TamZ

Hi All!

I have spent a week searching the internet for information on the GL350 and anyone who might have issues with wind noise. It seems that anything I can find states that all the GL's are 'whisper quiet' or the reviews say there was a "touch" of wind noise but "barely noticeable."

I am sad to say that my GL seems to have QUITE a bit of wind noise. As I approach 50 mph, I immediately start to hear the noise, which seems to come from the upper part of the dash, almost as if coming from the defrost vents up there. At 65-70 mph it literally sounds as if my defrost is on a medium setting or something. In between the "solid" wind noise that never stops, you also hear "gusts" of the wind as well, even when it is not windy outside. Surely, this cannot be normal "wind noise" for a Mercedes I had less wind noise in a 2004 Hummer H2 with 130,000 miles on it.

My question is, does this amount of "wind noise" or "wind rush" seems normal? I'm getting NO wind noise from the doors, the sunroof or the racks up top (no cross bars). It just seems as if its coming from the windshield area and honestly..it's all I can focus on, now that I know it's there. If you turn the radio up quite loud, you can eliminate it, however, I can't imagine that would be the only "fix" for this. I've had the car for about 5 weeks, I've put on about 2500 miles (I drive a lot..).

I'm tempted to go back to another dealer and drive another GL350 to see if this is "standard wind noise" I have in my GL or if I just seem to have something wrong with MINE In my searching, I found that someone on here had a GLK and had wind noise possibly coming from a heater box, but I would have NO idea where that would be located. I'm afraid when I take this to the dealer they will tell me it's "normal" yet anytime I drive the car, hearing the "rush of wind" starting about 50mph is..just a bummer.

I did search as much as I could on this issue and couldn't seem to come up with ANYONE complaining about wind noise in the GL's. Seems as if they are usually "whisper quiet." So..I am obviously confused.

In the 5 weeks I've had the car, the engine light has already came on once,(they say it has a defective NOX sensor? they are ordering that part, from Germany), the electric up/down on the back seats stopped working within a week of owning it, and I couldn't get the right seat to go up or down.. and I found that the dealer had basically rigged the broken rear clothes hanger thing to work, it fell out on the drive home from the dealer the first day..lol (it was actually cracked and broken.) (they ordered a new one and installed that as well.) So they have fixed everything that is going wrong with it, but we sold our old SUV because every month we were at the Chevy dealer getting things fixed..so we decided to buy a new car..and voila--I am still at the dealer getting things fixed. I was hoping to avoid that with a new car!

All the above said, I really do LOVE the vehicle. I WANT to love the vehicle...but it's such a bummer when it's only 5 weeks old and you're dealing with this many issues. So..I'm hoping they can fix my wind issue--and then, all will be well.

Any help, ideas or suggestions would be wonderful. I joined your forum today!

Tam

Max Blast

The only thing I can think of is to pop the hood and take a look at the weatherstripping that seals off the engine bay from the firewall. It may have been installed wrong, who knows. The only wind noise I have in my GL is from the interference drag between the roof cross bars and the sun roof edges, and it isn't much.

TamZ

Thank you for the reply! We checked that out, my husband says that seems to all look good, as far as we could tell. There is a plastic piece that sort of butts up to the window that looks a little warped and doesn't seem "attached" to anything on the drivers side. There looks to be a hole where it looks like it is supposed to be screwed down to something, yet we cannot find anything that it lines up with that you would screw it down to.

We had a friend ride with us to dinner tonight and I let him sit in the front passenger seat while I sat in the back and my husband drove. Interestingly, I cannot hear the wind noise from the back seat (my first time riding in the back.) He says he can hear it but he said it sounded like the wind "buffeting" off my windshield and probably nothing I can do about it.

We even took the huge windshield wipers off, and drove it up and down the freeway, thinking maybe they were causing the wind noise. It still makes the sound, without windshield wipers on... My thinking was, at least if the noise stopped when the windshield wipers were off, we'd KNOW that there was nothing we could do about it. I'm about tired of troubleshooting LOL!

