[wsdmskr825]

I just bought a 2012 Focus HB 5 Spd. Great car, yet almost undriveable with the front windows down over 45 mph. The noise coming from both the driver's side and passenger mirrors is ridiculous. High pitched whistling that increases with speed and is ear-splitting. It's definitely the wind shearing past the mirror, as the noise isn't mechanical and goes away after either raising the window or cupping my hand between the mirror and A pillar, changing the shape of the air flow.

I'm not the only one experiencing this issue either. There are other posts on Youtube. Someone missed the boat on this one. Dropping rear, or passenger side windows doesn't help at all. Loud, high-pitched, and obnoxious, if I had driven this car with the window down on the test drive, I might not have bought it.

It's a shame because I love the look, feel, and handling, but that wind noise would have been a deal breaker to me (Dealer service was horrible too). It's unfortunately the first thing out of my mouth when someone asks me about the car. Only afterwards do I tell them about how great EVERYTHING else is.

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this? Or know if Ford is working on a fix?

Fair warning to anyone planning to buy, test-drive on the highway with the windows down before you purchase.

 

[chopper dave]

They don't really engineer cars anymore to drive well with the windows open. It's all about aerodynamics when they are closed, so much so that it takes more energy to drive with the windows open than the AC blasting. If you have to, try one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Focus-4-piece-Window-Deflector-Shades/dp/B0055P5IQG

 

[wsdmskr825]

True, but you would hope someone would have the brains to say "Hey, I like driving with the windows down, maybe someone else will too. Let's make sure they don't get a headache every time they try to do it in our car" Beautiful day, beautiful road, beautiful car, yet I need to be hermetically sealed inside my car so I don't get a migraine. Awful.

I checked out the link, and while I'm happy to see the rain guards out so quickly, I'd be surprised if they affected the noise. It definitely originates from the mirror post, my guess is the "breakaway mirror" has too big a gap and the wind is whistling through.

 

[warneej]

Mine makes zero noise from the mirrors with the windows down....

 

[SV100]

with the front windows down over 45 mph.

Well there's your problem.

In all seriousness, I think chopper dave is right - cars aren't designed anymore to be driven that fast with the windows down, assuming they ever were. It's not a convertible. And speaking personally, I think rolling the windows down on the freeway is unbearable regardless of the car.

 

[wsdmskr825]

@Sv100 - Personally, there are few things I enjoy more than dropping my windows and opening my moon-roof while driving on a sunny back-road (or highway), and on some of those roads I travel over 45 mph. I'd like to be able to do that in this car without getting a headache.

I sold cars for 6 years - Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Hyundai, Subaru, and Ford - not one of those cars made this kind of noise on the road. This is either a fit or design flaw originating somewhere between the side-view mirrors and A-pillar.

@Warneej - What speeds are you traveling? I'm hoping it's just my car so there will be an easy fix, I'll be pissed if it's a design flaw.

Here's a link to someone else on this forum having the same issues:
http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259242

 

[cobie56]

I havent experienced the noise u mention however i find a great deal of wind buffeting at the B pillar w windows down. Lowering the rear windows helps a bit but not much. It annoying as its right in my ear

 

[Armen]

Nothing high pitched here. But I do get the low base sound when I have the windows half way down or whatever. I had that on my truck too.

 

[CrazyDave]

I too like open air driving. I usually have only my driver window down, and partially open the left rear window (lets pressure out).
I don't hear loud wind noise at all. [???]

Maybe the air is thicker here down south?

 

[Techwarrior]

Nothing high pitched here. But I do get the low base sound when I have the windows half way down or whatever. I had that on my truck too.

+1 to the low bass sound too. I got the same thing in my '98 Mazda 6.

 

[underbird10]

Quietest car I've ever owned, windows up or down. No whistling from the mirrors, no growling from the driveline.

