Noise with rear passenger window down
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
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From: Florida
2013 GLK350 4Matic, Premium, Lighting, multimedia, AMG Styling, Lane tracking pkg.
Noise with rear passenger window down
Has anyone driven with the rear passenger side window down and heard what sounded like a helicopter rotor blade noise coming from the outside rear of vehicle? Happened today at 65 mph. The VERY LOUD swooshing noise seems to start around 30 mph. Had to close the window, couldn't stand the noise. Don't hear anything when windows are closed. 2013 GLK350 4Matic, 15000 mi.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 308
Likes: 4
From: Tennessee, USA
Red GLK350, blue '87 Toyota Land Cruiser
Unfortunately it's a fact of life with that design car. My '11 and all of them do it. Nothing you can do but experiment with various settings of all the windows. First time it happened to me I thought my eardrums would blow out before I could close the windows. More superb German engineering.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7
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2012 mercedes benz glk350 4matic
Has anyone driven with the rear passenger side window down and heard what sounded like a helicopter rotor blade noise coming from the outside rear of vehicle? Happened today at 65 mph. The VERY LOUD swooshing noise seems to start around 30 mph. Had to close the window, couldn't stand the noise. Don't hear anything when windows are closed. 2013 GLK350 4Matic, 15000 mi.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
What you are feeling is a depressurization and then pressurization of the interior. The air flowing across the open window is like blowing over a straw. Air is extracted from the interior of the vehicle until the interior pressure becomes so low that it overcomes the venturi effect and makes the air stream bend into the vehicle to re-pressurize. Once pressure equalizes inside and outside it starts again. Cracking a front window usually will eliminate this. Modern cars are made to run with closed windows as this is more fuel efficient with less drag. That venturi sucks energy.
If I run with the top open and the front drivers window open, I get the opposite effect. Pressure first then out flow. I usually need to crack the rear window to allow for flow through the vehicle as the built in flow-through openings are not big enough to handle this volume of air.
Why do you want to run with only one back window open?
If I run with the top open and the front drivers window open, I get the opposite effect. Pressure first then out flow. I usually need to crack the rear window to allow for flow through the vehicle as the built in flow-through openings are not big enough to handle this volume of air.
Why do you want to run with only one back window open?
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 29
Likes: 2
Mercedes GLK 350
What you are feeling is a depressurization and then pressurization of the interior. The air flowing across the open window is like blowing over a straw. Air is extracted from the interior of the vehicle until the interior pressure becomes so low that it overcomes the venturi effect and makes the air stream bend into the vehicle to re-pressurize. Once pressure equalizes inside and outside it starts again. Cracking a front window usually will eliminate this. Modern cars are made to run with closed windows as this is more fuel efficient with less drag. That venturi sucks energy.
If I run with the top open and the front drivers window open, I get the opposite effect. Pressure first then out flow. I usually need to crack the rear window to allow for flow through the vehicle as the built in flow-through openings are not big enough to handle this volume of air.
Why do you want to run with only one back window open?
If I run with the top open and the front drivers window open, I get the opposite effect. Pressure first then out flow. I usually need to crack the rear window to allow for flow through the vehicle as the built in flow-through openings are not big enough to handle this volume of air.
Why do you want to run with only one back window open?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,136
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From: Los Angeles
2013 Infiniti G37 Coupe; 2011 GLK 350 w/ Premium 1, Multimedia & Sport Appearance; I LOVE IT!
