You know that helicopter sound that happens when you’re on the freeway with a window down? It’s called wind buffeting and getting rid of it is simple.
Is Wind Buffeting Bad For My Vehicle?
Updated on Apr. 30, 2025
Ever roll down a window and hear an annoying thumping or helicopter-type noise? That is wind buffeting.
“It’s that whoop-whoop-whoop sound that turns a pleasant drive into an air-pressure torture chamber,” says dealership manager Kevin Oliff. “It’s common in modern cars, especially when driving with one window down at high speeds, which creates a pulsing pressure inside the cabin.”
It can also happen when you attach aftermarket parts to the outside of a car, such as a cargo rack, which changes your vehicle’s aerodynamics. Items like bicycle racks, in particular, can also add an incessant whistling sound.
But, there are a few easy solutions to this irritating problem. Here’s what causes wind buffeting and how to fix it.
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What is Wind Buffeting?
It happens in almost all vehicles. Wind buffeting occurs when you roll down a window while driving, usually at highway speeds. The throbbing, helicopter-like sound is the outside air passing over and interacting with the contained air inside the vehicle.
When the two air masses collide, they compress and decompress repeatedly. This produces the throbbing effect. It can be as loud as a commercial aircraft.
Many variables contribute to the effect: car shape and size, how far you lower windows down and your speed. The effect can happen when any single window is down, including the sunroof.
The helicopter sound is more pronounced when a rear window is down. This is because the side mirrors are designed to direct air flow away from the front windows. Lowering a rear window amplifies the effect.
Wind Buffeting Is Worse on Newer Cars
Why? Because cars are so aerodynamic, wind passes over them extremely efficiently. When a window opens, the air flow is disrupted, magnifying the buffeting effect. Older vehicles were designed less efficiently and air leaked from their insides. The leaking air relieves the pressure caused by wind buffeting, reducing the effect.
How Do You Stop Wind Buffeting?
Simple: Open another window. That way the pressure inside the vehicle stabilizes and the buffeting stops, or at least minimizes.
Some vehicles have plastic deflectors at the front edge of side windows. They help direct wind out and away from the vehicle. Vehicles with sunroofs may have these deflectors to direct wind flow up and away from the cabin. Aftermarket roof racks can also contribute to wind buffeting. Pick up a wind fairing to reduce it.
FAQ
Can I avoid wind buffeting by driving slower?
Yes. Driving at lower speeds, and especially under 50 mph, can reduce the pressure differential that causes buffeting. “However, the easy way to fix it is just to crack another window to balance the airflow,” says Oliff.
Are there any specific vehicles more prone to wind buffeting?
Coupes, SUVs and cars with frameless windows or sunroofs can be more susceptible due to their cabin geometry and airflow patterns, says Oliff. Also, cars with aftermarket roof racks and other accessories tend to be prone to it.
Also, keep in mind, “When a car is more aerodynamic, like most these days, the air is flowing fast across the car so it is less effected by external buffeting, but that can also make internal buffeting worse,” says master certified technician Chris “Moose” Pyle.
About the Experts
- Kevin Oliff is the general manager at AutoNation BMW Buena Park in California and has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive field.
- Chris “Moose” Pyle is a master-certified technician with 20-plus years of automotive experience. He has also worked as an expert for JustAnswer since 2006, where he answers hundreds of car maintenance and repair questions a day.
