We FINALLY got a nice 70 degree day here in the Northeast so I decided to open my sunroof for the drive home. The wind buffeting/throb was unbearable... I had to crack the windows a bit to get it to stop. And by cracking the windows, it just added more wind noise in the cabin.
This is just a rant since there's probably no fix for this, except for opening the window.
I started a post a few weeks ago asking if people thought the wind noise in the Jeep was a bit louder than other vehicles. I certainly think it is. I think the cloth wind screen on the sunroof is the worst part.
but buffeting/throb you describe is perfectly normal and happens on every vehicle with a sunroof. There is no "fix" other than cracking another window.
My favorite part of a Toyota 4runner is the power sliding rear glass. its perfect for this. If only other manufacturers would do this...
I bought a 2016 Dodge Challenger that had a sunroof when I bought it and it had NEVER had buffeting. I think it has to do with the pop up dam when it’s open. It’s large on the challenger but I just had a sunroof installed in my 2009 ram and it buffets ALOT and it does drive one nuts. I think if the truck had a beefier air dam it wouldn’t buffet as much. Ill need to have a chat with the manufacturer.
I just use my roof as a skylight, bc the buffeting is down right irritating. My WJ barely buffets at all with the roof open, but it has the metal wind deflector.
Funny you should say that, as on my landcruiser when i press the roof open button and glass opens it is very quiet at highway speeds with no buffeting or throbbing noise. HOWEVER, if i press and hold the roof button it opens up about another inch or so and it is a head hurting throb. Assume Toyota had a similar problem and fixed it by adjusting the limit switch slightly on the opening cycle to prevent the throb.
Cheers, Geoff
I agree. I have a 2014 GC and the buffeting sound can be unbearable, unless you crack a side window a bit.
I've never seen a cloth/mesh wind deflector before on a sunroof. Also, I've never had this degree of buffeting. Therefore, I believe the cloth deflector plays a part in the amount of buffeting.
Are there any after-market wind deflectors available? I've owned previous vehicles that have a hard plastic, often tinted, deflector that can be mounted externally that significantly cuts down on the buffeting.
I agree. I have a 2014 GC and the buffeting sound can be unbearable, unless you crack a side window a bit.
I've never seen a cloth/mesh wind deflector before on a sunroof. Also, I've never had this degree of buffeting. Therefore, I believe the cloth deflector plays a part in the amount of buffeting.
Are there any after-market wind deflectors available? I've owned previous vehicles that have a hard plastic, often tinted, deflector that can be mounted externally that significantly cuts down on the buffeting.
I only use the vent feature when the car is parked in the sun, never the full open roof, So I am curious. What is the problem with cracking a side window, if you already have the big hole in the roof open? It seems like a better solution than adding an aftermarket deflector.
I have the pano and it is open almost any clear day over 60F. I rarely have the "helicopter" effect. My informal and unsophisticated observation is that it has a lot to do with wind speed and the direction of the wind relative to your movement. We don't get much wind around here.
Amen! This is going to be my biggest complaint with the '14. The buffeting is ridiculous. I do believe it is the size of the sunroof. Didn't have this issue on my 2011 Durango or 2012 Charger. I have to put at least 2 windows half way down just to bare it. Any day, any time, any speed. Piss poor design problem for the price of a Summit. How can they not catch an issue like this?
It all has to do with the volume and shape of the interior as a closed vessel and the size of the opening at a particular speed. A side window opened just right at a certain speed can buffet. Cracking the front windows about 1 inch and rears about 2 inches gives mine the most quiet sunroof open ride.
My 09 Murano buffeted so bad with the windows up that the percussion made me sick. Literally, it felt like a helicopter hovering directly above me!
Agree that its all about the volume and shape of interior combined with opening. We have a Ford Edge with a Huge Pano (seems like a foot longer, but I'm sure its not) and it only buffets if opened fullest extent. Ford also has a stop about 3-4" short of full opening that requires another push of the button to go full-tilt, so I typically leave it at the first stop so i don't have to lower my rear windows. On cooler days, it makes a difference in comfort level with no jacket on -- unless I have heat blasting. But more so, I like my music and even cracking the rears an inch makes a big difference in noise level when I'm listening to music.
I have to try the inch back trick in my GC so i can keep my windows up.. man, i should really read the manual at some point.
Does anyone know if there is a way to remove the wind screen? I'm looking to install an aftermarket wind deflector / rain guard on the roof but the wind screen pops up too high and is in the way.
I wish we could just find a wind deflector that was tall enough to go over the existing windscreen. I had one on a Nissan Maxima and I never had any noise out of the sunroof.
Not to mention the little screen on the Jeep is going to get gross with bug juice, which I don't want to have happen.
My 2019 GC Limited wind deflector noise is awful. I traded a 2004 GC in and it's deflector made very little noise. I think the 2019 deflector is way too high and as someone else on the forum said who ever heard of putting a cloth fabric as a part of a deflector. I have had 4 Jeeps and 3 Toyotas with sunroofs and none had cloth on the wind deflector, dumb design by Jeep. Toyota wind deflectors NEVER made wind noise like this JEEP GC. As far as closing the sunroof an inch or two after going full open helps some. If the deflector went up half as far the noise drops considerably, try pulling the deflector down while driving the car it really cuts down the noise. Maybe Jeep could retro fit it with a stop to keep the deflector lower ????
We FINALLY got a nice 70 degree day here in the Northeast so I decided to open my sunroof for the drive home. The wind buffeting/throb was unbearable... I had to crack the windows a bit to get it to stop. And by cracking the windows, it just added more wind noise in the cabin.
This is just a rant since there's probably no fix for this, except for opening the window.
I have a 2015 Challenger and no matter what speed I have NEVER had that horrible buffeting. But I just had a sunroof put in my 09 Ram and DAMN that’s irritating.
I think the difference in my case is that the wind dam or what ever you call it That pops up when you open the roof In the Challenger is About 3 inches tall but the one in the Ram is about an inch tall. Luckily for me I drive the Challenger a lot more. Not sure if that is an upgradable thing or not.
Both Chrysler Vehicles I have owned with Sunroofs, the current a 2011 WK2, I had NO problems with buffeting or noise, of course it will make some noise, its an open window.... ....but both OEM Chrysler sunroofs made less noise than any of the side windows being open while moving.....
Both OEM sunroofs had deflector that comes up when the sunroof is retracted, the WK2's sunroof it comes up quite a bit, like 3" and its covered with a fine screen mesh fabric...... ....when I had first got my WK2, that fine screen mesh had some spots in it of dirt caked between the mesh, not enough to make any noise, but it was unsightly so I cleaned it out of the mesh....
If getting noise more than normal, it should be less than an open window on the side, and especially if you're getting buffeting, there is something wrong. First thing I would suspect is that air dam/spoiler that pops up, that is designed to prevent the noise and buffeting.... ....make sure it is come up all the way, make sure it is even, clean and in good shape. (The air dam/spoiler has stops it should be coming up and hitting the stops, if you can lift the air dam/spoiler up farther than it natural rests, I'd suspect something is wrong....
I'm not aware of any kit for adding the OEM sunroof later in the vehicle, this must be an aftermarket sunroof, even if its a Mopar Accessory, they're all aftermarket except for the few items that adds OEM option parts that can be done easily as just a bolt on, even the ones that "seem" like they are just bolting the factory parts on, are often a factory kit that is NOT the original part, the remote start kit is good example of that. And a sunroof is one of the farthest things from just bolting on.... ....so an aftermarket sunroof, especially if its one of those universal aftermarket sunroofs, is not likely to work as seamlessly as an OEM....