Wind noise from B pillar area

Hello everyone.

Just purchased 2017 Legacy few month ago, I loved the car except for the WIND NOISE!!!

I can hear the wind noise at 40mph and getting worst and worst when speed up!!!

I bring my car back to the dealer twice, but they told me that's normal compared to other alike vehicles.

And there is service bulletin (TSB# 12-185-15R) for exact problem, but dealer said it can NOT apply to my car because it's for 2015/2016 models ONLY!?!? WTF

So questions, How many of you driving 2017 Legacy/Outback with wind noise (from B pillar area) problem? And at what speed wind noise become noticeable?

When it rains out it sounds like it's coming down in my car around the B pillar like no other vehicle I have had before. Wind noise is noticeable, I have just learned to live with it. Honestly, the rain is more annoying and louder than the wind.

Yes, when it rains, the wind noise gone...but not too much rain in LA area. LOL.

Still try to find the way to fix wind noise issue...

No wind noise for me.... have you tried turning up the radio? jk. Only noise I get is with moon roof rear popped up... With everything buttoned up it rides/sounds fine to my ears.

yes, turn up the radio is a solution when driving locally, LOL.

But not very useful on the free way...

all vehicle have wind noises just when it became noticeable...

so far i have

2000 Honda Accord, noticeable at 60-65mph

2002 VW JETTA, almost no wind noise even over 90mph

2010 toyota venza, noticeable at 75-80 mph

2011 toyota camry, noticeable at 80 mph

but

2017 Subaru Legacy, noticeable at just 40mph...which is unacceptable

Just as an experiment, what if you take a roll of blue painters tape, say 1-2" wide, and try to run a vertical strip of tape over various areas of the B pillar, like where the trim meets the window, etc. Try just 1 section at a time and drive to 40 MPH and see if you can reduce/eliminate the wind noise.

Then you may be able to locate the exact location the noise is coming from, and maybe you can then dig deeper and see if the trim is angled/bent a little, or something is just different. That may be enough for you to show the dealer what's wrong.

Just a thought. it's free (other than the tape) and it may allow you to locate the source of the noise at speed.

Just as an experiment, what if you take a roll of blue painters tape, say 1-2" wide, and try to run a vertical strip of tape over various areas of the B pillar, like where the trim meets the window, etc. Try just 1 section at a time and drive to 40 MPH and see if you can reduce/eliminate the wind noise.

Then you may be able to locate the exact location the noise is coming from, and maybe you can then dig deeper and see if the trim is angled/bent a little, or something is just different. That may be enough for you to show the dealer what's wrong.

Just a thought. it's free (other than the tape) and it may allow you to locate the source of the noise at speed.

Thanks, I will try if I can locate the location...

Just as an experiment, what if you take a roll of blue painters tape, say 1-2" wide, and try to run a vertical strip of tape over various areas of the B pillar, like where the trim meets the window, etc. Try just 1 section at a time and drive to 40 MPH and see if you can reduce/eliminate the wind noise.

Then you may be able to locate the exact location the noise is coming from, and maybe you can then dig deeper and see if the trim is angled/bent a little, or something is just different. That may be enough for you to show the dealer what's wrong.

Just a thought. it's free (other than the tape) and it may allow you to locate the source of the noise at speed.

I try section by section, and then the whole driver side...but wind noise still there, almost same level,

Did you check the side mirror and sunroof? Maybe it's some rubber sticking up?

What about the A pillar? Did you try taping that?

If you tried everything and you are convinced that it is unique to your car, maybe take another legacy for a test drive at the dealership and see if that one has the same sound.

Did you also check all of the rubber seals around the door, both on and under the door?

Did you check the side mirror and sunroof? Maybe it's some rubber sticking up?

What about the A pillar? Did you try taping that?

If you tried everything and you are convinced that it is unique to your car, maybe take another legacy for a test drive at the dealership and see if that one has the same sound.

Did you also check all of the rubber seals around the door, both on and under the door?

Thanks, Capttris

I did check sunroof and mirror, the noise is not from sunroof area for sure, and I fold the mirror and test drive, still the same.

But I do find some potential weatherstrips issue which might be the problem.. one of them on their previous TSB (12-177-14R).

I already forward these pictures to Subaru, wish they can give me some "good" feedback.

And yes, Before I'm scheduling another repair appointment, I'll test drive another Legacy first, thanks for the advice.

Mine is louder than other legacy as well, but not by a lot. Is the dealership helping you? The technicians are a little deaf, banging on disc brakes everyday in a shop.

I have found the same comments on the Outback forum, same generation. I guess there is some inconsistency in the weather strip quality or in the way the door and window are put together. Parts are the same from one car to another, it should be as quiet, I'm still searching the problem on mine, it also makes a whistle noise on that B-Pillar when the car is wet.

Anyone knows more about that issue? That would be great!

