I posted this on the very long wind noise thread, but I have a feeling that not many people have bothered to look at it. I think it is important enough to start a new thread so that others can also be helped.

I no longer have a wind noise issue after the dealer installed a new window seal. One thing that I did not mention on the original thread is that this seal seems to be re-designed. They originally did this window seal fix on my car many months ago with no success. However, this latest one (early last week) was 100% successful. They also installed that rubber molding about 2 or 3 months ago, but I still had the whispering wind noise from the top of the driver's side window. However, that piece of molding down by the right windshield wiper looking out from the driver's seat, was not properly clamped on until a few weeks ago. I really think that the re-design of this seal is the key. The portion of the seal that runs vertically (on the right side of the drivers side window if you are looking into the car and left side of the passenger side window if you are looking into the car) is the key. Instead of a flat strip of seal, it now looks like it was caulked. I will try and take some photos later today and post them here.

As I stated on the original wind noise thread, this fix does not at all mitigate the importance of jmcraney's triangular fix. Jeff has done an invaluable service to many LS460 owners. But obviously, there is more than one wind noise issue. I did his fix and the overall noise coming into the car was diminished significantly. But for those of you that have this whispering/swishing wind sound from the top of the window, I strongly encourage you to go ahead and do this latest Lexus fix. Also, go ahead and do that rubber molding replacement.

It is SUCH a pleasure to now drive my car and not have to worry about wind noise of any kind.

 

So, is it your conclusion that the "Wind Noise" that is experienced by some LS460 owners does not fit the conventional definition of "Subjective", a common retort from Lexus regarding wind noise complaints?

Here are the definitions of SUBJECTIVE according to Webster.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjective
Main Entry:
1sub·jec·tive
Pronunciation:
\(ˌ)səb-ˈjek-tiv\
Function:
adjective
Date:
15th century
1: of, relating to, or constituting a subject: as aobsolete : of, relating to, or characteristic of one that is a subject especially in lack of freedom of action or in submissiveness b: being or relating to a grammatical subject ; especially : nominative
2: of or relating to the essential being of that which has substance, qualities, attributes, or relations
3 a: characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind : phenomenal — compare objective 1b b: relating to or being experience or knowledge as conditioned by personal mental characteristics or states
4 a (1): peculiar to a particular individual : personal <subjective judgments> (2): modified or affected by personal views, experience, or background <a subjective account of the incident> b: arising from conditions within the brain or sense organs and not directly caused by external stimuli <subjective sensations> c: arising out of or identified by means of one's perception of one's own states and processes <a subjective symptom of disease> — compare objective 1c
5: lacking in reality or substance : illusory
— sub·jec·tive·ly adverb
— sub·jec·tive·ness noun
— sub·jec·tiv·i·ty \-ˌjek-ˈti-və-tē\ noun

 

Jeff,

It is definitely and unequivocally NOT "subjective". The wind noise issue is real for quite a few LS460(L) owners. My wind noise issue was not severe, but it was DEFINITELY there. I know that me dealer believed that it was a problem right from the start (about a year and a half ago). I had my salesman take a drive with me (way back when) and he noticed it right away from the driver's side window. I don't Lexus Headquarters and other dealers, but my dealer has tried to help me out as much as they could.

I was fooled after that initial window seal fix many months ago because it did not work. Thus, I was advising my business partner who had the exact same issue with wind noise not to waste his time with this window seal and rubber molding fix from Lexus. It does not work. However, he went ahead and had them do this fix about a month ago and bingo. His wind noise was gone. So, either they re-designed the seal (the service manager told me this morning that they did), or they did not properly install this seal on my car when I first had it done many months ago.

 

As I posted awhile back when my window side-seal suddenly developed a kink, the part you are taking about most certainly does cause noticeable wind noise when it is not "right". In fact, the kink in mine looked almost insignificant, but it made noise like the window wasn't closed, and I knew immediately when it went south.



And, of course, the noise went away again after they replaced the seal. But most LS's aren't running around with defective seals or there would be no question about the whole wind noise issue.

And with all due respect to Jim and Webster, there is still plenty of room for subjectivity with the wind noise that remains, even after this seal replacement. The LS isn't the quietest car on the road, and there will always be owners who hear too much noise.

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Yes, that is exactly what I meant by small gaps on one of my posts a few weeks ago on the wind noise thread. BTW, did they change the design of this vertical portion of the seal or is it just my (or the service manager's) imagination? Thanks for posting a photo.

 

Don't know ... the one they replaced looks just like the one they took off to me. Thing is, it's such a skinny little piece of rubber you wouldn't think it would make such a difference.

When mine went (I think it got kinked when I raised the window one day), I knew immediately something was wrong. I instinctively tried to raise the window, thinking I hadn't gotten it closed all the way, but that didn't change anything. When I got back home, I looked at the outside of the window and there it was.

After they replaced it, things went back to the way they were before.

If your seal has been bad all along, I can definitely see where you have had an issue!

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I'm not sure exactly how long it has been bad, but it certainly has been bad for quite a long time. As I indicated, the first time they replaced this seal many months ago, I could not detect any noticable difference on the wind noise. And of course, the original seal must not have been any good either because I have had this swishing/whispering wind noise sound from the driver's side window perhaps since day one of ownership of the car. At first, I thought that this was "normal" noise, but after reading the various discusssions here, I realized that something was indeed wrong. The jmcraney fix definitely helped to make the car overall quieter, but I could not get rid of this other noise until now.

 

Mike, that photo is the driver's side "B" pillar right? Thanx.

 

Yes it is.

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