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Air leak / bad seal somewhere?

12K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  OneFordFan 
#1 ·
Picked up a 1 year old 9k mile Transit 350 XLT passenger van last week and over the weekend discovered something quite annoying. You know that pulsating sound you get when 1 window is open in a normal car at 30+ mph? I get that in the Transit.

Is that normal? Has anybody ever tried to diagnose the problem or locate where the air leak is? It's driving the whole family nuts.
 
#4 ·
This is a known problem. There is a post covering it, search vibration humming noise.

My van has the problem. No dealer has been able to correct it. It sounds like a sub-woofer. It is less annoying now than it has been before. I can't explain why.
 
#5 ·
Skimmed the thread, but not the problem I'm having. This isn't engine noise. This is rapid fluctuation in air pressure that results from the cabin not being sealed. Under 30 mph, it is non-existent. Above that, the moving air outside the van creates negative pressure inside the cab kicking off a cycle of air pressure oscillation that's **** on your eardrums.

Taking the van in for something else today - I'll mention it and see if they can do anything about it.
 
#9 ·
I'll look for these when I get the chance. I didn't know these existed!

If it just does it when the window or windows are open, it's just an environmental effect that varies with vehicle speed and the outside wind conditions. At least that's been my experience with most of the vehicles that I have had over the years.
My problem is that this is happening with all windows closed.
 
#8 ·
If it just does it when the window or windows are open, it's just an environmental effect that varies with vehicle speed and the outside wind conditions. At least that's been my experience with most of the vehicles that I have had over the years.
 
#10 ·
Sorry but when I saw the words open windows I just assumed that was when you were experiencing the sound. The only other thing I can think of that would make a similar sound is a tire that has blistered the sidewall.
 
#13 ·
My 2012 Expedition has the wind buffeting with any one window down. My 2016 Transit MR cargo van only has wind noise with either window wide open or both open fully. I just adjust them to about 1/4 down and noise is not a problem above 30 mph. I have noticed that the rubber seal at the bottom of the rear right hand door has come loose and is a source for aiar movement. I will be resealing it. Only have 7500 miles on mine.
 
#14 ·
Dealership "couldn't hear" the noise, so they asked me to come take the tech on a test drive. It's more of a "feel it in your eardrums" problem than a "hearing it" problem. The tech they sent me out with couldn't hear it either, even though I could quite easily. It's not as bad as a window being open in a large vehicle, I'll give him that, but he should have heard it. Needless to say, they're not even going to attempt to fix it, so I'm on my own apparently. I'll open it up this weekend when I have more time.
 
#15 ·
I have the same problem and my dealer used the same excuse, they cant hear it...
But now that I've read this thread it brings back a memory of cleaning a lot of dust from the inside rear driver door after a lot of dirt road driving. It made me think the seal was not tight against the door. I never thought it could also be the noise problem. I wonder how to check the gap?
 
#16 ·
...brings back a memory of cleaning a lot of dust from the inside rear driver door after a lot of dirt road driving. It made me think the seal was not tight against the door. I never thought it could also be the noise problem. I wonder how to check the gap?
I've noticed that I have a gap in the right rear door seal, too, near/above the latch. I noticed it partly because my van was darkened inside, with the back windows blocked with Reflecitx. The sun was shining brightly toward the back door. From inside, I noticed a slit of light down there. I can see on the door seal, that there's been some passage of road dust. Haven't tried, yet, to adjust the latch depth.
 
#17 ·
Mine has an air gap along the bottom of one of the 60/40 doors. I noticed it the same as EddieZ, just happened to look and I could see sun shining through there.

Since most of the seal fits properly I will probably just put something under in that area to attain a solid seal.
 
#19 ·
Yeah good call. I plan to find something to fit in there. I owe the trick to Ed China from the show Wheeler Dealers. He is my idol.

He fixed a leak in an Aston Martin using the same trick.
 
#21 · (Edited)
My 2015 Ram does the same thing, I found out quite by accident while driving down the road and unknowing to me I had left the rear windows down and after reaching highway speeds it sounded like the transmission had locked up, I quickly pulled over and noticed the windows were open. Not sure why it does this. I have not driven my new Transit enough to know if it does the same thing.
 
#24 ·
If you are feeling it in your ears more than hearing it, it is most certainly a pressure build up and drop off.

I'm sure many of us have felt a drop in pressure on the highway when you lower a window with the fan on inside the car. It feels like a vacuum.

That's due to the shape of the vehicle make a low pressure as the air flows around the car. Your fan raises the air pressure.

The difference you feel could be half a psi change. I worked on pressured airplanes with leaks. We would pressurize them inside with about half a psi to maybe 1 psi. Then go around outside with soapy water. The leaking air would make bubbles.

SO here is what may work on your van. Close all the doors and windows, put the fan on 4. Using outside air.

Go all around your doors with a mix of soapy water in a spray bottle. See if some air is escaping. It will bubble.

Otherwise one door at a time grease up the door seals and go for a drive. You have to do it one door at a time to figure out which seal is bad.
 
#28 ·
Hello, I know this thread is a little old but I wanted to see if anyone found out anymore details on this. I just picked up a Transit Wagon 350 LR over the weekend and heard/felt the pulsating pressure when driving 70+ mph. I did not notice it under 70mph.
 
#31 ·
Yes, with all windows up (none of the rear windows even open in my wagon). I checked multiple times.
 
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