Road noise from passenger side door

[Pajamarama]

Something I have noticed while driving (and being driven in) my recently purchased 1997 Honda Accord wagon: there seems to be a lot of road noise coming through the front passenger side door.

The driver's side is fine, as are both seats in the back. However, when sitting on the passenger side it sounds like the door isn't completely closed or the window is rolled down a bit even when it isn't. I have checked the rubber seals around the door and they seem fine. Any thoughts on what might be the issue?

 

[jsnyder49090]

Could be someone worked on it and didnt replace the plastic that is used to seal it.Could be many things is it rusted ? Speaker hole anything really just have to get in there and check it out.

 

[Pajamarama]

Originally Posted By: jsnyder49090
Could be someone worked on it and didnt replace the plastic that is used to seal it.Could be many things is it rusted ? Speaker hole anything really just have to get in there and check it out.


Thanks for the reply. What do you mean by "plastic that is used to seal it"? Is this separate from the rubber gasket/tubing that is around the edge of the door? Where can I find this plastic?

 

[01rangerxl]

If all the weatherstripping is good and the window felt is good, it's likely inside the door. There is probably at least a plastic vapor barrier of some kind and a sheet of insulation between the door panel and the inner door skin. If the adhesive has become weak and it has fallen down, or if it has deteriorated somehow, you might hear more road noise.

Also, are you sure the window is going all the way up in the channel and making a good seal?

 

[Pajamarama]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
If all the weatherstripping is good and the window felt is good, it's likely inside the door. There is probably at least a plastic vapor barrier of some kind and a sheet of insulation between the door panel and the inner door skin. If the adhesive has become weak and it has fallen down, or if it has deteriorated somehow, you might hear more road noise.

Also, are you sure the window is going all the way up in the channel and making a good seal?


Yeah, I'm pretty sure about the window. Spent a lot of time looking at it to see if it was the problem. Originally when I got the car the window had a lot of trouble going up due to hardened rubber in the channel. I sprayed it with silicone spray and now it goes up and down with no problem.

Guess this means I'm going to have to take the door apart. Oh well. I'll have to find a good YouTube video to learn how to do it.

 

[yonyon]

The two likely problems would be either the plastic sheet behind the interior trim panel (should only make it slightly ouder) or an excessive air gap. If you haven't been able to see any cause for an excessive air gap here are a couple of suggestions:

-Mark the weather stripping with gear marking compound all the way around. Close the door as gently as you can. Open it and then examine.

-You'll want the HVAC set so the fresh air door is closed. Fill the car with smoke while you're outside it looking for where the smoke comes out. Smoke machines for checking fuel vapor leaks or for theatrical use make a lot of smoke quickly but probably aren't readily available. A couple of neighborhood kids with an extra long dutchie would be easy to find but illegal. A nice big dinner plate on the floor with a piece of foam sitting in the middle holding a dozen incense sticks would probably work just fine.

 

[oilmaven]

I can guarantee that you won't find any sound insulation in that door if you take off the door panel. I completely gutted my 1996 Accord sedan and added sound deadener to the floor, doors and any cavities I could find. There is nothing behind the door panels except the flimsy plastic "splash shield" held on by a strip of rubbery adhesive. The only sound deadener in the car was a pathetic layer of jute backing glued to the underside of the carpet (and that was only on the floor sections). After the sound deadening project (took 2 weeks because I'm old...used to do it over a weekend but I didn't take breaks every 20 minutes either) the car is limo quiet. Getting the console/shifter/stereo out and reinstalled was the worst of it. Hondas are great cars but aren't known for their quietness...now I know why. Regarding your issue, I'd put money on a bad door gasket.

 

[yonyon]

Where I typed "Mark the weatherstripping" I meant "Coat the weatherstripping" as the door will do the marking.

 

[Vikas]

Even better, use the ShinEtsu grease to coat the weatherstripping. This might actually fix the road noise! Order online or pick up from the Honda dealer. That is best material for that particular use, bar none.

 

[bigmike]

Shen Etsu grease is really good stuff. A tube will clearly last you several lifetimes. I plan to pass it down to my grandchildren one day.

 

[CBR.worm]

Make sure the rubber window trim is pushed fully up into the back corner. Somtimes when they start to drag the window will pull the seal down just a little bit and cause a lot of wind noise.

 

[LeakySeals]

Sometimes a bad seal from a replacement front windshield can do that. The sound echos off the door glass.

 

[mechtech2]

A possible solution is to adjust the door striker so the door seats tighter.
It's just a few minutes work, but mark the original location with tape or a marker.

 

[antiqueshell]

I also have this generation of Accord and I also think that the road noise is louder than it should be. Very interested to hear what the OP finds. I'm guessing that the vapor barrier is loose.

 

[Pajamarama]

3 week update: I did a little more looking around on my car and I think the answer is embarrassingly simple. When the passenger side doors are closed (both front and rear) there is around a 1/4 inch gap between the top edge of the rubber door seal (not exactly sure what this is called) and the car body. The close up pics below illustrate this pretty well. In fact, you can see some rust patches starting -- no doubt from the rain water that has seeped in.

Obviously the doors need to be adjusted so there is no more gap when closed. Is this an easy thing I can do myself (somehow) or will I need to take it in to a mechanic or body shop? Any and all advice on this is welcome!

 

[chrome]

Did you own the car from new? From the photos, it looks like there has been some structural repairs to that side of the car? Has the car been involved in a side collision at some point?

 

[Pajamarama]

No I have only owned it a few months. Yes it did have some collision damage on that side.