I've noticed a lot of driver's side wind noise, especially on the freeway, whilst driving my 2009 MINI Cooper S Clubman. Is this normal? Or is there something wrong with the window/door seal on the driver's side?

One thing I notice is that when the door is closed, the window seems to rest "on top" of the rubber seal. On the passenger side, the window seems to go up "into" the rubber seal.

Just wondering if this is something I ought to have looked at under warranty, or if I'd just be told to live with it...

Cheers.

 

Does each windows move down about half an inch when the door is opened and back up when the door is closed? If not something is wrong.

 

There was a forum question just like yours a month or so ago. I replied that after 4 years of living with just such a noise, I asked my dealer about it and they adjusted the closing position of the window. Noise gone.
It's even something that can be done at home, but I didn't fully get that procedure. Anyway, chances are it's a computer type setting. You can fix it.

 

Thanks for the replies.

klricks: Yes, the windows act as described. On the passenger side, when I close the door, the window looks like it goes up into a crease in the door frame seal...just like a window does on any other car I've owned. But, on the driver side, the window nudges up, and it just seems to rest on the outside of the rubber, rather than going up into a crease. I figure that is why I've got the wind noise on the driver side and not on the passenger side.

TorchMINI: I mentioned the issue when I was having some other things addressed. I was told the MINI dealer adjusted the window programming. However, the wind noise is still persisting.

Any other ideas? Maybe I just need to take it back in for another adjustment.

 

I'm having the same problem on my '04 R50 on the driver's side - in my case, I can see a definite gap between the rear of the window and the rubber seal. Both windows do their "auto-rise" thing when the door closes, so that seems normal.

 

So, I've got my Clubman back at MINI today. One of the service consultants had a look at things with me. He observed the rubber seal being pressed in by the window as it went up. However, I pointed out that when the window hits the top, it bumps out, and so I suggested that the seal might not be as good as it looks when the window is travelling.

I also pointed out how the window was resting on top of the rubber at the top rear of the window, rather than going up into a gap, like it does on the passenger side. He said, yeah...that's not right, either.

Then, another service consultant looked and saw evidence that my driver side door had been repainted. However, no accidents were reported on the vehicle history report given to me by Carmax. Needless to say, I'm not too happy about the idea that my door could have been involved in an accident and repaired. The service tech said the re-paint could have been done to address cosmetic damage (i.e., someone keying the car, etc.). Hopefully, that was the case and that there aren't lingering, underlying accident issues. (He looked at the bonnet and said that was all 100% factory, so at least there was never any front end damage.)

In any case, he said that if the door had been worked on, then that could be the source of my issues with the window seal and the resulting noise.

So far, Carmax did say that they would take care of this for me (i.e., paying MINI for the repair, etc.). Hopefully, they can track down the source this time and solve the problem.

 

Following along the analysis of the previous post by SoundMessage...

My Cooper doesn't show any major accident damage, at least none that seems to have affected the relationship of the door and window to their frame. (There is a small crease in the left front of the hood next to the headlight, of a type and height that looks almost exactly like where an SUV bumper might have backed into it. ) The door sits correctly in its own seal and there's no binding or uneven panel gaps. Also no evidence of new or refreshed paint.

However...

The driver's door hinge does creak slightly; I'm guessing it's due to age and general usage (especially compared to the passenger's door). I would just grease it and be on my way, but I'm wondering if maybe there's an adjustment that needs to be made there?

Let me know how your Mini dealer eventually fixes the window-to-seal gap, as I'm curious to know if it's something I could do myself or if I'll have to make a visit to my own dealer. Looking at the door myself, I can't see any easy way you could possibly adjust the window's position without popping off the door panel - which I'd rather not do without having some kind of idea what to look for first.

 

Has anyone found a solution for this. I have a 09 clubman with identical problem . I just changed the seal and it still same as described above

 

So did they fix your window problem while it was at the MINI dealer?

 

There are 2 things you can try.

1)To reset the window memory for the drop down when you open the door and the push up when you close the door. With the door closed lower the window all the way down. Then push the up switch and hold it down 10 seconds even after the window is fully up. Release and press up and hold for 10 seconds and repeat a 3rd time. This should reset the window memory.

2)There is no frame surrounding the window so in order to get a tight fit between the window glass and the rubber window seal the window has to press tightly against the seal. The older your MINI gets the rubber gets less pliable and may even slightly shrink. You can adjust how much pressure the glass has up against the seal without taking the door panel off. If you look at the bottom of your door you will see 2 rubber grommets that line up with the glass. If you remove these grommets and look up in the hole you will see a Torx screw on the bottom on the window track. I don't remember what size it is, but I use a socket that holds Torx bits with an extension and ratchet. If you loosen the screw and move the window tracks outward and then retighten this will put more pressure from the top of the window against the rubber seal. This solved the wind noise we had on our 2002 R50. I just looked at our 2010 Clubman and it is the same set up.

 

The door hinges are not adjustable, but they do need occasional lube as they are indirectly exposed to the elements. I use a silicon lube in a spray can to keep mine lubed.

 

Wow...this is an old thread. LOL

Yes, they adjusted my window somehow, as it now rests in a different point on the rubber door seal (you can see where the old indent is vs where the window now rests). This solved the problem with the wind noise for me.