B-Pillar Interior Creak

[David Rosen]

When I turn right into driveways or over drainage canals there is this sound that sounds like a creak. The noise sounds like it is coming from the b-pillar interior trim moving or rubbing. I know it is not the rubber trim on the outside of the door because I had that replaced. It is coming from inside the car. Has anybody else had this issue?

Edited May 24, 2014 by David Rosen

[wab]

Your drive must look like ours.

 

I lube all the door seals about every other month.

Which reminds me, it's been at least 3 months....ssquuawwwk

[Noah Harbinger]

Sorry for the bad pun, but you hear a creak when you drive over a creek? 

 

I used to have a little creak coming continuously from my B-pillar, but it went away when I had the headliner recall done. 

[timwil56]

Your drive must look like ours.

 

I lube all the door seals about every other month.

Which reminds me, it's been at least 3 months....ssquuawwwk

If you're lubing the rubber door seals, just  a suggestion to use silicon lubricant and not petroleum based lube, such as WD-40. WD-40 (or any petroleum base) will break down the rubber over time where a silicon will not.

[wab]

If you're lubing the rubber door seals, just  a suggestion to use silicon lubricant and not petroleum based lube, such as WD-40. WD-40 (or any petroleum base) will break down the rubber over time where a silicon will not.

 

What does WD-40 stand for?

“WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th formula.

That's the name straight out of the lab book used by the chemist who developed the product back in 1953. The chemist, Norm Larsen, was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion—a task which is done by displacing water. Norm's persistence paid off when he perfected the formula on his 40th try”

 

I usually have a couple of cans of silicon but only 1 can of WD40 on my work bench.

 

 

[FordService]

When I turn right into driveways or over drainage canals there is this sound that sounds like a creak. The noise sounds like it is coming from the b-pillar interior trim moving or rubbing. I know it is not the rubber trim on the outside of the door because I had that replaced. It is coming from inside the car. Has anybody else had this issue?

 

David,

 

I recommend having your dealer diagnose this creak for you. Set up an appointment with them, and then send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, mileage, and dealer info. I'll see how I can help.

 

Ashley

[fotomoto]

It's sounds like (pun not intended) creaking weather strip seals.  It just so happens that I bought a can of silicone spray at the auto parts store yesterday for $5 to reapply to mine.  Remember, the CMax has a seal on both the door itself and the vehicle's door frame.  

[David Rosen]

@fotomoto, I am going to try this. However, does it worry you that the seals are rubbing so much that they make a sound. My point is, do they have that opportunity to move because the frame is twisting more than it should be, or some other reason? It would seem that there should be no noise from the rubber rubbing together if the car is built properly. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid. Your opinion?

Edited May 28, 2014 by David Rosen

[kostby]

If you feel unsafe, then by all means, schedule a dealership service manager's time to drive your vehicle with you along, so they can hear what you hear, and then have them carefully inspect your vehicle for mis-aligned hood, hatch, and doors, signs of unusual wear, and accidental damage. As the recent recall 14-C03 for some C-MAX seats demonstrates, even in a modern assembly-line, there could be a missing or insufficient weld, or perhaps a door that wasn't attached 'straight'.

 

---

 

'Or maybe I'm just being paranoid?'

 

Ever felt a skyscraper sway in the wind? 

Ever been stopped on one side of a large highway bridge while traffic is still moving on the other side and felt the bridge move? 

Skyscraper and bridges, even with all the tons upon tons of concrete and steel, "flex" significantly with load and temperature changes, because they were designed that way. 

 

Cars flex too.

If the car's unibody structure didn't flex at all, eventually it could crack from metal fatigue by the stresses placed on it from the changing suspension and power train loads at (relatively speaking) the 4 corners of the vehicle. Cracking would be a far worse consequence than a rubber-to-metal squeak as parts move and flex independently of one another within the original design parameters.

[David Rosen]

So I  tried the Silicon and it did not go away, so I took it to the dealer. First they claimed it was normal. I didn't believe this so I made them take a new one for a drive. Of course it was not normal. At the dealer right now, hopefully they fix it. I will let you all know.

 

One design flaw is the grab handle to close the door though (the armrest/control switch/ grab handle on the door). Tested these on a bunch of the C-Max while there and on other cars. On the Max is seems weaker and looser. Ford should look into redesigning this so that it feels more solid like on the Fusion. When passengers are in the car and they put their knee on it makes too much noise. 

 

Thanks all.

[Brent Bevil]

Any update on this? Just curious.

[David Rosen]

They just started working on a fix today. The dealer is very slow on this one. They are going to start by replacing the black exterior trim and seeing if that works. Mine seems to be on there a little loose and could be bending when I go over bumps. Hopefully it solves the issue.

[Baldrick]

Hi David, 

 

Any updates on the creaking?

[David Rosen]

They had to replace the front door panels. Now this has turned into another fight. They replaced the leather panels with cloth. They are claiming my leather panels were wrong, but that is how I bought it. Working on this issue with them. 

[David Rosen]

Still hear the sound, but it is better. Would not be surprised if rear panels also need replacing.