It really sounds, as you start to edge up past 45mph..then to 50..then on up..as if air..and then more air comes through those defroster vents up near the windshield.

I guess I'm going to have to go drive another one at a Mercedes dealer near me and compare. Frustrating. If they all have it, then I guess it's normal for my car. If not, then I'm back to square one!

Thanks again!
Tam

Max Blast

Try posting a picture of what you described. Says more than a thousand words

TamZ

Verbosity has always been an issue for me

Here are a couple pictures: (not the greatest as they were taken with my phone.)




This is the drivers side. The hole doesn't line up to anything. It seems to be simply stuck into a tab on the side. I can move this piece all around. Pics looks dirty/waterspotted because it's a bit dirty in there with the rain we've had I guess.

Fourdiesel

Sounds like its time for a comparison test in another 350 at the dealer. You drive while the SA sits in the passenger seat, first in your car so you can point out to the SA the noise you are talking about as soon as it occurs, then in the dealer's 350. Same piece of freeway, same direction, approximately same speeds, radio off. You will be able to tell right away if the two vehicles are making the same noise. If it is yours then the SA will be your witness and can then describe to the mechanics the what / where of the noise

Max Blast

Mine looks the same, the hole is not attached to anything and there's a clip fastening this plate to the left inner fender. It does give a little up and down, but doesn't move all around like you say yours does. Fourdiesel's plan would be the prudent thing to do before tearing into your car any further.

TamZ

I tried to use my phone to video the wind noise I'm hearing. It doesn't record it very well, so I do think it's louder IN the car, than what you hear on this video but you can hear it on the video. What I'm wondering is, do any of you have this same amount of wind noise in your cars? If so, maybe I am being overly sensitive. I'm willing to admit that--but everything I've read talks about how whisper quiet these things are. On the recording, you can hear a whining shrill sound, I actually don't hear that when I'm listening, but the recording caught it. All windows are rolled up.

The first video is shorter, you hear more of the "wind". the second video is longer..I left it on the dash and let it record for about three minutes. You'll want to fast foward to about 1:15 and start there. You hear the noise from the wind the best about 1:40 in till I pull off the freeway and you can hear the definite change in noise once I go below 50 mph. Again--Maybe I am being TOO PICKY. I just didn't except to hear this much wind I guess, in the Mercedes. I know it's tall--I know it has a big windshield. Maybe this is considered a "little" amount of wind... You can hear how quiet it is under 50mph.

Appreciate any thoughts on how this sounds. My husband definitely hears it but now we're both wondering if this is just how it's "supposed to be." Would like to make sure I'm not crazy before I go make a fool of myself at the dealer (sorry so long again!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7_2uXadZkU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqipODZB2ng

Max Blast

You know what, the first clip does sound excessive even considering that it's on the dash and a tinny phone recording at that. The wind buffeting is absent in mine, unless the winds are gusty or sidewinds. Mine does not sound like that, the only noise I gave is a slight whoosh over the sunroof due to the roof rack crossbars. You may also want to have the installation of the windshield checked when you are taking the SA for a ride. You are not making a fool if yourself, trust me these guys hear far worse on a daily basis. Take it in and take the SA for a ride. Don't let him take you for a ride by blowing this off as normal.

TamZ

Thank you, because I have really been trying to convince myself that I'm just supposed to always hear wind noise after 45mph and all this is normal. I feel badly for my husband, who just spent $$$$$$ on this car for me, and I've done nothing but complain about it. Poor Man! The noise literally starts just after 45mph..which means, even when I'm driving around town, in the 45 mph areas, I hear this wind noise. It's constant... It makes this noise even when there is literally barely any wind at all outside. I would hate to hear how this sounds on a day when we have a really windy day.

I'm going to really try to make this dealer understand that this is not normal, if I have to make him drive 10 miles with me in the car. I'm going to bring my phone with my recordings too.

