ezshift5

That is very smart (incremental) methodology, HR........

This sailor is impressed.


ez

HelenR

Thank you If a few people do that here and post results, the leaks are probably coming from same area. Most mechanics won't mind if you give them a head start of troubleshooting that you have done.

Markman2112

I have the same issue on a 2/10/15 C300 build. I looked at the front window stripping and its unusual that it stops a inch from the top. I looked at several other cars (in my parking lot), BMW, Audi, etc and they all have some kind of stripping all the way up to the top of the windshield. Appears like a bad design (what do I know, I just want the wind noise gone). Get the pleasure of having to schedule a service visit on a car I've had 3 days.

StanNH

If the design of the windshield were the cause of this, wouldn't every car have the same wind noise? They don't, so there must be something else involved. Poor fit would be the most obvious problem if, in fact, that is the actual cause of the noise.

floridadriver

That makes sense to me too. It's very subjective and some chalk it up as 'normal'....the dealer will say it's normal if they can't find an easy fix, and no TSB (yet).

You have distinct advantage Stan of experiencing the difference with and without the noise with all your loaners. Did you notice anything different about doors/seals/etc from cars with and without the noise?

Nobody to date has found a source or fix that I'm aware of, with the exception of someone with a mirror gasket missing which was another issue all together and causing massive air leak by the speaker.

It also doesn't seem to just be the Alabama built cars. And door alignment checked and seals were changed by someone, w/o resolution of the noise. Very specific where it is at the front, top driver and passenger door.

Matts2015c300

I am bringing my car in next week for a variety of issues and I am not sure if I should bring up the wind noise issue as it seems that most people are hearing the noise at 50+mph and I am getting the noise at 70mph and above. The problem is I highway commute to work so I basically have the noise all the time. Do you guys have any thoughts? Am I being picky or should there be a quiet cabin between 70-80mph? Thanks in advance for the responses.

-Matt

HelenR

I would add it to the work list. The issue wont fix itself. A seal or something needs replaced or adjusted. You are not alone, though some don't have this issue. Obviously something that needs to be fixed. Let us know what they find!

NYC-Style

I agree with HelenR...the issue will not be addressed unless you bring it up. The folks at MB called and stated that currently there is no fix...I would like to think however that once this issue gets on their radar something may be done.

PeteInGilroy

Just picked up my C300 yesterday and on the 35-40 mile drive home I noticed whispers of wind noise while on the highway (55 mph speed limit).

Today I took it for a test drive on the freeway (65 mph speed limit) and noticed the wind noise whispering constantly.

It really isn't any different than any other car I've owned, so I'm not sure I would report it as an issue.

NYC-Style

Interestingly the reason why I noticed it was because I "don't" have it in any other cars I've owned. The car is nice...but I must admit the wind noise coming thru the window has definitely changed my idea of what I thought a MB was supposed to be...

JurassicPark

I've been complaining of the A-Pillar wind noise issue to my dealer since December. They've tightened up the front doors and it has reduced the noise a bit. When I complained in February the dealer took it for a test drive and said it was normal road noise. I complained again yesterday when at the dealers for a sat-nav update and they said Mercedes were working on fixing a door seal problem. So which is it, normal road noise or a door seal problem?

richardamp

Honestly, it could be a little bit of both. Wind noise can be a subjective thing, and it's hard to prove if it's normal or an issue. I drove two cars yesterday, one of which was a Lexus IS 250, and both had considerably more wind noise on the highway than my C300 (which I do believe has the wind noise issue).

With that said, MB may have indeed found a design of implementation defect (definitely wouldn't be the first time), in which case there definitely is a defect that they can fix. Hopefully that is the case.

I'm compiling a list of issues (mainly small ones) with my car and will take it in to get them all addressed at once when I feel like MB has more info on each. I don't want to take multiple trips to the dealer while they figure these things out.

floridadriver

I think it's both. Some road noise is expected (and if it's a bit of engine, I like it). Some cars have an issue, and some people who ride with me just can't hear it. If you drove in mine with a 20 mile/hour crosswind as normal can be normal in Florida, you wouldn't be able to talk on the phone due to the wind rush/whistle, and most passengers with you would repeatedly try and raise the window, or say to stop because they can hear their door isn't shut. But it is.

Some one on another post recommended running vent on high with door closed and feel for leaks, I did that and my back doors are pretty tight and consistent. My front doors leak out air at various spots of window seal and door weatherstripping, and at different spots both sides.

My dealer's working on it, but says most of their cars have similar sound in wind, but agree, it's the loudest wind noise of any model on their lot and soon will change my window and door seals and try and shim.

c21bill

Has anyone seen the new C300 TV spot called "The Choice"? One of the claims is "the quietest, or nothing"! A bit of a stretch IMHO!

