Where the hiss comes from—and how to fix it in 10 minutes
Long trips wear you down when wind sneaks past the door jambs. The cure is cheap and effective: add a thin auxiliary seal and prep the surface properly. Turbulence plus tiny seal gaps create leaks, which is why the SAE wind-noise sealing research keeps showing gains when the seal line is cleaned up. Before you stick anything, clean with the 3M IPA-and-water surface prep and apply firm, even pressure; stretched foam won’t lie flat and will peel sooner. To sanity-check results, use a phone meter and keep your test repeatable—the method in Consumer Reports’ noise testing makes A/B comparisons easy.
What you’re looking at: a compact table that shows the best seal path, the “no-go” areas (drains and latch paths), and a simple after-install check so you don’t trap water.
Install in one continuous run. Close each door firmly and take a short highway loop. If a span still hisses, lift that section and reseat—don’t double-stack foam. Expect a “volume 10 to 8” change: not magic, but enough to make podcasts clearer and conversation easier.
My Verdict
You want calmer miles without tearing the car apart. Spend twenty-five bucks, prep like a pro, and grab a real cut in wind hiss with a single pass.