Thanks for listening to the sounds!
Tam

43221B

Wind, squeaking, and rattling noise are a big deal to manufacturers. Don't feel bad about complaining. Definitely have a SA ride along with you. They should be happy to help you out because you have a new vehicle and they are going to want your maintenance/repair business going forward. My SAs are commission based so you would think that a ride along with a new customer would be a good way for them to establish a relationship. Don't be apologetic. Unfortunately, many times the only way you are going to be treated right is if you look out for yourself.

TamZ

Here is a question, does it matter if I decide to go to a dealer closer to me than the one I purchased my car from? We could not find exactly what we wanted at the two dealers closer to us and we just happened upon a dealer down in LA after one of my daughters cheering games, so we bought ours down in LA. I don't have an issue with the dealer down there, however, with 3 kids in all kinds of activities and me working on my BSN, finding the time to drive the hour and 1/2 down there, find a way to get home, etc if they have to keep the car, would be difficult. I only went down to the original dealership this first time with the other things that have gone wrong because they had thrown in a few things that needed to be done down there and I had a $150 gift card to spend there.

But..There is a Mercedes dealer 20 minutes from me. Is it acceptable to just decide to have my car serviced at THAT dealership from now on? My husband says yes. I wondered if they won't care as much about "my wind issue" since I didn't purchase my car there. (This may be a totally silly question, so I apologize in advance!)

I really do LOVE everything about my GL 350, except for this. (and maybe the ridculously huge head rests in the back that I can't seem to get my kids to push down when they get out. They block a LOT of the view)

TamZ

I posted this same question on another Mercedes website, have only received 2 replies but one person said he thought this noise sounded normal to him, that it's a big car, pushing lots of wind. I guess if EVERYONE had this wind noise, then I'd say it was normal. I think my main issue is, for the most part, everyone says how these vehicles completely LACK wind noise, "whisper quiet" (etc etc). So that is why I am so surprised I have it.

I used to drive an H2 with a flat windshield. I also had a Nissan 370Z that rode low to the ground, and at high speeds, you heard wind rush (not the wind "wisps" I seem to hear in this) and the road noise from the low profile tires was crazy loud. I totally get the whole wind noise/road noise thing. LOL...but even in that, I don't remember feeling like I could hear wind like this, unless it was VERY windy. On the days we had the "east winds" here, yes..you had a bunch of wind noise in that H2. So glad to be rid of that gas guzzling machine!

But then again, on second thought, I am willing to admit that maybe I am expecting too much. I've gone from these 2 louder cars, to the Mercedes and was expecting to go to "no" noise. I am willing to admit I am being picky, if that is the case!

StevethePilot

I've had several "uber-quiet" cars, including an LS300 Lexus that made me wonder if the engine was running at stop lights and I could tell immediately if any of the doors was open or windows cracked just by the noise. I also knew immediately if the windshield hadn't been properly installed.

I've also had a lot of "noisy" vehicles, including most recently getting a Scion xB for my kids to drive. That thing requires you turn up the volume on the radio at highway speeds even with (I think) an auto-adjsut for cabin noise. (It's a great car overall, but it really does transmit a lot of the road to your butt and ears.)

So I have kind of a frame of reference on both sides I think. And I can tell you that while the GL diesel (mine's a 2007 320) isn't the Lexus supersedan, it is usually surprisingly quiet, at least inasmuch as I would expect more noise from it, being a big truck and a diesel to boot.

You really shouldn't be saying it has more wind noise than your H2. I mean, I personally think an H2's got more wind noise than a convertable, but that's just my opinion. Can you have a second dealer or someone who can do MB warranty work look at its installation and see if something is amiss? If it's not the windsheild, could there be a problem with the dampers in the A/C - that's my question.

One thing I do like to suggest (though I've never actually done it) is to go to the dealer as a pseudo-customer, ask to test drive a like or similar model, and see if the problem is the same. You'd either have to be fully honest about your intentions when you walk in or go in on a day you think nobody who knows you would be there (not easy). That'd pretty much give you one other perspective on your situation, eh?

