Getting Strong Wind Gusts Underneath Vehicle

Hello all,

Currently when I'm driving at any speed above 75mph I am getting what appears to be significant gusts of air underneath my vehicle. Although when driving it, the sound appears to be coming from the passenger side wheel well, passengers (including a Mazda service tech) have also heard it from the driver side. The gusts actually are strong enough that it causes a rumble and tends to push the car around. This was not happening when I first owned the vehicle. I was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar and if they found a resolution. Thanks for you help!

2006 Mazda6i Sport

[Business]

Well, the solution is the most obvious: drop that summabitch.

I've noticed the car feels a lot better at highway speeds after I lowered it. And looked better. And handled better. And made those pancakes the way I've always wanted them.

[MZBuckeye]

I've actually noticed that too, ever since I've owned the car. I can feel it in the gearshift and the e-brake handle. I think it's just kinda how it is, definitely unusual though.

[nikstein]

Hello all,

Currently when I'm driving at any speed above 75mph I am getting what appears to be significant gusts of air underneath my vehicle. Although when driving it, the sound appears to be coming from the passenger side wheel well, passengers (including a Mazda service tech) have also heard it from the driver side. The gusts actually are strong enough that it causes a rumble and tends to push the car around. This was not happening when I first owned the vehicle. I was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar and if they found a resolution. Thanks for you help!

2006 Mazda6i Sport[/b]

Not positive if this is what either of you are talking about but I had a "gust" problem with my '05. Never pushed the car around but that could be mental. Seemed to kick in around 55mph to 60mph and higher. Made a rattling sound underneath the passenger seat. Sounded like wind was trying to blow the body apart. Took it to the dealership a couple times and they never figured it out. Big problem is that, at least for me, it didn't happend when there was weight in the passenger seat making it impossible to trouble shoot while driving.

If that is in fact the same issue you are having. Stick your head under the car. About midspan maybe right behind the passenger seat there is a shroud (for lack of knowing what it's actually called) between the exhaust and the unibody (also not sure if thats what its called). There is a seam there for some reason that is stapled together. Some genius at mazda decided that the two sections should be put together contrary to logic so if it even gets a little loose wind/water/etc continues to seperate them causing the gust/rattle. I just bent mine with some pliers since i didn't have a stapler. I also shoved a small piece of foam between the two sections but I'm not sure how good of an idea that is since its next to a heat source.

Hopefully that is the same problem you're having because it's one of those super annoying things that's easy to fix.

That was actually when I quit taking it to the dealership. Tell the guy it sounds like light guage sheetmetal rattling against light gauge sheet metal....and he can't find it on a lift when it took 2 seconds to find and 10 seconds to fix once I actually stuck my head under the car.

[Cloudflare7]

? that sounds mildly dangerous....but i can't believe so many people have this problem....i have the 04 and ive pushed it MANY times to 100+ w/ absolutely no "gusting" under the car........in mine you can actually feel the wind hunkering down the car....pushing down on the shocks....
but GL with that, sounds dangerous man...

[nikstein]

Not positive if this is what either of you are talking about but I had a "gust" problem with my '05. Never pushed the car around but that could be mental. Seemed to kick in around 55mph to 60mph and higher. Made a rattling sound underneath the passenger seat. Sounded like wind was trying to blow the body apart. Took it to the dealership a couple times and they never figured it out. Big problem is that, at least for me, it didn't happend when there was weight in the passenger seat making it impossible to trouble shoot while driving.

If that is in fact the same issue you are having. Stick your head under the car. About midspan maybe right behind the passenger seat there is a shroud (for lack of knowing what it's actually called) between the exhaust and the unibody (also not sure if thats what its called). There is a seam there for some reason that is stapled together. Some genius at mazda decided that the two sections should be put together contrary to logic so if it even gets a little loose wind/water/etc continues to seperate them causing the gust/rattle. I just bent mine with some pliers since i didn't have a stapler. I also shoved a small piece of foam between the two sections but I'm not sure how good of an idea that is since its next to a heat source.

Hopefully that is the same problem you're having because it's one of those super annoying things that's easy to fix.

That was actually when I quit taking it to the dealership. Tell the guy it sounds like light guage sheetmetal rattling against light gauge sheet metal....and he can't find it on a lift when it took 2 seconds to find and 10 seconds to fix once I actually stuck my head under the car.[/b]

Was late and my memory isn't what it used to be. It's not actually the shroud rattling on itself, theres a bolt sticking out of the body at that seam that the shroud taps on causing it. Ben the shroud out from the bolt to allow clearance. Sorry about the misinformation.

[6gt]

time for a drop.