i have an '02 EXt and last night i was driving with the sunroof all the way open and no other windows open. at speeds of about 20 to 40 miles per hour, i hear a thumping noise that sounds like wind. if i crack the window or close the sunroof a little, it goes away. i noticed this when i had my EXT on a test drive but i had the truck for a day and a half and didn't hear it again so didn't think anything about it. any ideas for sure what it is or how to fix it?? i don't really want to not be able to use my sunroof.

This problem with windows down or sunroof opened is a result of air passing over that open hole with little turbulence. New cars are designed to disturb the air less which is good for MPG and low noise but is bad for windows/sunroof open motoring. The "clean" air moving past the opening is of lower pressure than the still air inside car so the air in car moves out which lowers pressure and then the pressure outside car is greater which moves air into car. You can see this leads to repetitive pressure rise and fall inside the car which is the fluttering noise with accompanying ear ache. The solution for sunroof-caused disturbances is to open the sunroof to a position approximately 2 inches short of full open. This solution is already in place on newer cars with their auto-open sunroof control. For window-caused disturbances there is no neat solution. You can do as others have suggested and open one of the front windows which relieves the pressure and minimizes or maybe completely eliminates the problem.

that's what i was afraid of. that's what i did last night to fix it, but i just didn't like it. but really, i don't see any other option either.