My 02 OBW LTD has had a wind noise problem since I took delivery. Yes, its a warranty issue, but since the dealership is a 70 km trip away, I've put off getting it corrected until I have some more issues to get straightened out at the same time. Last week I noticed that the weatherstrip that the tweeter is attached to on the driver's door, didn't fit snuggly to the glass, and if I pressed it towards the glass, I could eliminate the wind noise. (I understand that Subaru's fix is to replace this seal.) What I did was lower the glass and pull the tweeter from the door (its a press fit with 3 plastic plugs that fit into holes in the rubber seal) Just grasp the tweeter and rock it back and forth till it pops out. Be careful not to pull the tweeter too far from its mounting since the wires to it are only 3 inches long and are very small in diameter! I discovered that the seal has a steel lining that I could push/force/bend with my hand, a small amount towards the outside of the car, thereby closing up the space in the seal that the glass slides in. This held the rubber that the tweeter sits on right onto the glass, and has totally eliminated the wind noise. Hope this helps someone out.

Thanks for the info, our MY01 OBW has been in 3 times for new door gaskets. They are fine for 6 months or so but slowly get the noise back. The last time it was at the dealer they did a "gusset adjustment", I wonder if it is what you decribed. I'm going the check it out tomorrow.

Wow!! Thank you so much! I am on my second new gen OBWGN and both have had wind noise problems that drive me crazy and I too, live over an hour away from the dealer. I just tried your fix it trick and I can tell it the window has a much tighter seal now and doesn't feel so loose. I was only able to take it for a quick test run but it seems to have worked. Thank you very much!!!

 

My 02 OBW LTD has had a wind noise problem since I took delivery. Yes, its a warranty issue, but since the dealership is a 70 km trip away, I've put off getting it corrected until I have some more issues to get straightened out at the same time. Last week I noticed that the weatherstrip that the tweeter is attached to on the driver's door, didn't fit snuggly to the glass, and if I pressed it towards the glass, I could eliminate the wind noise. (I understand that Subaru's fix is to replace this seal.) What I did was lower the glass and pull the tweeter from the door (its a press fit with 3 plastic plugs that fit into holes in the rubber seal) Just grasp the tweeter and rock it back and forth till it pops out. Be careful not to pull the tweeter too far from its mounting since the wires to it are only 3 inches long and are very small in diameter! I discovered that the seal has a steel lining that I could push/force/bend with my hand, a small amount towards the outside of the car, thereby closing up the space in the seal that the glass slides in. This held the rubber that the tweeter sits on right onto the glass, and has totally eliminated the wind noise. Hope this helps someone out.

I wonder if this works on 1st gen legacys. Dealership = out of the question they want WAY too much for everything!

The apparent "fix" is to pinch the top of the triangle of the gusset while the window is down.

The apparent cause of the problem is that since the window is without a frame on the door, when opening or closing the door, grabbing or pushing the glass is the culprit. It is a rather long lever arm that you create and you supposedly can twist the gusset sufficiently to cause the distortion.

Also, if you find yourself in a tight parking situation and have to squeeze your body past the door, the effect is the same in distorting the gusset.

I never even thought of that. I have a 2001 OBW and bot passenger and drivers have windnoise only if I open the windo a little bit and then shut it while I am driving on the highway. For the passenger side, if I open the window ALL the way and shut it the wind noise goes away. The drivers side does not always work by doing that. SO I took you recommendation and lowered the windows and pinched the seal. PERFECT. Not a bit of noise. I have a 110K on the car and have not put a dime in to the car other then maintence. If this is one of the MINOR details, I can deal with it. NExt time it happens I will just pinch them again...

 

 

 

 

The apparent "fix" is to pinch the top of the triangle of the gusset while the window is down.

The apparent cause of the problem is that since the window is without a frame on the door, when opening or closing the door, grabbing or pushing the glass is the culprit. It is a rather long lever arm that you create and you supposedly can twist the gusset sufficiently to cause the distortion.

Also, if you find yourself in a tight parking situation and have to squeeze your body past the door, the effect is the same in distorting the gusset.

