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

Wind whistle from base of sideview mirrors

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Pinto Girl, Aug 28, 2006.

  1. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    3,093
    350
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's intermittent and I probably wouldn't even hear it if the car wasn't so quiet to begin with, but sometimes, at freeway speeds or (slightly) above, I notice what sounds like a soft wind whistle coming from the base of the driver's side view mirror (and I believe it occurs on the passenger side as well).

    If one stands in front of either mirror and looks directly at where the mirror part pivots from where it's attached to the car, one might notice a passage which would let air through, and where I believe the whistle originates. (This is best done when the car is parked.)

    One clue: on a still morning, the whistle on the driver's side occurs when I'm on the freeway and take a turn to the right (exposing the mirror to more of a crosswind; the whistle on the passenger side occurs under similar conditions when I take a turn to the left.

    If you'll pardon the pun, does this sound familiar to anyone? I know a sound can be difficult to track down, but it sure sounds/looks like it might be coming from the mirrors.

    Thoughts? I haven't yet tried taping over the seam...wondering if the area gets too hot since the mirrors are heated...?
     
  2. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

    Joined:
    May 3, 2005
    4,096
    81
    13
    Location:
    USA | Oregon | Portland area | 97004 |
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I think your tape experiment is in order. If you use black electrician's tape, you may not see it and have a solution if the crevice is the problem. I don't think there's anything down at the swivel that heats up.

    Good luck and keep us posted.
     
  3. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2004
    1,843
    11
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Use blue painter's tape. It will not leave any goo on the finish of the car.


    Nate
     
  4. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,562
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I hear whistling noises, too, but I thought they were from the deflectors, which were installed with a small gap at the front. Have you got wind deflectors, Pinto Girl? If the tape idea on the mirror works, I'd be tempted to use black electrician's tape and leave it there.
     
  5. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    3,093
    350
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    --hmmmm...no, I don't have deflectors installed (I'm assuming you're referring to those semi-opaque...well, deflectors...which I've seen installed around the perimeter of car windows as aftermarket equipment...?)

    --Thanks for the blue painter's tape idea; just got done painting the bathroom this weekend!

    If I am able to isolate the source of the noise - and it's actually in this area - as a more permanent fix I was considering folding the mirror to gain access to the underside, then affixing a small piece of foam that would block the channel when the mirror is returned to the normal position.

    As I said, it's a small issue. One thing's for certain, though: I never have problems like this in my '73 Pinto...'cause she's too noisy to even hear myself think!
     
  6. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    3,093
    350
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Still haven't gotten around to this; I don't normally drive during the week (public trans to work/shopping, etc).

    Details this weekend.
     
  7. lowspeed

    lowspeed Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2004
    267
    2
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Aug 30 2006, 01:47 PM) [snapback]311673[/snapback]</div>

    My 2006 suddenly started making a whistle noise after 13000. Very annoying. only from the passanger side though.
     
  8. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2004
    8,972
    3,501
    0
    Location:
    Kunming Yunnan China
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    lowspeed, check the black foam seal around the pax door. That stuff usta come loose in the classic Prius model.
     
  9. lowspeed

    lowspeed Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2004
    267
    2
    0
    I figured out what made the noise....


    Under the mirrors there are 3 screws covered by 3 round clear stickies....

    One of the stickers was torn.


    Check it out... I'm curious to see if you have the same problem...


    Now i need to call the dealer and see if they have those stickers in stock.
     
  10. adamwmcanally

    adamwmcanally New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2006
    67
    0
    0
    Location:
    mobile, al
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowspeed @ Sep 7 2006, 09:29 PM) [snapback]316115[/snapback]</div>
    Did the plastic sticker replacement solve the problem? I have a whistle and sure enough when I checked the mirror one of my clear stickers placed over the screw hole was cracked as well. I'm thinking of just using electrical tape and see if that works.
     
  11. lowspeed

    lowspeed Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2004
    267
    2
    0
    Good thing you saw this post :-p

    anyway they didn't know what this stickers are all about so i went to the dealer... they told me these are suppose to be removed before delivery. ( I think its pure BS, because why would they put it there pre delivery ?)


    My MPG droped 2mpg since removing the stickers !!! (JUST KIDDING)

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adammc @ Oct 23 2006, 08:23 AM) [snapback]336685[/snapback]</div>
     
  12. adamwmcanally

    adamwmcanally New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2006
    67
    0
    0
    Location:
    mobile, al
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowspeed @ Oct 23 2006, 08:18 AM) [snapback]336695[/snapback]</div>
    when you removed them did the whistle stop?
     
  13. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    3,093
    350
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowspeed @ Sep 7 2006, 09:29 PM) [snapback]316115[/snapback]</div>
    No way! I just noticed your reply...so that did the trick? I tried taping around the seam and it didn't seem to help, but I didn't think to check the underside of the mirror.
     
  14. bhaynnes

    bhaynnes Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2006
    225
    2
    0
    Location:
    Belmont CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Oct 23 2006, 04:11 PM) [snapback]337062[/snapback]</div>
    My dealer charged me for the whistle. He said it was a deer whistle to chase away the deer. :p
     
  15. bobster

    bobster Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2006
    2
    0
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowspeed @ Sep 7 2006, 06:29 PM) [snapback]316115[/snapback]</div>
    This happened to me. I heard a whistling, wondered what it was, searched priuschat.com and voila here's the cause of the problem. A quick application of packing tape and my Prius is silent again.
     
  16. lowspeed

    lowspeed Member

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2004
    267
    2
    0
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adammc @ Oct 23 2006, 12:09 PM) [snapback]336799[/snapback]</div>

    Yes.
     
  17. alanh

    alanh Active Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2007
    1,175
    99
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I had this happen too.

    I'm leaning towards "supposed to be removed at delivery". It's just cheap cellophane tape, and on my car they've all started to dry out and crack. I can't believe they intended this as a permanent application.
     
  18. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Hi Pinto girl,
    If I may jack this thread...did you ever write a review on the
    muffler you bought? I was following it but have been off PC for a while?
    Thanks.
     
  19. Gilbert

    Gilbert Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2007
    255
    15
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    At high speeds I also hear wind like if it was comming inside the vehicle, from both, driver and pasanger sides... anyone find out the cause of this?
     
  20. Hermit_Congrejo

    Hermit_Congrejo New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2008
    4
    0
    0
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I was just about to make an appointment with the dealer but I thought I'd check online first. Long story short: I removed the stickers from both sides and I'll report back tomorrow with the results.

    Yep, it was the stickers. My Prius is once again silent. Thanks guys!