Honda Car Forum

OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road and
take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere from
1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear window.
What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is a loud
oscillating wind buffeting sound.
Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget the
whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you nuts
otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another Civic.
Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this issue.
Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think the car
is great.

Rich K.

"Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09...
> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road
> and take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere
> from 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear
> window. What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is
> a loud oscillating wind buffeting sound.
> Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget the
> whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you nuts
> otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another Civic.
> Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
> So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this issue.
> Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think the car
> is great.
>
> Rich K.
>
Most sedans and some coupes will do that (station wagons and hatchbacks are
much more resistant). It is called "aeolian oscillation" and effectively
turns the passenger compartment into a giant subsonic whistle. The '64 Dodge
I learned to drive in was crazy with it, and I've never had a sedan that
didn't do it on at least one pair of windows. For best window ventilation on
the road, opening the driver's window an inch and doing the same with the
right rear window will get you quiet, controlled air flow.

Mike

In article <mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09>,
"Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote:

> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road and
> take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere from
> 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear window.
> What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is a loud
> oscillating wind buffeting sound.

This has been around for much, much longer than the new Civic.

I had a 91 Civic wagon that did this.

I've also had other, non-Honda cars do this.

Never figured it out, either.

"Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09...
> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road
> and take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere
> from 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear
> window. What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is
> a loud oscillating wind buffeting sound.
> Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget the
> whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you nuts
> otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another Civic.
> Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
> So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this issue.
> Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think the car
> is great.
>
> Rich K.

This is a VERY common issue with countless makes and models of vehicles.
I've driven and ridden in several SUVs with the exact same behavior--as well
as many different types of sedans.

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in
news:fK-dnU8jJtaHHNjZRVn-qw@sedona.net:

> "Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09...
>> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of
>> road
>> and take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be
>> anywhere from 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the
>> right rear window. What you should hear, if your experience is
>> anything like mine, is a loud oscillating wind buffeting sound.
>> Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget
>> the
>> whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you
>> nuts otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another
>> Civic. Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
>> So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this
>> issue.
>> Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think
>> the car is great.
>>
>> Rich K.
>>
> Most sedans and some coupes will do that (station wagons and
> hatchbacks are much more resistant). It is called "aeolian
> oscillation"



Awww, you beat me to it! *I* wanted to use that term! It sounds so
*scientific*!

For the record, my 1991 Integra and my 1976 Coronet all do/did the same
thing.

My '74 RX-4 and both my early-'80s Corollas didn't, but that was due only
to the fact that they were all hardtop bodystyles. My '75 Corolla didn't do
it either, but that was because the rear windows were tilt-out designs.



> For best window ventilation on the road, opening the
> driver's window an inch and doing the same with the right rear window
> will get you quiet, controlled air flow.


There ya go. Or buy a convertible.



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:30:26 GMT, "Richard Kuroski"
<rlski@verizon.net> wrote:

> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road and
>take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere from
>1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear window.
>What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is a loud
>oscillating wind buffeting sound.
> Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget the
>whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you nuts
>otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another Civic.
>Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
> So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this issue.
>Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think the car
>is great.
>
>Rich K.
>
Heck, my Chevy truck will do this also. Either the window has to be
all the way down, or all the way up. About half-way and the
buffetting is terrible. But I live in Texas, so most of the time the
AC is on anyhow. Bottom line: no big deal.

Most cars I've owned do or did it.


"Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09...
> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road
> and take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere
> from 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear
> window. What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is
> a loud oscillating wind buffeting sound.
> Now if you never intend to drive with the rear windows down forget the
> whole thing. Otherwise get some ear plugs...the noise will drive you nuts
> otherwise. Oh by the way my dealer had me try this with another Civic.
> Same noise. That's why I consider this a design flaw.
> So far I can not find any TSB's or recalls that pertain to this issue.
> Maybe Honda doesn't think it's a problem. Other than this I think the car
> is great.
>
> Rich K.
>

Richard Kuroski wrote:
> OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road and
> take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere from
> 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear window.
> What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is a loud
> oscillating wind buffeting sound.

This is one of my pet peeves, and nearly every modern car does this with
one or more windows. I call it the Coke Bottle Effect, because it is
similar to what happens when you blow across the lip of a soda bottle.

It is a consequence of slippery aerodynamic design.

John

I had an '81 and '93 civic sedans that both did this. It used to drive me
nuts on road trips because the kids would always try to crank down the back
window just enough to maximize the oscillation.

Jon

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-BE559D.20264618042006@nntp2.usenetserver.com...
> In article <mEe1g.5719$_w6.5141@trndny09>,
> "Richard Kuroski" <rlski@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> > OK all you sedan drivers try this. Find a nice safe stretch of road
and
> > take your Civic up to around 30-35 mph. The engine can be anywhere from
> > 1500 to 2000 rpm. Now here's the "fun" part. Open the right rear
window.
> > What you should hear, if your experience is anything like mine, is a
loud
> > oscillating wind buffeting sound.
>
> This has been around for much, much longer than the new Civic.
>
> I had a 91 Civic wagon that did this.
>
> I've also had other, non-Honda cars do this.
>
> Never figured it out, either.
>

"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns97A9D9EC89C77tegger@207.14.113.17...
> "Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in
> news:fK-dnU8jJtaHHNjZRVn-qw@sedona.net:
>> Most sedans and some coupes will do that (station wagons and
>> hatchbacks are much more resistant). It is called "aeolian
>> oscillation"
>
>
>
> Awww, you beat me to it! *I* wanted to use that term! It sounds so
> *scientific*!
>
Sorry about that. You could mention that the oscillation results from von
Karman vortex shedding.... I love that term!

Mike