1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Moonroof fully open causes wind noise

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by thearc, Jun 6, 2012.

  1. thearc

    thearc New Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2009
    33
    8
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    N/A
    Anyone else experience this?
    If I drive at higher speeds (anything above 40mph) I get an unusual wind vibration noise when the roof is fully retracted. If I roll it forward an inch or two it seems fine. Seems like a bit of a design flaw.
     
  2. akh02

    akh02 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2012
    63
    11
    0
    Location:
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I noticed that on my drive home from the dealer the first day; had a bit of a panic until I figured out what was going on. If you keep your moonroof at the default "mostly open" instead of trying to open it all the way then it's fine. But all the way open at around 40mph with the windows up and it's like the whole car is vibrating.
     
  3. dellrio

    dellrio Im pretty much awesome

    Joined:
    May 30, 2010
    281
    88
    37
    Location:
    Des Moines, IA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Have you tried cracking the rear windows down just about an inch or so to equalize the pressure and eliminate the wind buffeting?
     
  4. TC400

    TC400 Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2012
    751
    169
    0
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I realized this too a few days after i bought the car. holy hell the noise it makes just let it go to its default position lol
     
  5. moezer2112

    moezer2112 Futurist

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2012
    115
    50
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    akh is correct. When you hit the open button, it will automatically open to the correct position for non-turbulant use. They do offer the option to open it the rest of the way, but at higher speeds you will need some windows open to prevent or minimize the vibration effect. The manual explains this in case anyone hasn't seen that page yet. There's a relatively small spring loaded wind deflector that pops up when the roof opens. I'd rather have the small one that's there than to have a big gaudy one and be able to open the roof all the way. I don't consider it a design flaw, its a design choice within the fields of fluid dynamics and aesthetics.
     
  6. dellrio

    dellrio Im pretty much awesome

    Joined:
    May 30, 2010
    281
    88
    37
    Location:
    Des Moines, IA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    Seriously though - crack the rear windows. This is just science, the buffeting effect is caused by a pressure imbalance due to the aerodynamics of this vehicle. Cracking the rear windows solves the problem in most vehicles.
     
  7. Daze

    Daze Prius C Owner

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2012
    92
    23
    0
    Location:
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    haha yeah i noticed this too on the drive home from the dealer. I thought it was hilarious! The discovery of a major design flaw within my first few minutes of driving my new car!! But i guess that is why the sunroof automatically stops opening at about 3/4 to keep from making the wind noise.
     
  8. StarBrite310

    StarBrite310 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2005
    335
    23
    5
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I noticed this too soon after I got my car and my ears and I freaked out! The noise was truly unbearable. Now if I open the moonroof, I just keep it at the position it "stops" at and don't open it any further.
     
  9. secondspassed

    secondspassed Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2012
    112
    26
    0
    Location:
    Corona, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    You guys that are referring to this as a major design flaw... yeah, it's actually just physics. Maybe it's a design flaw that the air in the environment slows down the car, too.
     
    dellrio likes this.
  10. dellrio

    dellrio Im pretty much awesome

    Joined:
    May 30, 2010
    281
    88
    37
    Location:
    Des Moines, IA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    ^^^ See this guy gets it!
     
  11. cmstlist

    cmstlist Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2012
    183
    40
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Yep it's just physics. Try rolling exactly one window down in any car and driving it at a high speed. Same effect.