gbgary

i had this problem and the dealer fixed it a couple of years ago without replacing the cowl. they "sealed" it and it's been quiet ever since (daily-driver that sits outside in the texas heat and cold on weekdays).

TonyFaub

Yeah, well, my wipers aren't the issue. I'm betting it's the windshield cowl like the rest of you have been talking about, does anyone have any pictures of where I need to "seal" it? I'm thinking some good automotive 2-sided tape will take care of it. Hoping I can get away without removing the wiper arms. The noise varies with the temperature but definitely increases with speed.
Thanks!
-Tony

TKrug007

Can anyone shed some light on what the approx cost of the repair is?

I have the same exact issue but I am out of warranty.

9157

I have the same problem any solution?

exHeavyChevy

i used electrician's tape (black plastic) along the lower edge of the windshield where it meets a piece of molded rubber. this is the piece of material that is making the 'moaning' sound. you want to be able to prevent air from 'lifting' it, creating the noise.

i'm surprised GM hasn't issue a bulletin on this yet.

Nikka

I had the same problem. A member gave a part number for the bottom front windshield cowl.

"Look to see if the black cowl trim is flush against the bottom of the windshield. The cowl trim has a rubber edge that rests agaist the bottom of the windshield. Once the edge lifts, air will flow in between causing this vibration."

Mine was warped in the lower right hand corner. My dealer put it on under warranty and it completely fixed the problem. I paid nothing. I love my local dealer. I have not had a problem since. Hope this helps.

Nikka

exHeavyChevy

Thanks! I'll wait until my warranty is about to run out and then put in for it.

Nikka

I printed this whole thread and brought it in to the Service Manager. He said because so many people had the problem they would warranty it.

TonyFaub

Yeah, me too. Mine's been out of warranty for a year and it just started happening about 2 months ago.

The part number listed on another post refers to a $50 screen on a GM part lookup.

If it's just a little air gap though I don't think it's a big deal, just a design oversight. Now if my powertrain had a ticking time bomb, that would be another story entirely.

Chevy Cust Svc

gbgary,
I'm really sorry to hear your having problems with wind noise. This seems to be a reoccurring issue (as indicated in this thread). I'm going to document this and send it to our design and development team. I'll let you what resolution I receive from them. If you have any further questions, comments or concerns in the meantime please don't hesitate to send me a message.

Chevrolet Customer Service,
Justin

exHeavyChevy

I looked at a beautiful black ZR the other day; brand new. First thing I did was touch the lower rubber cowl molding to see if it was tight! If I were to buy a new machine (which I'm not - dedicated to the one I have) I'd probably order up a couple of spares right from the get-go. Perhaps if I had a ZR, I wouldn't be able to hear anything but the engine anyway, so who cares!

Bottom line: it's a materials engineering issue. IMHO GM needs to upgrade the part for new production and then make it available for those who have a problem with it. (Don't see it as a recall thing.) Happy to see Customer Service is looking at this. Thanks.

TonyFaub

When my wife and I were driving along and experienced the wind vibration noise we both gave each other the, "what the bajeebers is that gawdawful noise coming from the upper dash area!?" look, until we discovered by frantic hands on vibration search that it was coming from outside the car. Looking at the cowl while parked in my 75 degree garage I see that there is no obvious warpage but in a couple of spots the cowl is clearly not seated against the windshield. I have two separate areas with a gap of about 1/8 inch. It would be a serious embarrassment if I give a ride to a friend and this noise happens. Any wisdom you can provide is greatly appreciated. I bought some clear silicone adhesive but I am apprehensive about using it until I see there isn't a better option.
Thanks!
-Tony

TKrug007

Just looked closer at my cowl. Centered over the drivers seat there is about a full 1/4" gap, centered over the passenger's seat there is an 1/8' gap.

Very poor material design if this is occurring as frequently as it appears.

Of course my bumper to bumper expired this past July. Can anyone shed light on the cost of the cowl and replacement. That would be my preferred course of action, however cost may dictate using a silicon sealant.

Thanks.

Jakeross

Ths happened with my first 08. Eventually I found that the cowling had cracked just under the right wiper blade. Fixed under warranty. Black duct tape will fix it till you can get it to the dealer.

Flying24

I'm having the same problem, with the vibrations. Small gaps located in two places where the cowling meets the windshield. Also happen more often when it gets cooler like it is now. I have had this problem going on now for over two years on my 2008. Just got back from a weekend outing and had enough. I have looked several times making sure everything is secured and tight. Took my blower over the car and found the sources of the vibration. Since then put some painter tape over the two gaps and no vibration so far. Now whats my next move?
I'm out of warranty, replace the cowl or use silicone to seal it. Maybe they should have like a small piece of trim like they have on the front edge of the cowl for the hood.
I'm just curious how labor intensive replacing the cowl is? Enjoy

TonyFaub

Don't know about replacing the cowl but I put about a 1/8 bead of clear silicone adhesive under the rubber edge where the cowl meets the windshield. I used a damp micro-fiber cloth to smooth out any oozing and remove any excess, let it cure overnight and this past weekend I drove all over NC from Grandfather Mountain west to the Dragon 129 in TN with no issues. Cost me about $3.

exHeavyChevy

Sounds like a nice trip! It would have been less enjoyable with that humming/moaning sound. I think I'd prefer your solution to a new piece of rubber cowling. So far, I'm good with black electrician's tape.

Street Rat

That was indeed what my problem was. Put the electrical tape on it to check and low and behold...noise gone. Another problem solved by the Corvette Forum!

B-Myster

I've got the same issue and it looks like the cowl that sits up against the windshield has a gap on the passenger and drivers side. Most of the time the top is down so it hasn't been an issue. Mine is out of warranty so I haven't decided how to fix it yet.

I'm wondering if I could use a heat gun and heat up the plastic enough to push it flat against the glass to remove the gaps. I may just try the silicone bead method or black tape instead.

Street Rat

I would suggest the silicone method as the black tape is not a permanent fix. I used the black tape as a temporary fix. I was making sure that the cowl panel was the problem. The tape comes off in humid and high speed conditions. I plan on putting the black silicone on mine today.