So my friend has a PSM 02 WRX w/ VF34, bigger pump, injectors, TXS Hyperflow V2 intercooler, the whole works. Anyways, (do not try this, was done in a closed course area) when the car gets up to really high speeds, around 150mph-160mph to be exact, the car is still running strong and very stable, but there starts to be a loud sound coming from the passenger side of the engine bay. What is this noise? Is this the turbo overspooling or something?

any1?

Are you sure its from the engine bay? The mirrors will make a high pitch noise at speeds like that also.

I own a '04 STi and have noticed the same thing several times. It sounds like a horn. I looked under my hood, and there is a horn near the firewall on the passenger side. Some people claim the noise is from wind, others from a horn. In fact I do believe in another thread there was a double dog dare to unplug the horn and see what happens. I called my local dealership and they claim the horn is for the upgraded security system. However, I have tested every noise my upgraded security system makes, and no noise comes from that horn. I am not ruling out wind noise, but I am pretty sure that this horn goes off to let you know that Subaru thinks you are going too fast.

Check this thread for more info on what other people have to say.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269460

Chris

I own a '04 STi and have noticed the same thing several times. It sounds like a horn. I looked under my hood, and there is a horn near the firewall on the passenger side. Some people claim the noise is from wind, others from a horn. In fact I do believe in another thread there was a double dog dare to unplug the horn and see what happens. I called my local dealership and they claim the horn is for the upgraded security system. However, I have tested every noise my upgraded security system makes, and no noise comes from that horn. I am not ruling out wind noise, but I am pretty sure that this horn goes off to let you know that Subaru thinks you are going too fast.

Check this thread for more info on what other people have to say.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269460

Chris
:rolleyes:

Yeah, I'm sure Subaru spent time and money programming the ECU to trigger a horn that's clearly for the security system (I don't have that horn under my hood, and I don't have the securty system) to also go off when you hit a speed that the stock car can't even get to. Never mind that you'd never hear a horn that's pointing away from the driver while going 150mph... on the freeway at 80mph I can't even hear my Hella Supertones!

If Subaru wanted to warn drivers that they were traveling too fast, they'd put a chime in the cockpit, like every other car that's got an over-speed warning.

The noise is wind noise... if not from the mirrors, then from some other source. WRXes aren't tested at 150mph for noise.

Anyway, I guess my post reads kinda harsh... no insult intended. I just find it comical that people will get all wrapped up in some "Subaru doesn't want you to drive fast so they put a hidden fog-horn in the car" conspiracy theory. :lol:

No offense taken. I can understand where you are coming from. I do not think of it as a conspiracy, even though it may sound like it. It is just annoying that there is a sound at high speeds. I guess a loud stereo can fix that. The horn near the firewall puzzles me a bit and I was speculating that it might go off at high speeds. I did notice that the horn seems to be wired directly into the ECU. You are right in the fact that Subaru would put a warning indicator in the cockpit of the car and not under the hood if they wanted to have a warning indicator. To put it under the hood wouldn't make sense, but sometimes car companies do some dumb things. Another good point is that freeways are not for going 150 mph, so it shouldn't be something too many people need to worry about.

I have seen a video with this phenomenon I have it downloaded.
The filename is "vkd_8200rpm_ringspecial02_imprezawrx.wmv"
I don't feel like finding the link but it should be on www.8200rpm.com
Great video by the way!

Edit: found it, go halfway down, its called "subaru imprezza ringspecial"

http://www.8200rpm.com/index.php?p=1&t=3&lang=nl

Yep that sure sounded like a horn to me

my car did it before i added the security system. its not the horn. its wind noise. mine kicks in at about 135mph. its either the mirror or window seal.

my car did it before i added the security system. its not the horn. its wind noise. mine kicks in at about 135mph. its either the mirror or window seal.

yeah I found it to be the window seal in my case. I had my friend push on the window at 120 and the noise would always go away...ease up on the window and it came back...push and noise would go away. you get the picture.

I get this noise too at 140. I don't think it is the mirrors because it comes from the right rear. I don't think it is a horn because it doesn't sound like the Subaru horn. This is a NEW noise that started recently and I have never heard before when driving at this speed. It is a loud harmonic humming/vibration coming from the back of the right side of the car. I have done many track days at these speeds and never heard it before so I don't think it has anything to do with the aerodynamics of the car unless the colder weather has something to do with it.

Could something in the drivetrain/suspension need repair?

Thanks.

I had a saturn that sounded exactly like the horn was blowing when I got it up around 70MPH, with a slight crosswind. I swore it was the horn, or maybe a plastic body panel vibration. It turns out the factory released a service bulletin to address the problem. Replace the antenna mast with a new design, it caused a severe vibration. problem fixed. I know I don't have an external antenna on mt 04' WRX, but wind noises can be almost impossible to isolate.

I called my local dealership and they claim the horn is for the upgraded security system. However, I have tested every noise my upgraded security system makes, and no noise comes from that horn.
Chris

Holy kamoley, this is the funniest thing I've read in a while...I'm sure the dealership got a kick out of it too.

Yes, that horn is for your "security system upgrade"...I installed mine, new out of the box, and it comes with the horn & mounting bracket (the wire/plug is just hanging loose there, waiting for you to install it).

If you think you've tested every noise your security system makes, try this one, with a friend: open the hood, and get your head down close, right next to the mystery horn. Lock your doors, with a window open, with your remote. Have your friend reach in thru the window and open a door. Report back on whether you still feel that no noise comes from that horn. You do have permission to change your shorts prior to posting.

For on-topic content, there are a lot of posts that attribute this noise to the mirrors. Some have reported good results from applying black electrical tape to the flex-junction of the mirrors.

Awesome website. Yeah, that horn is part of your security system upgrade. It only sounds when the alarm is going off, not on Panic feature and not when you click three times to beep the horn and blink the lights. It barely does anything. I was thinking of replacing mine with something louder.

It's gotta be wind noise.

This noise is the mirror resonating from the air going by, fold the mirrors and it goes away. Try it, I have doen this. Problem solved.......

I have seen a video with this phenomenon I have it downloaded.
The filename is "vkd_8200rpm_ringspecial02_imprezawrx.wmv"
I don't feel like finding the link but it should be on www.8200rpm.com
Great video by the way!

Edit: found it, go halfway down, its called "subaru imprezza ringspecial"

http://www.8200rpm.com/index.php?p=1&t=3&lang=nl

:lol: yep! Heard that sound on my old WRX before.

In the video, you'll notice the sound around 3:30 or so into the vid.

that also happens to me at around 140mph....i think i'm leaning more to the "wind noise is causing the sound opinion..." :eek:

wow, i remmeber being in a wrx when that happened, just wrote it off as ground noise. =P
Thought maybe roads were made that way to keep ppl from speeding. hahaha. (a top secret road technology to create extra noise at and above certain speeds) =)

I get this noise too at 140. I don't think it is the mirrors because it comes from the right rear. I don't think it is a horn because it doesn't sound like the Subaru horn. This is a NEW noise that started recently and I have never heard before when driving at this speed. It is a loud harmonic humming/vibration coming from the back of the right side of the car. I have done many track days at these speeds and never heard it before so I don't think it has anything to do with the aerodynamics of the car unless the colder weather has something to do with it.

Could something in the drivetrain/suspension need repair?

Thanks.


I get this same noise from the right rear at aboutr 120+ mph. I have no clue what it is, but it does not sound good. It is a very high pitched screatching/squealing noise. It comes on very rapidly and immediatley disappears when I lift off the throttle. Any ideas?

these cars ain't the most aerodynamic ya know.