Current and Previous gen owners - how bad is the road noise?

[ATreiDes]

Originally Posted by Robotaz

The vibrating metallic sound. To me it’s like a slight howl and not at all “road noise” you get with rubber on asphalt.

I have a GR86 I’m struggling with. I bought it Friday and switched the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires to the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S hoping for a difference yesterday and nothing.

I’m getting a strange resonating howling sound I’ve never heard before. People are saying it’s tires, but I’m convinced it is resonating noise traveling through various metal components and concentrating in random areas where the frequencies are super positioning. My next step is to have a dealer confirm other cars do it and start sound deadening. I seriously doubt the whole car needs it. I’m starting with the easiest areas to hit in the front area and going from there. My noise seems to come from the front driver area. I’m starting there. Absorbing noise in some random metallic surfaces may just stop it. We shall see.

Sounds like I have finally found someone that is hearing the same thing I am. You are the first to describe it like I hear it. Switching to the DWS 06's is my last resort. If that does not fix it, then to me, it is an inherent flaw to the car that I will not be able to deal with and will have to sell the car. Such a shame too, as everything else is perfect about it. The normal road noise does not bug me in the least bit, just that damn metallic howling sound because it is so unnatural.

[ATreiDes]

Originally Posted by Flarpswitch

All this talk about noise, but are all these observations made with the 'fake engine sound' functional or with it either turned off or unplugged? There is no real-time driver control for on/off or volume level. You are held hostage to whatever sound it makes. What if the sound creator module goes haywire? What about the droning sound that gets blamed on tires and other sources? Could the sound from the sound creator combine with other vehicle sounds? The effect could be magnified sound when certain frequencies are in synch and diminished when out of phase. The most annoying sounds will occur when the frequency of two or more sources are off by just a few Hz and create beat frequencies. I once had a phantom noise that was created by exhaust system heat shielding that had become detached in some places and there were loose connections between two joined sections. The damned thing would not rattle, but they had a tuning fork sort of effect picking up vibrations from the not-so-perfect balance of the multi-section drive shaft. Replacing all the pop rivets and bending the sheet metal back in shape (deformed by running over a raccoon). The ghosts disappeared after repairs. The point is that some noise may be originating in places you might not think of.

Nope, turned mine off by unplugging it right after I got the car. I only wished that were the issue...

[Robotaz]

Originally Posted by ATreiDes

Sounds like I have finally found someone that is hearing the same thing I am. You are the first to describe it like I hear it. Switching to the DWS 06's is my last resort. If that does not fix it, then to me, it is an inherent flaw to the car that I will not be able to deal with and will have to sell the car. Such a shame too, as everything else is perfect about it. The normal road noise does not bug me in the least bit, just that damn metallic howling sound because it is so unnatural.

If you look at the TRD Japan GR86 accessories page, there are dampers that replace the strut braces in the engine bay. The description says it reduces noise. I wonder if the braces are directly transmitting resonant noise from the strut towers, and whether these dampers address a known issue.

https://www.trdparts.jp/english/prod...unctional.html

[LRNAD90]

Originally Posted by Robotaz

If you look at the TRD Japan GR86 accessories page, there are dampers that replace the strut braces in the engine bay. The description says it reduces noise. I wonder if the braces are directly transmitting resonant noise from the strut towers, and whether these dampers address a known issue.

https://www.trdparts.jp/english/prod...unctional.html

Going to assume these are just TRD's version of the STI part?

https://subimods.com/products/subaru...gn=sag_organic

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22441

[autosenses]

Originally Posted by Robotaz

I did deactivate the piped in sound and it has nothing to do with what I’m hearing. It’s a metallic whirring sound like you might hear in a factory, and I think I’ve figured out enough to stop it, but we shall see.

I'm curious to see what you think. Sound and vibration are subjective and tolerance is different with everyone. My STI had this metal/tinny sound your describing. I put sound deadening in rear trunk, especially in the rear quarter panels and around the spare tire area. That helped ALOT.

I will not be putting sound deadening in my GR. But I'm curious about the road noise..I have a 1hour 20min drive to 2 Tracks from me.

[ATreiDes]

Originally Posted by Robotaz

If you look at the TRD Japan GR86 accessories page, there are dampers that replace the strut braces in the engine bay. The description says it reduces noise. I wonder if the braces are directly transmitting resonant noise from the strut towers, and whether these dampers address a known issue.

https://www.trdparts.jp/english/prod...unctional.html

Considering that most of the noise happens when I can feel vibration coming through the steering wheel and pedals, as well as when going over minor cracks / bumps in the road and gravel, this could be a distinct possibility. I wish there was a way of testing it first without forking over the cash to see if it works.

Thanks for pointing those out!

[dsc_pat]

Well just removing the OE bars is a 0$, 5min test you can do. Your wish is my command.

[dragoontwo]

Or you can get the Subaru flexible v-bars for an '18 tS for way less than importing them. Not sure if it will change the noise though. I think you're too far from me to locally test.

[drift86]

I noticed a blow off valve style pshhhh sound if I accelerate hard and lift off sharply at just over 5000rpm (I'm still running it in, so haven't reved higher yet).

Anyone else notice that? Pretty strange sound for a NA car!

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by drift86

I noticed a blow off valve style pshhhh sound if I accelerate hard and lift off sharply at just over 5000rpm (I'm still running it in, so haven't reved higher yet).

Anyone else notice that? Pretty strange sound for a NA car!

Yea the old one did that too, high speed air whistling past the suddenly almost-shut TB maybe?

[joemysterio]

So I've been driving a bit more the last few days. Road noise is totally fine on the streets but ridiculously loud on the highway, even with music playing. Oh well, I knew what I was getting into. Still fun as hell driving the BRZ!

[Interceptor777]

Originally Posted by LRNAD90

Going to assume these are just TRD's version of the STI part?

https://subimods.com/products/subaru...gn=sag_organic

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22441

Not at all. The GR part is a damper whereas the STI part is not.

[22 BRZ]

Originally Posted by drift86

I noticed a blow off valve style pshhhh sound if I accelerate hard and lift off sharply at just over 5000rpm (I'm still running it in, so haven't reved higher yet).

Anyone else notice that? Pretty strange sound for a NA car!

Yeah threw me a bit the first time I heard that noise.

[Robotaz]

Originally Posted by ATreiDes

Considering that most of the noise happens when I can feel vibration coming through the steering wheel and pedals, as well as when going over minor cracks / bumps in the road and gravel, this could be a distinct possibility. I wish there was a way of testing it first without forking over the cash to see if it works.

Thanks for pointing those out!

I can hear the noise driving on gravel at 2 mph. I was backing out of a parking spot on compressed gravel and heard it. I seriously don’t know what it is, but it’s weird.