My Mom's '03 GT Limited Sedan is doing the same thing our '98 Legacy L wagon id with this wind noise on the drivers side. You would think Subaru would have addressed it by now?? Anyways do any of you have a digital pic you could take of the gusset you reffer to?? And where to pinch it?

I have already had my driver's side gusset replaced, and then 8 months later my passenger side was getting louder by the day. After reading this posting, I went outside, lowered the passenger window all the way, opened the door and pinched the triangle of rubber next to the side view mirror. Next time I took the car abover 60mph, no more wind noise. Couldn't be easier....How cool is that?

Wow this would be a great thread for a sticky if it has digital pics "hint, hint". I belive you guys are speaking of the rubber channel style weather stiping right behind the side veiw mirrior mounting and the triangular cover on the inside of the door. Do I pinch it up where that edge of the triangle meets the A pillar/roof and the leading edge of the window meet? I am looking stight at it if I have the door opean and am looking from the back of the door to the front, correct?

I pinched the whole length of the rubber, it's about 4-5" long.

Would this "pinching" fix work for the '98 that has teh wind noise problem again?

Thanks for the tip, worked great. Tried to fix it previously by tightening mirror bolts and playing with the window seal, this worked and took about 5 seconds.

 

Now it's so quiet I can hear all the noise my snow tires make.

WOW guys this is great did it to my Mom's GT and no more noise!!!!! This board ROCKS!!!!

This sounds quite interesting but i don't really get the position to be pinched (1st gen legacy). Maybe somebody can post a photo? I don't want to tear up my window rubber by punching wrong.

If you invision the trangular shaped piece that the mirror is attached to, like a sail, pinch the top portion of the trangle. Remember the forces that initially distort this piece are from the window being man handled. Your objective is to reverse this action... sorry no picture yet.

This sounds quite interesting but i don't really get the position to be pinched (1st gen legacy). Maybe somebody can post a photo? I don't want to tear up my window rubber by punching wrong.

If you invision the trangular shaped piece that the mirror is attached to, like a sail, pinch the top portion of the trangle. Remember the forces that initially distort this piece are from the window being man handled. Your objective is to reverse this action... sorry no picture yet.

 

Do you mean that plastic triangular shaped piece or the rubber. If I push on the plastic thing during driving the noise reduces, has something to do with it.

If you invision the trangular shaped piece that the mirror is attached to, like a sail, pinch the top portion of the trangle. Remember the forces that initially distort this piece are from the window being man handled. Your objective is to reverse this action... sorry no picture yet.

 

Do you mean that plastic triangular shaped piece or the rubber. If I push on the plastic thing during driving the noise reduces, has something to do with it.

Open window, open door, pinch the top of the plastic triangle slightly, drive around and pinch more if needed.

Do you mean that plastic triangular shaped piece or the rubber. If I push on the plastic thing during driving the noise reduces, has something to do with it.

Might also help when removing the tweeter cover and then the tweeter to insert some noise dampening material (think memory foam mattress topper piece about the size of a nickle) into the hole where the mirror wiring runs through the "Triangle" where the rubber gussetts are.

 

As a newbie to Subi with a used '01 LLB OB 3.0 90K, I am open to any info, suggestions, resources, MAINTENANCE, issues etc to look out for. Thanks

Still no pictures?

Still no pictures?

Click on thumbnail.

This is on an 05 but you get the idea.

Edited July 17, 201213 yr by brus brother

Awsome. Thanks

The squeeze fix worked on my 2001 Outback. I was just about to give up and trade the otherwise solid car in because of this issue. 

Thank you ultimatesubaru.org (and bus brother)!

OMG ! Thank you... My 01 OBW limited has had passenger side wind noise since the day I got it . Driving my wife crazy , I never would have thought of pushing out to make that darn window seal !!!  Took all of 2 minutes ! FIXED  ! this  forum is so cool ! Now if I could magically get the roof body seam to seal itself without pulling the headliner...

Edited February 8, 201511 yr by montana tom

I don't have that problem on my '96 OB, but I do on my Acura Legend.  Performed as described, voila!  Worked like a charm.  Thanks!!