NHTSA Complaint #10702299 — 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

WHEN DRIVING ON THE FWY, INTERMITTENTLY DEPENDING ON THE WIND OR HOW THE DOOR WAS SHUT FOR THE RUBBER SEAL TO MAKE A SOLID CONNECTION, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT WIND NOISE THAT BREACHES THE SEAL AND MAKES EXCESSIVE NOISE. THIS IS MOST NOTICEABLE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE AND IS WHERE I MEASURED FOR SOUND LEVELS. THE CLOSER I BRING THE METER TO THE WINDOW BY THE SIDE MIRROR THEN MORE NOISE IS RECORDED. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL, EVEN AT 70MPH. OTHER TIMES, AND OFTEN IT THERE IS A WIND NOISE COMING INTO THE CABIN. WITH TOYOTA'S CLAIM FOR IT BEING SUCH A QUIET CABIN, THIS NOISE IS NOT RIGHT. I TEST DROVE WITH THE TECH MANAGER AT MY DEALER AND HE TOO NOTED THE PROBLEM. HE ORDERED A NEW DOOR SEAL. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR SEAL, AND I DIDN'T HAVE IT INSTALLED. HOWEVER THERE WAS A WINDOW FRAME BLACK PLASTIC PANEL THAT WASN'T PROPERLY SEATED, AND THIS WAS REPLACED. NOT SURE IF IT FIXED THE PROBLEM, AS ITS TOO EARLY TO TELL. THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF REPORT FROM OTHER OWNERS ONLINE WITH THIS ISSUE. SO FAR I KNOW OF ONE OWNER WHO RETURNED THE CAR DUE TO THIS EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE. *TR