I went to put down the front windows to air out my car the other day when I left work and hit the rear windows by accident. OH MY GOD. I was going about 45-50 and my eardrums felt like they were going to break from the back pressure and the car vibrated like it had all tires terribly out of balance. I couldn't stand it for more than 5 seconds. I tried it several times and still the same. Has anyone else noticed this? There is NO WAY you can drive this car with just the rear windows down. Is this normal?

 

I've driven any number of cars that were difficult if not impossible to drive with just the rear windows lowered. I've found that in most 4-door cars it works pretty well to open some or all of the right front window and then the left rear about the same amount.

FWIW, up here in New Hampshire we use A/C maybe two weeks per year, the rest of the spring-summer-fall season is done with the windows at least partially open. Said another way, I have lots of seat time in my Mazda3 with the windows down.

 

hmm i havent noticed anything, imma have to try this on my way to work

 

yeah its pretty bad lol. i thought i blew a tire lol

 

i must be weird then, i just did it on my way to work, aside from some papers flying out i didnt mind it, in fact im pretty sure i did that a good distance when i went to ocean city (2hour ride)

 

Hi, I noticed the same thing on the 2011 model. I test drove a couple Mazda 3 five-doors and I just bought a new Mazdaspeed 3. Both have the same issue. If the back window, especially driver's side, is down while all other windows are up, it will cause what the dealership called "flutter". It was a very beautiful way to say that the car would turn into a massive subwoofer and would rapidly pummel your eardrums with concussive force. It's really impressive. I consider it a feature since I can lock the power window controls and torture annoying passengers with it.

It was not specific just to the Mazda 3 or Mazdaspeed 3, though. I drove a few other 4 or 5-door vehicles which had similar problems, it was just FAR louder in the 3.

 

Most (if not all) four door vehicles will do this. It has to do with the way the air flows over and around the vehicle, with one rear window down it creates negative and then positive pressure (or vise verse). one would think that car manufacturers would find a way around this!!!

 

reason why its louder in the 2011 model because the areodynamics are just subpar @ best

 

Yes it definitely makes noise if only the rears are open. That said I generally drive with the rears open halfway and the moonroof open all the way. That way air comes in the sides and out through the roof pushing out the hotter air and giving me good airflow without pummeling me with high speed air.