What can be done to suppress the general noise while driving a 2005 Honda Civic EX Special Edition 4-door sedan at speeds above 35 to 40 mph. It seems to be a combination of engine, transmission and general road noise. I have to turn up the radio volume significantly above 35-40 mph
Its not easy, but various companies make sound dampening/insulating materials that you can use. As far as I know these are most often used for the purposes of better audio quality. Try Crutchfield (http://www.crutchfield.com/Learn/learningcenter/car/vibration.html) - not only do they sell things like this, but their support services for DIY jobs tends to be as good as it gets.
The thing that makes this not so easy is that it is all supposed to go under carpets, inside of doors, etc. If you want to spend a weekend taking apart your interior for installation you can probably make a big difference.
“Road noise” is highly dependent on tire model. There is a matrix of choices between traction, mileage, wear, noise and price.
There will always be some ambient noise inside the car, and the smaller and less expensive the car, the greater the liklihood that there will be a fair amount of that sort of noise. Sound deadening materials are available for that purpose and some of them are extremely effective. But as another poster has said, your car will have to be virtually disassembled inside to get the full benefit of this treatment. If you’re going to tackle the job yourself, it will likely take more than one weekend, but the job can be broken down into several smaller, manageable segments and spread out over several weekends. Or take the car to a reputable trim shop and let them do it. Either way, it is very labor intensive. The article at the link below is a good primer on the subject. Good luck.
It’s mostly from the tires, and Honda vehicles are noted for being a bit more noisy inside than some other brands. I drive a Honda at highway speeds on a regular basis and I know exactly what you’re talking about. I don’t even bother with the radio any more because it just adds to the din.
As others have told you, there are sound deadening materials which can be installed, but please note: these materials add WEIGHT, which will reduce your fuel mileage. I’m not going to install this stuff on my car, even though it’s tempting.
My experience is that the brand and type of tire makes a significant difference in the noise level. Unfortunately, you never know which way it will go until the tires are on the car. Also, as tires wear they become noisier. New tires will be quiet for a while, but not forever.
Not much help, is it? I’ve learned to accept the noise as the price of Honda reliability and mileage. Maybe I’ll buy a Toyota next time. They tend to be quieter but not as much fun to drive.