Buffeting with driver's window open
 

Noticed on my drive home from Portland yesterday that having just the driver's side window open at higher speeds caused some pretty serious buffeting. Any one else experiencing this? I guess that I will just have to crack an opposing window, but I would have thought that would have been something they tested in the initial design.

I've been getting that too, It has happened since I got it. I have not taken it to the dealer yet.

mine does it with 1 window down, or any combination of windows down, even all 4 down, so it must be something else....

No kidding? How fast are you going when you hear buffeting? With one window down this happens in my other cars but once I open at least one more window it goes away.

happens even at low speeds. It went away for a few weeks, but happened again last night....

You mean like the entire cabin is buffeting?

It's called "Aerodynamics".
Any time the air flow around the car is disrupted will result in buffeting.
When a car is tested in the wind tunnel, it is done with the windows up.
With the Mini the effect is much more noticeable because of the shape and weight of the car.

Thanks for clarifying. Wasn't sure of the meaning of buffeting...not an English native speaker...

Why is this a surprise? Every car I've ever owned - and I've owned a lot - has buffeted with only one window open.

This was my thought too. The Car Talk guys had to explain it to someone once, and their explanation sounds a lot like the one Vollgas just gave.

Yep pretty much every car that I've owned or ridden in does this with one window down. I think someone said it did it in their CM with more than one window down. Which is odd because putting another window down usually fixes the problem.

The MINI has no corner on market for wind buffeting noise and pressure. My crew cab truck will do it depending on which windows and how far down they are, especially with no opening rear window to release any air.

:wink:

+1 Every car I have ever had does this, if you have a sunroof just pop it up a little and no more buffeting!

Buffeting is with all windows open and sunroof cracked...more than other cars I have owned. Not a big deal, just an observation.

With 1 window open, the air is trapped inside the vehicle. The air is trying to escape out the open window while more air is coming in. When a second window is opened, the air pressure is released because of the 2nd window being opened.

If you want to see the air flow around your car it is very easy to do. Cut about 40 pieces of yarn 4" long. Tape the yarn at various locations arond the front hood, windshield, and door panels. Go take a short drive. When the yarn is laying flat at speed, it shows that the air flow is smooth. If the yarn is flapping, that means there is a disruption of the air flow. Not many people are inclined to do this. When you work on race cars with a low budget, you learn to make your own wind tunnel.

I should have been more specific about my issue, when i roll a window down, or all windows down, there is some sort of rat a tat tat, or knocking sound that's really loud, I can't pin down where it's coming from, other than the back seat area. Went away for a couple of weeks, happened a few days ago, then disappeared this weekend.....

Probally the rear seat belts flapping.

Happened to me today. It was the passenger side seatbelt clip knocking on the plastic doorpost. I ran it and the retainer clip all the way to the top and it quit.

Bill

Recall reading something in the manual about a place to clip the rear belts to in the boot when they are not being used...

thanks guys, I feel a little stupid that I couldn't figure that one out. I moved the seatbelts in the rear, all the way down a couple of weeks ago, and the noise stopped. I had a passenger in the right rear seat a few days ago and it was back at the top and banging away.....