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.

 

[mimetz]

Noisee, 99 cents on the AppStore. Tells me w/o any mods on good highway, 65mph, noise level is 64-66db.

I found Noisee froze consistently, moved to the NIOSH app, seems to read a couple db lower, doesn't freeze.

 

[atsimeri]

Well, hello!
after many many many attempts, this did the trick. Rough asphalt and road noise in general is gone.
Summer tires Michelin Pilot Sport T1 stock
The other thing that made it was put foam in a spot in the front but i havent a photo yet. i'll take ap photo an d come back with details

 

[mimetz]

So it looks like you've applied sound deadening material to the entire floor of the cab? How's the result? Did you measure db pre and post? And is this a 3 or a Y?

 

[enemji]

Well, hello!
after many many many attempts, this did the trick. Rough asphalt and road noise in general is gone.
Summer tires Michelin Pilot Sport T1 stock
The other thing that made it was put foam in a spot in the front but i havent a photo yet. i'll take ap photo an d come back with details

there is a whole battery pack between that floorpan and the road....I would not suspect it to be the source of roadnoise

 

[atsimeri]

there is a whole battery pack between that floorpan and the road....I would not suspect it to be the source of roadnoise

There is a whole resonant body underneath those carpets that resonates from rhe vibrations sent from the suspension to the chassis. The battery is not structural. It's attached underneath the body not covering the whole floor of course.
Think of the car like a speaker and the floor as the back enclosure of it.
Underneath the carpet mats there is sound absorbing foam from the factory but it's thin and not even completely covered. In addition to the floor, I did the trunk some treatment.
It's a model 3 2023
Decibel readings indicate about 6 dB less at highway speeds

 

[jwalkingjon2]

Does anyone have a link to the foam block used in the first post that fills the triangle? Also I noticed OP has a small rectangle of foam stuck on the door is that the same foam? The really tiny piece that looks like it seals the door.

 

[jwalkingjon2]

Lynn Manufacturing Kaowool Ceramic Fiber Insulation, 1" Thick x 16" x 48", 2400F Fireproof Insulation Blanket, 3026E https://a.co/d/6oVmyiT

Siless Liner 157 (4 mm) mil 36 sqft Car Sound Deadening Closed Cell Foam & Heat Insulation mat - PE Foam Sound Deadener Material & Heat Barrier https://a.co/d/gQPMKbA

Z Shape Universal Rubber Seal Protector Guard Strip, Keenso Car Door Rubber Seals Trim Seal Door Edge Guards Weatherstrip for Car Window Door Engine Cover, 4M Length Amazon.com

Do you have a link to the block of foam you used that was shoved in the front door area by the z seal? I saw mention of a big block of foam that was squeezed in. Or did you just stack a few layers of this and squeeze it in there?

 

[enemji]

Do you have a link to the block of foam you used that was shoved in the front door area by the z seal? I saw mention of a big block of foam that was squeezed in. Or did you just stack a few layers of this and squeeze it in there?

It was the Siless foam double layered

 

[MTB_Dave]

Chiming in to say thank you to everybody for sharing solutions! Appreciate this fix and looking forward to next adding these shaped foam blocks at the front fenders for road testing.

There doesn't seem to be just one magic bullet the way I've bumbled along the path to quiet - more like peeling back layers of an onion. Addressing big noise generators helps to pinpoint other smaller noise generators that cumulatively make a big improvement in perceived cabin noise. Sharing my history in case it helps others make sense of all the options out there. The other somewhat obvious observation after trying several mods - frequency spectrum is really important so reporting intensity alone only describes part of the improvement. In retrospect I should have snapped screen shots of frequency spectrum along with intensity to help compare the impact of mods.

Tried the RPM Tesla aftermarket door seal kit and RPM o-ring kit for panoramic roof on my 2022 M3 RWD. Door seal kit didn't relieve much perceived irritation for my combination of gaps due to unique assembly of my panels and gaskets - about 74 dBa at 110 - 130 kph [68 - 81 mph]. But the o-ring kit together with lowered wind noise intensity by ~4 dBa at 110 - 130 kph and attenuated certain frequencies reducing perceived irritation. Intensity readings 70 - 71 dBa remained pretty similar across 110 - 130 kph speeds. Used my iPhone dBX app sitting on the induction charger. HVAC was on at low fan speed (it's winter in Canada!)

This thread recommended stuffing foam gasket in the panel gaps beside base of windscreen between A-pillar and front fender panel.

