TSB 13-12-9

[fcforce]

My 2013 C-Max SE is at the dealer again for a noise coming from the left tire area. It sounds like paper is crunching. This is now the 3rd time I have had it in for this noise. The first time they claimed they didn't hear it.

The second time they asked me to come in and road test it with the mechanic (which I did) and initially he didn't hear it, but as luck would have it he finally did hear it on the last portion of the road test. I was asked to bring it back in so that they could address it.

 

The car is at the dealership right now and they called and said they can't hear the noise again. I am very frustrated and am not sure what to do. I guess I could take it to another Ford dealer and hope for the best, but every time I take it in I am without a car and have to rely on other people for rides. 

 

I have had this car since March 2014 when I purchased it with 900 miles on it. It was fine at first, but the last few months things are popping up like crazy. First it died in my driveway in April 2015 and had to be towed to Ford. I was told they tested the battery but they couldn't find anything wrong. They couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't die again. The letter from Ford came in May regarding the battery drain so I took the vehicle back it again for them to perform the work. In the meantime the noise in the front is still there and Ford has yet to address it. 

 

To add further insult, two days ago the car shut off abruptly in my driveway again after I put it in park. Luckily I had just returned home and wasn't stranded anywhere. I immediately turned the car on and it did start up, but I have to admit I am nervous that this is yet another thing. 

 

Has anyone had issues with noise coming from the front end? I read TSB 13-12-9 and my car is doing everything that is described. I don't understand why they hear the noise, then they don't hear the noise. My confidence in this vehicle and Ford is waning.

 

Thanks for any help you may have.

 

UPDATE:

The dealer called and said they can't hear the noise. I asked him to speak with the tech who road tested it with me. He said that he did and that the tech couldn't hear it this time. They told me to wait until it is more consistent and then bring it back in. 

Edited June 22, 2015 by fcforce

[ptjones]

How many miles do you have on the car?  Noise in the back might be a wheel bearing. Noise in the front could be Trans among many other things. Sounds like you need to drive it some more until the noise is louder. Noises will usually get louder over time. I don't think  these noises are going to leave you stranded, unlike the battery problem, do you have portable jumper battery just in case? :)

 

Paul

[hybridbear]

Two options you may want to consider:

1) ask the dealer for a rental at no cost to you, if this dealer won't provide one you can try another dealer

2) send a PM to user FordService to involve your regional CSM

 

If the noise you describe fits the TSB then they should perform the TSB. My dealer doesn't bother to attempt to verify the issues when I describe exactly what the TSB or SSM fixes and I give the SA the TSB/SSM number. In fact, they like it because it saves them diagnostic time which they may not be reimbursed for. It also allows their technicians to spend time repairing things & not chasing down issues.

[Robert Fugate]

A rattle as you've found out, is often very hard to track down and does take some detective work. My Subaru Crosstrek developed one under the dash. I too took it in twice and they couldn't reproduce it. So I kind of played with it as I drove, pressing on the dash to see if I could stop it. I realized it would only happened when the temperature was below 75 degrees. At that temperature, I could push on the driver's side dash and reproduce the rattle. Other suggestions would be to get some strips of rags, or foam packing material and shove it in the cavity of the area that's rattling. Once you've narrow it down you can have the them make a more permanent fix, like sticking a rag or foam packing in place.  :)   

[fcforce]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

My car is a 2013 SE with approximately 14,558 miles. 

 

When I brought the car in on 5/15 I printed out TSB 13-12-9 and this is what the paperwork says:

"Cust states noise from the left front tire area heard while driving and over bumps, sounds like something is loose. You can hear it when driving at low speeds over rough roads or when you hit a manhole cover, etc. Customer registered with a Ford Forum and they recommended that TSB 13-12-9 be performed. Check and advise" It goes on to say this:

 

"Cause: TSB performed TSB

733 W94

1 XG*3*A Lubricant-Universal Anti-SEI

Performed TSB 131209. Lubricated both front strut shafts.

131209A.8"

 

The issue was not corrected when the car was in on 5/15 so I took it back in 2 weeks ago. They didn't hear the noise and asked me to come back in the next morning to road test it with a mechanic. At first he didn't hear the noise, bu then he did and said it "sounded like paper crinkling in the front left tire area." 

 

I made another appointment to bring the vehicle back in to hopefully correct the issue once and for all, but yesterday they called me and told me that they couldn't hear it. I asked them to talk to the mechanic who road tested it with me, and they said they did but now he couldn't hear it. I picked the car up last night and guess what? The noise is still there, and is now slightly louder. You hear it when driving over uneven or rough roadways (which are a lot in the area I live). 

 

The dealership I take it to does not give out loaner cars, which of course means I am at the mercy of others to drive me around while the car is in their care. 

 

The gas mileage is wonderful, and it's a comfortable car and I like the way the car drives, but it's been in the shop at least twice a month for the past 4 months for one issue or another. I would trade up for a newer model, but that would mean taking a loss which I can't afford to do. 

