Solved: Road Noise & Front Wind Noise

Through the last few months, I have been watching and reading up the various posts regarding the many ways many of you all have attempted, as well as the various kits available online, to reduce if not eliminate road noise and wind noise from the Model3. After reviewing all those posts and review of the kits, I figured that since none of you have been able to achieve that elusive goal, let alone even come close to reducing the noise, made me ask the question: What are we missing?

So as I kept driving my M3, I attempted to focus on finding those missing sources ie where is the noise emanating into the cabin from. Turns out they are the 4 corners of the cabin ie the A-Pillars and C-pillars. More specifically, the A-Pillars for wind noise and C-Pillars for road noise.

#1 - The solution for wind noise is the following - Z Weatherstrip down inside the leading edge of the front door, and foam block at the top triangle where the front fender, windshield and door meet.

Z-Weatherstrip

Foam at the junction

#2 - The solution for road noise is the following - 2" Fiber insulation behind the rear seat side panels that cover the rear wheel wells.

I hope this helps everyone who have been pursuing this goal. Thanks for all the contributions and many thanks to @XPsionic for his constant engagement and interest.

 

[XPsionic]

Through the last few months, I have been watching and reading up the various posts regarding the many ways many of you all have attempted, as well as the various kits available online, to reduce if not eliminate road noise and wind noise from the Model3. After reviewing all those posts and review of the kits, I figured that since none of you have been able to achieve that elusive goal, let alone even come close to reducing the noise, made me ask the question: What are we missing?

So as I kept driving my M3, I attempted to focus on finding those missing sources ie where is the noise emanating into the cabin from. Turns out they are the 4 corners of the cabin ie the A-Pillars and C-pillars. More specifically, the A-Pillars for wind noise and C-Pillars for road noise.

#1 - The solution for wind noise is the following - Z Weatherstrip down inside the leading edge of the front door, and foam block at the top triangle where the front fender, windshield and door meet.

Z-Weatherstrip
View attachment 917275

Foam at the junction
View attachment 917276



#2 - The solution for road noise is the following - 2" Fiber insulation behind the rear seat side panels that cover the rear wheel wells.
View attachment 917277

View attachment 917284

I hope this helps everyone who have been pursuing this goal. Thanks for all the contributions and many thanks to @XPsionic for his constant engagement and interest.

Glad you made a thread with the solution, hopefully people searching with the right keywords will come across this and find it useful! Much easier than digging through 10 pages of discussions.

I just want to add that the foam used in #1 is Siless liner 157 4mm thickness dense closed cell PE foam, 18 sq ft should be enough. And for #2 the material used is Kaowool ceramic fiber fire insulation 1"x16"x48", cut to required size.

 

[alesl]

Thank you very much for sharing! How you will describe achieved result? Could you share please brief description on how to install these insulations, I am interested to do it on my Model 3, road and wind noise are very annoying at higher speed.

 

[enemji]

Thank you very much for sharing! How you will describe achieved result? Could you share please brief description on how to install these insulations, I am interested to do it on my Model 3, road and wind noise are very annoying at higher speed.

The only reason I was happy to publish these results is that it is now as good as a Mercedes. Don't ask me for decibel meter readings for I really like to "voice" it by actual hearing, and I am so happy with the way the vehicle responds now. It truly feels like a Mercedes Luxury Sports Car. The subdued road noise, merely a smooth hum, the solid thumps over road joins, and the absolutely no wind noise at 80mph. I am no longer going to miss driving my Mercedes is all I can say.

 

[welsed]

How much to pay you to fix mine ?

 

[JimShaw]

How much to pay you to fix mine ?

I agree! Ditto

I'd almost drive to Texas to have you do it.

 

[enemji]

How much to pay you to fix mine ?

I am pretty sure one of the kit manufacturers will make a kit out of this now

 

[datoda]

I will be the first to shamefully ask: May someone please make a video when they try this and post it here? A big "Thank You" in advance.

 

[enemji]

I will be the first to shamefully ask: May someone please make a video when they try this and post it here? A big "Thank You" in advance.

A step by step DIY video? That would be great for a content creator

 

[3rror]

A step by step DIY video? That would be great for a content creator

I know exactly what you mean. I've contributed and created a lot of various fixes and other things across multiple places on internet forums, and I don't care for that part either. Thank you for sharing your findings both in this thread and in others.

 

[jkdman123]

Where did you get the materials?

 

[GermanGuyUS]

I just want to add that the foam used in #1 is Siless liner 157 4mm thickness dense closed cell PE foam, 18 sq ft should be enough.

I don't think that's what he used on the A-pillar.

 

[enemji]

I don't think that's what he used on the A-pillar.

He is right. He listed my materials used correctly.

 

[enemji]

Where did you get the materials?

Amazon

 

[enemji]

So I am on the highway, driving and I generally keep track of my speed based upon how much road noise/feedback I receive. I thought I was doing 55 mph. I glance at the readout and it says 85mph Holy Moly. Time to recalibrate my senses

 

[XPsionic]

I don't think that's what he used on the A-pillar.

To be precise he used the pe foam under the a pillar in the cavity directly forward of the front doors.

 

[XPsionic]

To be precise he used the pe foam under the a pillar in the cavity directly forward of the front doors.

Sounds like most of the improvement is from the fire proof fiber blanket in the rear wheel well area? I don't recall you saying the rest of the foam and seals doing much!

 

[Adam3]

Commenting in case i need this later

 

[Perscitus]

Thanks for the info, a decent mix of previously tried solutions with some new materials.

Can you take some more photos of the A pillar foam and the door z-strip or explain a bit more about how you went about installing? Hard to see from a single, one angle pic for each.

For the foam it looks like you have at least two and maybe as many as four interlocking pieces that fill the entire fender gap from bottom to top.

And for the door z-strip it appears you attached it along the A piller and not to the leading edge of the door.

 

[enemji]

Thanks for the info, a decent mix of previously tried solutions with some new materials.

Can you take some more photos of the A pillar foam and the door z-strip or explain a bit more about how you went about installing? Hard to see from a single, one angle pic for each.

For the foam it looks like you have at least two and maybe as many as four interlocking pieces that fill the entire fender gap from bottom to top.

And for the door z-strip it appears you attached it along the A piller and not to the leading edge of the door.