[rjam]

Hi

Had same problem noise. Just touch down button on window and noise is gone. Solved the problem by lowering the window, putting my fingers as deep as I could into the top fuzzy window groove and pulling outward while working my fingers in from left to right. The sound is gone and has not returned. Simple but effective for me. Pulled fairly hard but not enough to hurt anything. Noise was driving me nuts. Hope this might help someone! Love my CMAX!

[Hybrid dude]

They had to replace the front door panels. Now this has turned into another fight. They replaced the leather panels with cloth. They are claiming my leather panels were wrong, but that is how I bought it. Working on this issue with them. 

I noticed a very annoying creak when pressing my left elbow ever so slightly on the driver's door panel a few inches behind the aluminum grab handle (the place one would normally place one's elbow). I don't think I was being too picky or expecting too much, but long story short, I too received a non-matching gray cloth piece as the new part and, as is the case many times after a dealer visit, was the only one that noticed. Of course, it doesn't match my other panels. So, they removed it, took a few photos and will consult their gurus. I hope to have a matching set eventually.

[zharry]

I have same kind of B-pillar noise. Dealership says it's the retractable seatbelt mechanism. They have tried to insulate the mechanism but noise keeps returning. zharry

[FordService]

I have same kind of B-pillar noise. Dealership says it's the retractable seatbelt mechanism. They have tried to insulate the mechanism but noise keeps returning. zharry

 

When was your most recent dealer visit, zharry? Please let me know, along with your mileage.

 

Meagan

[HotPotato]

There have been several threads about this creaking-when-turning issue--it's very common. Mine does the same thing. Some think it's the seals, some the exterior B-pillar trim (push it and you'll hear the exact same creak). If your dealer is like mine, "they all do that" is considered an acceptable response, and you'll just turn up the radio.

 

Sorry Kotsby, I'm with David on this. The fact so many people are having noise from movement in the door frame, regardless of which part is doing the creaking, inspires no confidence in the torsional rigidity of the car. I had a VW Passat wagon, which like the C-Max has a lot of openings and has double-sealed doors, but even after 10 years, there was never a creak, not even when traversing lumpy unpaved ground. I realize that's a higher class of car, but "not creaking like a hoopty that's been in a wreck" is a realistic expectation for ANY car you're still making new-car payments on.

[homestead]

There have been several threads about this creaking-when-turning issue--it's very common. Mine does the same thing. Some think it's the seals, some the exterior B-pillar trim (push it and you'll hear the exact same creak). If your dealer is like mine, "they all do that" is considered an acceptable response, and you'll just turn up the radio.

 

Sorry Kotsby, I'm with David on this. The fact so many people are having noise from movement in the door frame, regardless of which part is doing the creaking, inspires no confidence in the torsional rigidity of the car. I had a VW Passat wagon, which like the C-Max has a lot of openings and has double-sealed doors, but even after 10 years, there was never a creak, not even when traversing lumpy unpaved ground. I realize that's a higher class of car, but "not creaking like a hoopty that's been in a wreck" is a realistic expectation for ANY car you're still making new-car payments on.

 

No creaks on our 2013 SEL so I guess they don't all do it.

[FordService]

There have been several threads about this creaking-when-turning issue--it's very common. Mine does the same thing. Some think it's the seals, some the exterior B-pillar trim (push it and you'll hear the exact same creak). If your dealer is like mine, "they all do that" is considered an acceptable response, and you'll just turn up the radio.

 

Sorry Kotsby, I'm with David on this. The fact so many people are having noise from movement in the door frame, regardless of which part is doing the creaking, inspires no confidence in the torsional rigidity of the car. I had a VW Passat wagon, which like the C-Max has a lot of openings and has double-sealed doors, but even after 10 years, there was never a creak, not even when traversing lumpy unpaved ground. I realize that's a higher class of car, but "not creaking like a hoopty that's been in a wreck" is a realistic expectation for ANY car you're still making new-car payments on.

 

Hi HotPotato,

 

Has the creaking been taken care of since your post? I'm happy to look into this. What's your year and mileage?

 

Meagan

[WNY]

I noticed my 2013 SEL does it sometimes depending on the terrain, turning, etc.., usually have the radio on and so I dont' notice it. I'll keep an ear on it and use some silicone.

[rjam]

I had the sqeek. Drove me nuts. My 2013 CMAX SEL needed the rear main seal to be replaced. They had to drop the trans and engine. After they put it back together (6 monrhs or so) no more squeek. Seems odd but true.

[jackalopetx]

There have been several threads about this creaking-when-turning issue--it's very common. Mine does the same thing. Some think it's the seals, some the exterior B-pillar trim (push it and you'll hear the exact same creak). If your dealer is like mine, "they all do that" is considered an acceptable response, and you'll just turn up the radio.

 

Sorry Kotsby, I'm with David on this. The fact so many people are having noise from movement in the door frame, regardless of which part is doing the creaking, inspires no confidence in the torsional rigidity of the car. I had a VW Passat wagon, which like the C-Max has a lot of openings and has double-sealed doors, but even after 10 years, there was never a creak, not even when traversing lumpy unpaved ground. I realize that's a higher class of car, but "not creaking like a hoopty that's been in a wreck" is a realistic expectation for ANY car you're still making new-car payments on.

 

It's surprising that it would flex abnormally because the C-Max is one of the strongest cars. IIHS found that the roof is substantially stronger than any other car, being able to handle 27,000lb crushing force.