[mike884]

Mine has a rattle from the front left as well, under gentle braking in electric you can hear it clank around a little.  1st dealer couldn't hear it... its in a 2nd right now, for that and some other issues. 

[scottwood2]

Problems like these are always a problem.  If they can not reproduce it in the shop then they can't tell what is causing the noise.  It could be many things. 

 

On the plus side noises like this will get worse over time but seldom ever leave you stranded.   I understand your concern and just wanting to have it fixed but unless they know what is the bad part they are just taking a shot in the dark as to how to fix it.  

 

I know it is hard to have a newer car and have issues like these that they can't take care of.  I do agree with you but I also understand where the dealer is coming from.  Kind of the same thing when it comes to saying you will not have an issue again for any problem.   No one can guarantee that your car will not have a problem again.  The best made car in the world can not say this.   Things happen and cars have problems.   Again I understand what you are saying and don't want to have problems but at least your dealer is honest to tell you it could happen again.  I hope this helps. 

[fcforce]

Mike884, do they have any idea what it is? I have read anything from the struts to the sway arm. 

After the mechanic heard the noise on the road test he suggested that maybe they would just switch the struts around. I am not auto mechanically inclined, but this seemed like a bad idea to me. I would think the issue would then be in the right tire area.

[mike884]

So far they pretty much have NOT been able to hear it... while I can hear it just rattling away.  No one has put any Chassis Ears on the car either, as the TSB states to do.  I love dealers! :love_shower:

[fcforce]

I'm with you! As I drove my street this morning, all I could think was "how could they NOT hear this?"   I guess I will wait until it gets progressively worse, because at this point there's not much I can do. I guess I could take it to another Ford dealer, but they are a considerable distance away.

 

To add further insult to injury, as of today the seat belt adjustment on the drivers side doesn't slide up and down anymore. 

[Podivin]

If you haven't already done so, you might try it with them driving the car rather than riding with you. Sometimes rattles and squeaks are easier to hear from one particular seat in the car (nearly always the driver's seat  :) ).

[fcforce]

I did do that, and he did hear it. I was in the passenger seat and we had the windows up, no air on and no radio on. When the car was back in on Monday that same tech said that now he couldn't hear the noise. I would almost understand if it were a different tech, but it was the same one. Other than take it to another Ford dealer, I really don't know what to do. It's really frustrating. 

[Robert Fugate]

Have you requested to set up an appointment with a district/regional manager to address this rattle?

[Jus-A-CMax]

I use to have this rattle that I thought was coming from around the front passenger seat. Pesky rattle. Turns out, I stuffed the deep center console with a mid size clorox wipes, a large mag torch and a cord to recharge my android and when those 3 are stuffed in there snug, they will start to rub against each other and the plastic inside the console at the merest bump causing the rattle or maybe the console to rattle against whatever is holding it. 

 

Now I just keep them "loose" by rearranging what goes in there. Took a while to figure this out and the Ford technicians could not find it while driving. It took the 2 of us to figure it out.

[fcforce]

I have not set up an appointment with a regional manager. I thought the next best course of action would be to take it to another Ford dealer for a "second opinion". 

 

It's definitely coming from the front tire exterior and not the interior. There is a creaking noise coming from the dash area, but if you push lightly on the dash area it stops. Every Ford we have had owned always had some kind of interior creaking noise coming from the plastic dash components so I just attribute this to normal Ford issues. In the past when other Fords have been in the shop for inspection or oil changes, I have mentioned the creaks to the service department but they have always said there is nothing they can do, and it's just how they are produced on the line. I have learned to accept and live with the Ford interior creaks, but the one that is going on now is a different story. 

 

Thanks again everyone for all your advice and input! I really do appreciate it. 

[mike884]

yeah my rattle comes from the drivers side front tire area, definitely not interior. 

[nsteblay]

Any rattles I've ever had were internal and my own doing but often sounded like an exterior sound.  I've found the cabin to be very quiet and the dash components and general "trim" of the interior solid.  2013 with 50K+.  

[djc]

Perhaps you could record the noise (using $2 ebay lapel mic plus cell phone)?

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=lapel+microphone&_sop=15

[KeMor]

Sharing my experience here in hopes of helping others.

Excessive rattling noises in front end began within six months of purchase.  The rattle sounded as if something was bouncing in the front end when going over speed bumps and rough roads.  At it's worst, the sound was metallic as if a nut was loose and something heavy and metal was bouncing.  The sound got worse in hot, dry weather but almost disappeared when cold or wet.  The "ears" could not locate the problem but the Techs could hear it.

In the first trip to the shop, they took apart the front suspension, found no problems, put it back together and claimed the problem fixed.  In the second trip to the shop, they tried TSB 13-9-9, after I brought it to their attention, and again claimed the problem solved.  In the third trip to the shop, they kept the car for three weeks while working with Ford to identify the problem.  They replaced the front right strut to no effect.  Next they replaced the insulation in the front bumper.  (This was what they relayed to me verbally although only the strut fix is on the invoice.)  This has appeared to fix the problem.  At least the metallic noise appears to be gone.

While vehicle has been repaired, my confidence in it has not.

Good luck.