Steve

TamZ

True! I think what I should have said was, coming from the H2, I was expecting no wind noise, compared to it. This is where I'm wondering if I'm just being EXTRA picky. You are right, the H2 has more wind noise with the flat windshield, I think in comparing them, I went a little overboard in that LOL..I meant to say, that I never found the wind noise excessively horrible, because I guess I expected it with the H2's design. So when I hear this wind noise in the Mercedes, I was surprised.

I really do appreciate everyone's replies, it helps me put things in perspective I think I just expected such a quiet ride...that I could be expecting too much. Honestly, I'm not even sure the exact moment I started noticing this wind noise, but I just did. Honestly, the road noise is worse than the wind noise, in a way, with the run flats, but again, I'm used to dealing with tire noise. (big tires on H2, wide tires on the Z.) So I don't complain about that, yet I am complaining about the wind noise.

Maybe my husband is right, you can never make a woman completely happy. LOL!

Thanks guys!
Tam

43221B

It shouldn't make a difference where you purchased your GL. My experience has been that the service department, while commonly owned, is completely separate from the sales department. The service department at your local dealership will love to have your business, trust me. The repairs to correct your problem will be warranty work paid for by MB so it's no skin off anyone's back.

TamZ

I'm glad to hear this. Less stress for me is good.

I've been able to semi-forget about my wind issue today, I have a huge chemistry exam in the morning so I've been worrying about molarity and pH's all day. A sure fire cure to stop the incessant worrying about the wind noise

Again, a big thank you to all who have taken the time to respond to me on this issue!

Tam

TamZ

Here is another recording, 65-70mph of the wind noise. I think you can hear this one a bit better. It's really quite hard to get a good recording of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VuwIirnqyQ

StevethePilot

Weird. Sounds to me like something's loose almost.

TamZ

My husband said the same thing. At least people can "hear" it. I was thinking to myself, what if I go to the dealer and they say they can't hear anything.

I like that this sight has a mobile application. Makes it nice to have the posts come to my phone. My family, of course, thinks I am weird, because I get excited I have a new post to my question.

I go to the dealer on Friday, crossing my fingers they will figure it out

SPLe320

Do you have cross bars on your car?

Fourdiesel

Pick the dealer that is convenient to you (and the one where you have a good relationship with the Service Adviser). If that dealer didn't happen to have exactly the car - or the deal - you wanted when you purchased the rig, that is not your problem. ALL of the dealers want your good will because that is the easiest way for them to get their foot in the door for more business later. Best to make an appointment so you can be sure they have another comparable car available for your sound test ride. Explain ahead of time exactly what 'tests' you have in mind so they don't have an excuse to keep putting you off.
When it comes to ride and cruise noise, there is no such thing as "TOO PICKY" on a Mercedes. These vehicles are built to high standards - expect it! You didn't buy a truck (or Hummer) built by GM, you bought a Mercedes!

TamZ

And herein lies the exact reason I'm feeling upset about this wind noise. I considered several different vehicles before finally choosing the Mercedes. GMC Denali, Cadillac Escalade, I even drove a Chevy Traverse because it had 7 seats and I wanted to try everything. The Chevy Traverse didn't have this wind noise (I looked at the Inifinit, the Lexus and the BMW, but I'm just using the GM/Chevy examples of why I chose the Mercedes over those!) I chose the Mercedes because, at nearing 40..I decided it was time to get myself a "grown up girl" car. I've had the Hummer for 8 years...driven a hard to get in and out of (and loud) sports car. I was ready for a fully relaxing, uber quiet, "fancy" car. (that was still 7 seat practical). I had read reviews that actually compared the noise inside the cabin of the GL's to an S550 (which I thought was a stretch for that article when I read it)... My father in law has a new S550-- I assure you, MY GL sounds NOTHING like his S550 inside. Makes me wish I wasn't in need of the 7-seater--his S550 is drives and rides like a dream (to me).

Tam

TamZ

Nope That was one of the very first things I cross checked when this started happening. We've spent a ton of time trying to trouble shoot where the noise is coming from. It's time to let the dealer figure it out, I guess!

JimBarnhart

+1.

I had wind noise on my '07. I removed the crossbars on the roof rack and no more noise.