Wind noises due to poor insulation of cabin? - Ford Forums

karenoden · 02-01-2006, 08:31

I bought an F-150 XLT, 5.4 l, V8 in September of 2004. I have 32,800 miles on now. The thing that really annoys me is the wind noise I get in when driving at speeds 65 m/ph or higher. It's not around the windows. Seems to come from somewhere right hand corner, above or below dashboard. It gets even worse when its windy outside. I am not a mechanic but I think maybe has to do with some insulation around the driver's cabin not being up to par? Passengers are commenting on it too, trying to touch dashboard, roll windows up and down, touch every part of dashboard, door, thinking it's maybe some plastic vibrating. It's not.
Does anyone else experience something like this or has any idea where this noise could be coming from? I drove a Ranger XLT before the F-150 and before that one an F-350 and never experienced anything like this.

miesk5 · 02-03-2006, 16:13

Probably the ws gasket;
but there is TSB for 2004 F 150 5.4 on "HOOD FLUTTER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS" - info is about HOOD MOVENENT AT BACK OF HOOD (NEAR WS) caused by high air turbelence at highway speeds.
TSB # is 04-18-8

Do you have a 2004?
No other TSBs on your prob. for 2004 or 2003

redneckf150 · 02-13-2006, 18:54

I'm not familliar with any particular situation that deals with this, but try this: 1) When it's dark outside, or in a garage with the lights out have someone shine a bright light from the underside and around the door (shut), while you look to see if you can see the light coming in. 2) (if that doesn't work) use a source of smoke from the outside to see where it might come in...DO NOT USE FIRE!...maybe a candle blown out repeatedly or something...maybe something smoldering. I can't express the amount of care that must be taken...you do have fuel lines under the truck! I would use a bucket of moistened pine straw where I live, but I don't know what's available to you. They also have a "sniffer" bottle at most home-centers or hardware stores. They are used to check for drafts around windows, doors, electrical outlets, etc...It contains a VERY fine powder that will "float" in the air, that is drawn to moving air currents. Because of the moving air current thing, you may have to turn the A/C on high, and watch for it blowing the powder AWAY from the truck in a particular spot.

Good luck on finding it...these are the types of things that can be the hardest to diagnose. I still have a "jingling" noise in my '99 f150 that no mechanic shop or home mechanic has been able to find. I heard it driving off the lot when it was new, and I hear it every time I drive it...thank God for a loud stereo!

Be careful!