The 18" tires and wheels are a little noisier than the 17 inchers, but it's still the quietest.[shhh]

 

[MGDeftones]

I don't have any problem with noise, but the wind does beat the crap out of me if I don't roll down the back windows a little.

 

[jennay16]

I also don't have any noise problems with my car. Looking at your avatar, we have the same exact car, but mine is a Ti 6 speed auto..

 

[Grisby]

No high pitch noise from mirrors on mine, just bad high speed buffeting I've also gotten from other cars. Try opening the opposite rear window about 1/4, or adjusting your mirrors a bit to see if that helps with your mirror whistling problem.

 

[hotleadsingerguy]

I just bought a 2012 Focus HB 5 Spd. Great car, yet almost undriveable with the front windows down over 45 mph. The noise coming from both the driver's side and passenger mirrors is ridiculous. High pitched whistling that increases with speed and is ear-splitting. It's definitely the wind shearing past the mirror, as the noise isn't mechanical and goes away after either raising the window or cupping my hand between the mirror and A pillar, changing the shape of the air flow.

I'm not the only one experiencing this issue either. There are other posts on Youtube. Someone missed the boat on this one. Dropping rear, or passenger side windows doesn't help at all. Loud, high-pitched, and obnoxious, if I had driven this car with the window down on the test drive, I might not have bought it.

It's a shame because I love the look, feel, and handling, but that wind noise would have been a deal breaker to me (Dealer service was horrible too). It's unfortunately the first thing out of my mouth when someone asks me about the car. Only afterwards do I tell them about how great EVERYTHING else is.

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this? Or know if Ford is working on a fix?

Fair warning to anyone planning to buy, test-drive on the highway with the windows down before you purchase.

Strange, because I literally have no sound problems at all with this car.

I've heard a few people complain that either the rear spoiler makes a sound, the side mirrors make a whistle, or even the moonroof. I regularly drive with all windows up, all windows down, sometimes just the moonroof raised or moved back, etc... (every configuration I can think of) and I haven't once experienced a whistle or road noise outside of the engine and tires...which is minimal.

I'm not at all saying you're a liar, just that it seems all the cars are different. Perhaps you have the Winter Package, which adds side-mirror underside lights? Could affect the air flow enough to whistle.

 

[86524]

They don't really engineer cars anymore to drive well with the windows open. It's all about aerodynamics when they are closed, so much so that it takes more energy to drive with the windows open than the AC blasting. If you have to, try one of these:

That's the reason I went with the sunroof option.

 

[warneej]

It seems that all of us that don't have the problem have titanium models. I also don't have the winter package. I drive with windows down all the time, drives my girlfriend nuts.

 

[wsdmskr825]

Yeah, it seems those who have reported the noise from the side mirrors all have the Winter Package, which I have as well. It may very well be the signal lights which ARE sharply cut and DO protrude from the form of the mirror itself. I've tried different configurations of windows up, half up, rear windows down, just roof... etc. It seems to make the noise regardless of those changes. The only things that helps is putting my hand out the window and reshaping the airflow around the mirror post.

With all windows up, she's the quietest sub $30k car I've driven, but as soon as I crack the driver's side window above 45 mph I get a headache. She also does buffet quite a bit more than most cars I've driven, but that can be eliminated by dropping the corresponding rear window.

Just sucks that the 11 year old, 182k mile, beat to crap Cavalier I just dumped had better open air driving characteristics than this state of the art Focus.

 

[wsdmskr825]

I'm curious if everyone who posted would mind posting again with whether or not they have the Winter Package and if they hear that noise if they drop the windows over 50 mph. I'd like to try to narrow it down between just my car and a design flaw. Thanks guys (and girls).

 

[cuke2u]

Hi, I believe all our cars in the uk, and europe, have the built in indicators, I've read of no issues over here. I doubt very much if it is a design issue, as this would have been picked up in pre-testing, but more a quality issue with your particular vehicle. If it was a design issue then everyone would have the problem.
Chris