2002 Bounder whistles

[Vicki_in_WA]

Hi, new to the club! Hey, we have a 2002 Fleetood Bounder that whistles up by the driver's area near the windshield when going 45 mph or more. Hubby has checked a lot of different things to no avail. I seems like it is coming from the top left outside of the motorhome near the windshield-driver's side. Any ideas we can check before our trip coming up? It is very bothersome!

[doxiemom11]

Go to a glass shop and tell them, ask them to inspect your windshield and how it's set in the frame. They may be able to spot something. Could be it was replaced at one time and just doesn't quite fit right.

[Vicki_in_WA]

But our antennae is on the passenger side. ??

[Larrysr1957]

Make sure your tv antenna is all the way down. If the wind picks up on it when driving it will set off the whistle in the upper left corner on the drivers side. (

[Vicki_in_WA]

We have a grill but the sound is coming from up high on driver's side. Will try the wiper trick but have tried taping the window, mirror, windshield, etc.

[opnspaces]

When I look at 2002 Bounders online I see two basic configurations of the front end. One has a grill and the other does not have a grill at all. Which type do you have?

If it has a grill I would try taping a sheet of cardboard over half the grill and then drive it briefly. If the speed the whistle occurs at changes it will tell you it's caused by air going into the grill.

Maybe you've already done this but I would tape up any and every line and joint on the front and drive again to see if it changes.


Could it be caused by the windshield wipers in the air stream? That could be checked by running the wipers while it's whistling, or temporarily take the wiper arms off completely.

Could the sound be caused by airflow around the drivers side headlight, turn signal or fog light? Heck maybe try taking the license plate off.

I wonder if the sound could be caused by something on the front side. Maybe put a ball of tape over the front of the rain gutter drip rail to break up the airflow. Maybe run a strip of tape around the window on the drivers side.

If your husband is handy try removing the drivers side mirror and tape up the hole(s) left behind. It's possible the shape of the mirror itself is causing the whistle.

[Vicki_in_WA]

Hubby has tried everything mentioned on this thread except the tennis ball on the broomstick as he said it is too dangerous todo that while going 45 down the highway.
We are giving up....

He taped the mirror, took off amber lights, taped the drainage holes under the driver's window, no antennae on driver's side to mess with. All to no avail.

[opnspaces]

Could it be lower like maybe the mirror? As mentioned take a roll of blue masking tape (Painters tape) and start covering any and all gaps you can find. Tape the perimeter of the windshield, tape around the base of any lights, tape around the side mirrors. If there's a front mounted antenna take it off if possible as well.

[Vicki_in_WA]

Thank you! I will tell hubby and see if he will try this, which I am sure he will! Will let you know if it worked. If not, you will know it did not. 😞

[Big_Katuna]

Another thought that I never did was to take a 4’ piece of broomstick and screw a tennis ball on the end then open the drivers window while it’s whistling and move the ball around to disrupt the airflow to narrow down what’s whistling.

Round things break up laminar air flow.

[Vicki_in_WA]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Also check and cover with tape, the drain holes at the bottom of the driver's side window frame. These are a known issue and plastic covers are available online for most windows. If covering them with tape works, be sure to remove the tape before the next rain.

Dang! We were hoping that your suggestion was the problem with ours'. Covering the holes did not work.

[Vicki_in_WA]

I can't wait to tell hubby what to check now! It's not the awning as it is on the passenger side. We don't have the round tubing on the grill so it's not that. We will try all the other suggestions though! Thank to everyone for their suggestions!

If there are any more suggestion please post! IF we find out what was causing the whistling, I will post for everyone!

[garyemunson]

X2 on the drain holes. There are 4 on the bottom of the window frame. The front 2 are the culprit. Just cover them, looking at them, you will see water only enters at the rear of the frame anyway. The rear 2 drains will handle any water just fine. As the RVs get older, the plastic covers fall off. They don't really help cut the wind noise near as well as some black electrical tape will. Come back and let us know what worked.

[Big_Katuna]

My 05 Expedition (Bounder) whistles sometimes too. I have never found it.

Mine shows up over 65 or when there is a headwind from the left side.

I got a roll of 2” blue painters tape ( comes off easy, no paint damage) and tried it every where. Window weep holes, gaps around the mirrors, windshield trim, various gaps on the front cap.

I tried a cardboard tube on my ear to isolate the sound and a mechanics stethoscope to no avail.

Gave up. I usually drive 62 anyway.

The factory was no help.

[Johno02]

Our 1999 Hurricane had what was called the "Hurricane Whistle". Never did find it, and as far as I know, no one else ever did either. But it was talked about a lot. Wish you luck.