Solved: wind noise

FIXED IT! Problem With speeds off 70 mph and more, I experience wind noise in the A-pillar. I perceive it as a non-constant crispy sound, which depends on the wind speed and direction. Very annoying. It occurs on both sides. Root cause The A-pillar is open on the front end. Air can enter from...

teslamotorsclub.com

I cut up leftover pieces from RPM door seal kit and stuffed different pieces sized for the different sized panel gaps on driver vs. passenger side. Intensity remained the same 110 - 130 kph but perceived irritation improved to my ears. Less noise from wind turbulence on the drivers side from A-pillar - front fender revealed there's a lot more wind noise generated by passenger side door seal. Still unacceptably noisy to me but it's clear now my front passenger side window gasket dominates cabin noise and needs to be addressed before being able to comment more on other fixes for overall cabin noise.

Bumbling along but noise incrementally improves with each mod.

 

[enemji]

Decibel readings indicate about 6 dB less at highway speeds

Pretty much everyone else who has gone down the route of adding sound deadening mats (google it) have reported barely any impact.

Sound Deadening Model 3

Here are some pictures of the sound deadening work I've done. covered floors, 4 doors, and trunk and trunk lift-gate. When I first got in my car after the work, I could tell the difference. Did it make the car completely quiet? No. But I think it got rid of most of high frequency, easier on...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[clyde]

"#1 - The solution for wind noise is the following - Z Weatherstrip down inside the leading edge of the front door,

I cannot see from your photo whether the Z weatherstrip is glued to the frame or the door. Please clarify.

 

[ss71]

"#1 - The solution for wind noise is the following - Z Weatherstrip down inside the leading edge of the front door,

I cannot see from your photo whether the Z weatherstrip is glued to the frame or the door. Please clarify.

You will want to attach this to the door.

 

[clyde]

You will want to attach this to the door.

Thanks. I wish there was a photo from a bit more of a distance, to better understand the general area.

 

[dcfas]

Been following this thread, and it's all interesting stuff. Thanks to all who have been posting and updating.

Not sure if anyone else's experience is similar, but the majority of what I consider to be noise is primarily what sounds like wind leaking through/from the windows. Is there anything that can directly be done that eliminates that? I could almost live with the 'noise' from the tires if I could mostly (fully?) eliminate the window noise. Thoughts? Suggestions? Apologies if I missed the solution earlier in the thread.

Replying to an older post here, but my windows’ foam stripping was actually bunched up in a few areas when I first got the car. I bought a liquid conditioner made specifically for the rubber seals and weather stripping on cars and applied it. I did it when it was a warm summer day and the rubber was soft. All of the bunched up areas straightened out and the result was a better seal when the windows close.

Still, every once in a while it seems like when I roll a window down and then put it back up the seal is off and the wind sound is noticeable.

Also, I had winter tires put on this fall and I cannot believe the difference in ride comfort and road noise. I will be looking for a summer tire that is cushier and more quiet to match. I have a 2023 RWD M3.

 

[richyrich]

Also, I had winter tires put on this fall and I cannot believe the difference in ride comfort and road noise. I will be looking for a summer tire that is cushier and more quiet to match. I have a 2023 RWD M3.

Always the number one thing people should check when they experience "road noise" - tires, tire pressure and wheel size/type are a massive factor. At a minimum, experiment with lower and higher tire pressure.

 

[enemji]

Thanks. I wish there was a photo from a bit more of a distance, to better understand the general area.

 

[atsimeri]

Pretty much everyone else who has gone down the route of adding sound deadening mats (google it) have reported barely any impact.

Sound Deadening Model 3

Here are some pictures of the sound deadening work I've done. covered floors, 4 doors, and trunk and trunk lift-gate. When I first got in my car after the work, I could tell the difference. Did it make the car completely quiet? No. But I think it got rid of most of high frequency, easier on...

teslamotorsclub.com

pretty much everyone used different materials, covered different areas and did a different project overall with each other. some used mlv, others used killmat, others used closed cell foam, etc. There are different parts of the car where the noise intrudes and its mostly , but not exclusive, on the front part of the firewall. I'd be happy if you tried yourself patiently with trial and error and share with us the results.
Foe example Bjorn has a popular video where he put sound deading (not sound absorbing material) just to the boot and the arches. The (expected) result was meh.
That leads to the concusion that if you do the same treatment, the results will not be meaningful.

 

[jwalkingjon2]

Anyone know of anything that would fill in the large gaps in the front windshield? Seems like each side has a small gap between the glass and the body I wanted to try and maybe fill it in with rubber or weather stripping to see if it makes a difference

 

[jwalkingjon2]

This is where I mean, leading up to the top of the windshield

 

[clyde]

Thank you.
I still have a bit of wind noise coming from a gap at the upper rear edge of the glass next to the B-pillar. I am thinking of buffering the existing molding from behind, for greater pressure against the glass. I am unsure whether there is access behind the upper B-pillar plastic panel.