Mine is louder than other legacy as well, but not by a lot. Is the dealership helping you? The technicians are a little deaf, banging on disc brakes everyday in a shop.

 

I have found the same comments on the Outback forum, same generation. I guess there is some inconsistency in the weather strip quality or in the way the door and window are put together. Parts are the same from one car to another, it should be as quiet, I'm still searching the problem on mine, it also makes a whistle noise on that B-Pillar when the car is wet.

 

Anyone knows more about that issue? That would be great!

NO, the first dealer (where I bought my Legacy) does not help at all, they said it's same with other alike Legacy, no repair needed!!!

So I went to another dealer and test drive other two almost identical Legacy,

which are much much quieter than mine.

If you're 15-16 year models, the TSB# 12-185-15R should fix the B-Pillar problem. Try it.

If it does not fix your car, file the complaint on subaru and NATSA, once have enough customers have same issue, they might try to fix it,

About the TSB, it doesn't apply to my car because of the serial number.

There is a massive thread on this generation Outback forum about wind noise.

Also, there is no way for the dealer to measure wind noise seriously. They could drive different cars in the same road conditions (or like in a wind tunnel) using a sound meter to get a measurable value to compare different cars. But this number would also pick up noise from the tires, as they get louder as they wear out. The best would be a wind tunnel.

I will drive the car for another couple of years, and then trade it. Sorry Subaru, your cars are not as good as they used to be.

Everything I see above in the photos, combined with the TSB, should be proof enough that you have a recognizable issue that needs to be resolved. If the dealer still is in denial, I recommend another dealer.

Had my Legacy back to the dealer yesterday, with all above information/photos, But dealer finally/only agreed to replace two rear weatherstrips for me, not the two in the front, still waiting for the parts coming.....wish after replacing the rear weatherstrips will fix the problem, if not, another dealer, or Lemon law, this will be the forth times I went back to dealer for the wind noise issue

About the TSB, it doesn't apply to my car because of the serial number.

 

There is a massive thread on this generation Outback forum about wind noise.

 

Also, there is no way for the dealer to measure wind noise seriously. They could drive different cars in the same road conditions (or like in a wind tunnel) using a sound meter to get a measurable value to compare different cars. But this number would also pick up noise from the tires, as they get louder as they wear out. The best would be a wind tunnel.

 

I will drive the car for another couple of years, and then trade it. Sorry Subaru, your cars are not as good as they used to be.

very sad to hear that you have similar problem like mine; the TSB doesn't apply to your car..... I don't know why Subaru do that, the TSB for exact problem, but subaru doesn't want to fix (they do not even try it), very disappointed about the way subaru fix (or avoiding) the problems....

Sorry, this is my first AND last subaru.

Sorry, this is my first AND last subaru.

Good [emoji8]

Sent from my LG-H871 using Tapatalk

Had my Legacy back to the dealer yesterday, with all above information/photos, But dealer finally/only agreed to replace two rear weatherstrips for me, not the two in the front, still waiting for the parts coming.....wish after replacing the rear weatherstrips will fix the problem, if not, another dealer, or Lemon law, this will be the forth times I went back to dealer for the wind noise issue

Good luck with lemon law.

I'll toss my hat in.

I have a brand new 2017 Legacy 3.6R, the wind noise is maddening. I have no roof rack. It starts around 30mph and around 80mph it's bad. It sounds like fluttering and sounds like it's coming from the front small window. In older cars I've had it's the exact same noise as worn weatherstripping. Before reading this thread I had the same thought that it might be the mirrors, but I folded them in and it had no effect whatsoever.

This is my 5th Subaru and I can honestly say it's louder than every previous one I've had.

Previous Subarus, all without this wind noise:

1998 Outback with roof rack

1999 Outback with roof rack

2005 Legacy GT

2008 Tribeca with roof rack

When I first looked, I thought it might be coming from the circled area as the door is raised there from the body.

It's going into the dealer tomorrow.

I went out and checked some of the weather stripping over lunch. This doesn't look right to me. It's like a straight piece of stripping was used to turn the corner. That could potentially be the source of my noise, but it seems like it's coming from the front of the window, not the rear.

I'll toss my hat in.

 

I have a brand new 2017 Legacy 3.6R, the wind noise is maddening. I have no roof rack. It starts around 30mph and around 80mph it's bad. It sounds like fluttering and sounds like it's coming from the front small window. In older cars I've had it's the exact same noise as worn weatherstripping. Before reading this thread I had the same thought that it might be the mirrors, but I folded them in and it had no effect whatsoever.

 

 

When I first looked, I thought it might be coming from the circled area as the door is raised there from the body.

 

 

It's going into the dealer tomorrow.

Ive got a noise on my 2018 that seems to be from that same area. Usually at 40-70 mph and on days when it is cold outside. Even then not always so also suspecting more windy days. I need to take a look at the weatherstripping in that area. I think thats also area where some wiring was run for the remote start.