollar sized), and nearest to the sides of the car (they were intact on my car).
Again, can you guys check the 4 unplugged holes (2 in the front, and 2 in the rear) and see if you have rubber plugs in them or not? I'd like to get to the bottom of this gush of wind noise that is present my car at freeway speeds (as my ears were almost red from a 500 mile freeway trip due to the aforementioned loud noise). . .
Thanks again.
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-30-04 at 04:22 PM.
03-30-04, 06:45 PM
#19
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SeattleGS400 - I'll have to look under my car tommorow to check for all possible unplugged holes, but for now it appears you are definitely missing the two plugs that belong in both the driver's side and passenger side fron floor pans. The passenger side front one was missing on my car and drove me nuts until I discovered it. It apears by your picture that there was originally something there (no undercoating in a perfect circle around the hole) but apparently fell out. Mine was replaced by the dealer under warranty. If memory serves me correctly, my passenger side floor pan also appeared to have been dented or pushed up as if I hit something, but I think that's the way its designed.
03-31-04, 07:52 AM
#20
Originally posted by DJC
SeattleGS400 - I'll have to look under my car tommorow to check for all possible unplugged holes, but for now it appears you are definitely missing the two plugs that belong in both the driver's side and passenger side fron floor pans. The passenger side front one was missing on my car and drove me nuts until I discovered it. It apears by your picture that there was originally something there (no undercoating in a perfect circle around the hole) but apparently fell out. Mine was replaced by the dealer under warranty. If memory serves me correctly, my passenger side floor pan also appeared to have been dented or pushed up as if I hit something, but I think that's the way its designed.
SeattleGS400 - I'll have to look under my car tommorow to check for all possible unplugged holes, but for now it appears you are definitely missing the two plugs that belong in both the driver's side and passenger side fron floor pans. The passenger side front one was missing on my car and drove me nuts until I discovered it. It apears by your picture that there was originally something there (no undercoating in a perfect circle around the hole) but apparently fell out. Mine was replaced by the dealer under warranty. If memory serves me correctly, my passenger side floor pan also appeared to have been dented or pushed up as if I hit something, but I think that's the way its designed.
03-31-04, 08:09 AM
#21
I have this same problem and took it to the dealership. I hear the pavement especially on wet roads. It drives me MADD!!!
I am printing this out and taking it to my dealership on Tuesday. I already made the appointment, this morning.
I am printing this out and taking it to my dealership on Tuesday. I already made the appointment, this morning.
04-01-04, 08:29 AM
#22
Just curious, has anyone hada chance to look at their underbody for the holes and/or plugs that I mentioned above? You really don't have to get on your back--you can kneel down and see these holes from the sides of your car (see the above for the approx location). I'd just like to get to the bottom of this soon, so I can take care of it this weekend. Thanks.
04-01-04, 08:59 AM
#23
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Guys, I just dropped my car off at the dealer. They didn't tell me anything about the noise yet, but I happened to stop by the body shop next door and talk to an advisor there. She claims there is a channel in the A-pillar area of the passenger side. Apparently if the side mirror isn't aligned 100% properly, it will allow air into this channel which will cause wind noise. My problem relates to the passenger side but I think it would apply to the driver side as well.
Also, there was a TSB released regarding this. If anyone has access to TSBs, I'd be interested in reading it.
I'll update you guys when I get the car back from the dealer. Hopefully they know what the body shop knows.
Also, there was a TSB released regarding this. If anyone has access to TSBs, I'd be interested in reading it.
I'll update you guys when I get the car back from the dealer. Hopefully they know what the body shop knows.
04-01-04, 09:21 AM
#25
04-01-04, 01:43 PM
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Originally posted by chicagoblknazn
I have this same problem and took it to the dealership. I hear the pavement especially on wet roads. It drives me MADD!!!
I am printing this out and taking it to my dealership on Tuesday. I already made the appointment, this morning.
I have this same problem and took it to the dealership. I hear the pavement especially on wet roads. It drives me MADD!!!
I am printing this out and taking it to my dealership on Tuesday. I already made the appointment, this morning.
04-01-04, 02:35 PM
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Welp, no luck today. Service department didn't find anything and apparently I was mistaken about the body shop.
The body shop was just referring to the (rubber) channel moulding around the window. Its raining now so its a bit noisy to take anyone for a test-drive to determine where the noise is coming from. However, I will take the car back to them next week when its not raining.
The body shop was just referring to the (rubber) channel moulding around the window. Its raining now so its a bit noisy to take anyone for a test-drive to determine where the noise is coming from. However, I will take the car back to them next week when its not raining.
04-03-04, 03:34 PM
#30
Re: Rear Passenger side unplugged hole
Originally posted by SeattleGS400
Here is a pic of the rear passenger side unplugged hole (the rear driver's side is similar). Again, it's on the main frame rail (about 10" in front of the rear tires, and go towards the middle of the car about 20"). Is this hole also present on your car? If you could check, that would be great.
Anyways, if you look closely at this picture, there are 2 sizes of body plugs present in the underbody.
The first one is near the top 1/3 of the pic, at the center line. This is the floor pan plug and of the medium size type (nickel-sized). The second one, to the right of the exposed hole on an adjacent frame rail, is of the smallest type (dime-sized). The largest one (not pictured) is evident when you look at it (silver-dollar sized), and nearest to the sides of the car (they were intact on my car).
Again, can you guys check the 4 unplugged holes (2 in the front, and 2 in the rear) and see if you have rubber plugs in them or not? I'd like to get to the bottom of this gush of wind noise that is present my car at freeway speeds (as my ears were almost red from a 500 mile freeway trip due to the aforementioned loud noise). . .
Thanks again.
Here is a pic of the rear passenger side unplugged hole (the rear driver's side is similar). Again, it's on the main frame rail (about 10" in front of the rear tires, and go towards the middle of the car about 20"). Is this hole also present on your car? If you could check, that would be great.
Anyways, if you look closely at this picture, there are 2 sizes of body plugs present in the underbody.
The first one is near the top 1/3 of the pic, at the center line. This is the floor pan plug and of the medium size type (nickel-sized). The second one, to the right of the exposed hole on an adjacent frame rail, is of the smallest type (dime-sized). The largest one (not pictured) is evident when you look at it (silver-dollar sized), and nearest to the sides of the car (they were intact on my car).
Again, can you guys check the 4 unplugged holes (2 in the front, and 2 in the rear) and see if you have rubber plugs in them or not? I'd like to get to the bottom of this gush of wind noise that is present my car at freeway speeds (as my ears were almost red from a 500 mile freeway trip due to the aforementioned loud noise). . .
Thanks again.
