when i roll down only one rear window while i am driving the interior of the car starts to make a disturbing sound. the air starts to pop or something because of the pressure. it makes a whooping sound? hard to explain but if your going over say 35 mph it can give you a headache withing seconds. very strange and unfortunately it's not something i can live with, almost makes me sick when it happens.-it's that bad.
anyone else?

 

Carmine,

That's normal for almost any Lexus... it happens in my GS, my LS and also in loaner RX and ES I've had.... It occurs because of how airtight the seals are on all the doors and windows and when you don't have a good way for air in & air out (e..g. only rear window down) it causes the buffeting sound you hear.

Here are some other posts about the same noise:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/44749-rx-300-helicopter-wind-noise.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=150006
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=112710
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-1st-gen-1999-2003/74951-how-do-i-fix-the-window-cavitation-problem.html

 

yup, i got that in my gs4 and is3 as well.

actually say if i just roll down the front two windows and leave the rear two closed, i would get the same thing as well

what i do is just open up the rear windows slightly and let air escape, and no more "problems"

 

Same with my RX. I have to either crack the front windows or the sunroof just a bit to cure that problem. Most of the time I never roll down the windows anyway and just leave the AC on. The times I do have to roll the down windows it does get annoying though.

 

The trick around it is to open BOTH back or front windows at once, not just one. Then it's fine!

 

I think almost all cars do this, not just Lexus..

 

I'm pretty sure the issue is caused by the venturi effect, which is created by air rushing through a small opening. It reduces the pressure of the incoming air and causes a pressure differential inside the car, which you hear and also sense in your ears. It happens on any car (except Caddy's, which are so leaky that there's no pressure difference from the outside) and is the reason there's a little wing or lip at the front of any sunroof.

Interestingly, the same concept is often used in underbody design to create a low pressure area for downforce at high speed.

I just came off my lease with my second gen 2 GS300 and I'm currently fighting off the urge to rush down and buy an 06 GS300 AWD. I'm losing miserably.

 

wow great first informative post
welcome to CL