Stripler

Maybe this has already been tried, but I've stopped wind noise in other cars that sounds like the door isn't fully shut by adjusting the latch on the door. If you stand outside your vehicle, press with your palm against the edge of your closed door and if there is any play or squishiness with the seal, your door is probably not tight enough to seal out the wind.

I don't have a C400, but on other cars you can adjust the latch on the door. Loosen the latch housing and move it towards the door's exterior for a tighter seal. I've had cars where the road noise was so bad it sounded like the window was cracked and it completely solved the problem. Adjusting it only a couple millimeters can have a dramatic effect on silencing road noise. You'll know you adjusted too far if you can't close the door (it won't latch) otherwise you can't screw up anything.

Considering MBUSA can't visually observe terribly aligned bumpers, I would not expect them to be installing the doors with any precision. So maybe it's a simple fix you can do yourself.

solarflare

Do you have an update from the dealer? Is the door seal problem identified and a solution exist? I am hoping this will fix the wind problem reported by so many around the world.

A5HLEY2

I have a C400 that's less than a week old and there is A LOT of wind noise coming from the driver side window at +40mph. I have carbon fiber mirror caps on and I thought they were causing the noise but I don't believe that to be the case as the passenger side doesn't seem nearly as loud at highway speed.

rex5

was disappointed to hear very loud wind noise on the highway or any speeds above 50 the day I brought home a 2015 C300.

brought car back to dealer and they reported the wind noise is due to the mirrors and not any issue with the door seals, windows or sunroof.

Would say that this is a major design issue for Mercedes and if the mirrors are causing this much noise they need to be redesigned.

I regret not test driving the car on the highway. It is pretty bad wind noise. Music does cover it up a bit.

the noise reminds me of a Toyota corolla I had in the 90s not a Mercedes benz. I hope they fix the mirrors for the 2016 model, will reconsider buying this car when they do.

gnus

I drove a c300 loaner that had quite a bit of wind noise, whereas my c400 hardly has any. Seeing as how it isn't reported across the board, it seems like a fitment issue more than a design flaw.

ManiacGT

I have the same mirrors without any noise from them. It has to be something else.

gnus... as you've driven a car with and without the wind noise, can you describe what it sounds like in the car with the noise? What it sounded like?

gnus

Well, the best way I can describe it, would be a constant, "whooshing" sound, that was very apparent.

In my car, there's still a whisper of crosswind, but it's very very muted; and I would consider quieter in comparison to other cars I've owned.

StanNH

I can hear crosswinds but, other than that, the road and tire noise is much more apparent than any wind noise. Both my last C300 and current C300 Sport had identical interior noise levels.

I compared the weatherstripping on the doors, as well as the mirror fit between the two cars and found no differences at all between the 8/14 and 3/15 builds.

NYC-Style

Sorry to hear about this...I have the same issue and it's completely ruined my new car experience as well as what I think of MB as a whole. They've replaced door seals, and window seals with no affect. They then taped around the drivers side windshield which practically eliminated the noise. They have no permanent fix for this...which will lead me to trade this car in next year and get something that meets my expectations...I'll never purchase another MB!!

NYC-Style

Just crack (roll down) your drivers side window just a bit...you'll hear the wind (as you drive) whooshing through that opening. So that's the sound we get except the window is completely rolled up...

metrathon

I feel really sorry for the OP, most probably there's no solution for this problem. The main thing is that wind & tire noise perception is very subjective, so there's really not much to "fix".

Take your service advisor for example. He might be driving a $30k car, an Accord, Nissan, Toyota, something in that range. Those are pretty noisy cars. And you pop up, telling him your $55k Benz is noisy This is a very subjective experience and for him, your Benz, might be tomb-like.

I've been through this again and again. When I had the 5 Series, I thought, wow, what a quiet car. Anyone asking me, I would have sweared how quiet the 5 is. Then I got the 7 and "quiet" took a whole other dimension. All of a sudden, the 5 became pretty noisy.
Then I got the A4 and that seemed to me a very noisy car. Then I got the 328i and for two years I thought the windows don't close - can't wait to get rid of it. Then I got the Lexus and FINALLY the serenity came back, of course, at the expense of sportivity.

Long story short, it depends on what you're used to. After the 7 Series and the Lexus, everything sounds like an '83 Civic to me. There's no going back.

One more thing - like Jobs used to say. If you think C Class is noisy, well, then go and have a look at the 40+ pages thread on the 3 Series forum, all about wind and tire noise. That might give you some perspective.