[sweaver]

This is not necessarily a thing that is specific to Honda, but what is the little black "knob" above the drivers side window on the outside? Does it have a function (say rail gutter, wind noise, etc.)

I have seen it on other Mfg. cars not just Honda.

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1996 Odyssey 120,000 miles
2002EX Odyssey w/towing package
http://www.homestead.com/weaverhouse/index.html

 

[GeoHawk]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by sweaver:
This is not necessarily a thing that is specific to Honda, but what is the little black "knob" above the drivers side window on the outside? Does it have a function (say rail gutter, wind noise, etc.)

I have seen it on other Mfg. cars not just Honda.

</font>

I have seen it on other cars too. My guess is that it's a guide to help the window close properly at highway speeds. The faster you drive, the greater the air pressure difference is between the inside (higher pressure) and outside (lower pressure) of the car. If the window has been opened and you try to close it while going 60+ mph, the glass will be "pulled" toward the outside of the window track due to the lower air pressure outside the vehicle. I'm guessing this tab helps the window back into the track to close and seal properly.

This is only a guess, though.

Bill

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02 SS EX-L-RES
97 Maxima SE 5-Spd
99 Z-71 Silverado
91 Suzuki GSF400 Bandit

 

[sweaver]

Sounds good GEOHAWK, but what about the other windows? Wouldn't they all have them?

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1996 Odyssey 120,000 miles
2002EX Odyssey w/towing package
http://www.homestead.com/weaverhouse/index.html

 

[phil47]

I remember my Accord had it on both front windows (not on the rears).

I suspect it is more important on the front windows because they have less support while open than the rear windows because of the sloped "A" pillar. Try to deflect a front window and rear window while half open, and you'll see it's much easier to deflect the front window for this reason. Just a guess.

 

[CFS]

I'll ad my $.02 to this. A few years ago I had a Mazda 626 that also had these "things" on the front windows. On a road trip the passenger side one somehow cracked or broke off and I remeber having to pull it out of the window track (in a couple of pieces) in order to get the window to fully close. Well, after that the whistling noise on the highway was unbearable!! The first thing I did when I got back home was go to Mazda to buy this part and install it. No more whistling. So my guess is it is there to eliminate the whistling noise. Anyone brave enough to try to remove it to test this theory?

 

[FW_in_OKC]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by sweaver:
Sounds good GEOHAWK, but what about the other windows? Wouldn't they all have them?

</font>

GeoHawk is exactly right.
The air rushing over the front of the van and around the side window glasses causes a very low pressure pulling at the front side windows. By the time it gets to the rear side windows, the pressure is much higher thus not pulling so hard on the windows (less differential pressure from the inside pressure). This means that the upper, forward corners of the front side windows is where the guides would be needed. You see, the air is moving much faster at that point causing the low pressure, similar to an aircraft wing.
I'm guessing that like myself, GeoHawk has some experience in aerodynamics.

Fred

 

[DDakRT]

Those explainations sounds perfectly sound, but I do believe that the little knobs are for Honda's wind deflectors.

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Check out many pictures of the 2002 Toronto autoshow, our 01 GG EX, other 02 Odys, and various model cars at http://community.webshots.com/user/ddakrt