I've had my 2006 Mazda6 Sport Wagon about 2 weeks and just had roof rails installed. Now I have a wind noise problem. Not high and whistling, more of a low and rumbling wind noise, increasing in volume and pitch with speed.

Anyone else experience this and have any suggestions on how to fix it? I'm calling the dealer back tomorrow, but don't want to accept any "nothing we can do" excuses.

 

When you add a roof rack to your car, you increase the drag along the roof, creating vortices. This increases wind noise.

You can add a fairing, but then you are also adding on crossbars to accept the fairing (Thule, Yakima, etc.)

I've had many vehicles with and without roofracks (removable). Wind noise increases significantly when you add a roof rack.

If the increased wind noise truly bothers you, you could always drop the headliner down and cover the ceiling in dynamat material.

 

As you indicated, I expected some change in the aerodynamics, and noise, but not THIS much! I can clearly hear it over a blasting heater and radio at normal volume. I can't imagine putting up with this for a few years. I've had several SUVs with roof racks and NEVER heard wind noise from any of them.

I thought about removing the cross-rails, I only need them occasionally, but cannot figure out how they come off. I wasn't given any instructions, so I'll have to head back to the shop. Hopefully, leaving only the side rails will help reduce the noise. As a last resort, I will consider adding soundproofing, but I must say, this change has ruined my enjoyment of the car.

 

Have not seen a 6 sport wagon with the roof rack so am not very familiar with the appearance. Make sure that the crossrails were not accidently installed backwards which would definitely give you some excessive wind noise.

 

I don't believe the rack actually has cross-rails (only one's that run fore-aft down the length of the roof). I have the roofrack kit but haven't had the time to install it yet. I use Thule x-bars and accessories.

 

There are definitely two crossbars. I understand that this roof rack is new this year so maybe the kit you had was a previous model.

Apparently, they are adjustable (can be moved toward the front or back), so the Service Manager is coming over to my office and we are "going for a ride" so he can hear the noise and make adjustment. If this doesn't work, I might see if I can just remove the x-rails.

 

If the cross-rails slide fore-aft, most likely they are removable. You could also slide the front x-bar all the way forward on the rack, put the other x-bar right behind it, and attach a thule/yakima fairing to the stock x-bars. You'd still have more wind noise than with no roof rack.

 

I realise this is a late post on this topic, but I've just noticed it and for anyone else looking, I have found a solution!

I have a Prorack Whispbar on my vehicle and I never hear it, it is truly amazing. Definitely worth checking out this product on http://www.prorack-international.com...ucts/Whispbar/ They say they are the quietest roof racks in the world and you can't help agreeing when you try them out. I've had a number of racks over the years and never had any that come even remotely close in terms of quietness.

 

I just came across this thread about roof rack noise. My husband just got a new 2010 CX-7 and he experienced the noise. It was very upsetting for he liked the way the car looked with the racks. He tried putting vasoline on the rear rack and on the fittings and he drove around at a good speed and the sound was gone. The vasoline gels and when it rained it still stayed on, so no more noise.....

 

I have a yakima bicycle rack and have a wind fairing. You really need this to cut down on noise sepecially if you have a sunroof! I recently removed the fairing and the bars made tons of noise. Most manufacturers make a fairing. I wouldn't suggest the vaseline trick!