Can you hear noise when in 4A
 

I can always hear a noise while in 4A or 4M that goes away in 2H. It's coming from the area under my feet. Noise goes away while in that neutral/coasting area between driving the wheels and engine braking..
Been like this since new.
Anyone else notice this..

Yes. Every 4x4 I've owned you can hear noises in the transfer case when engaged.

No matter how well engineered, precision made, or lubed whenever you have metal parts, bearings, gears, ect turning and rubbing on each other there will be noise and wear. However if you think its abnormal or really loud then try to get it on video and post up a video.

This is/was my original thinking.. As this is my first 4X4 and therefore my first 4A was not sure.. Been following this forum since I have had the truck and haven't read much about others talking about this, so started to wonder if mine wasn't normal noise..

Haven't had to use the 4A much over the years other that turning it on for a few minutes when driving on a certain road on way to cottage just to lube everything.

I would say the sound is like if your brake pad was gone and you were lightly touching the brake.

Think I'll spend more time in 4A and see if it changes any if it wears in more.

Mine does it and I don't think it's normal. I drive two super duty's and plow, never heard and sounds what so ever in those. Had an 03 4Runner that never made a peep either

I've heard a noise like you describe, it's extremely low and if I had the radio on at all I couldn't hear it, but that was with past vehicles (2004 Ranger, 2012 F-150).

I can't say I have heard anything on my '17, but I have almost always had the radio on while engaging 4WD lately.

I imagine if I turned everything off I could hear some difference, I can't imagine how you wouldn't hear SOMETHING different, the drive line is right under your feet essentially that is now engaged that wasn't before.

I haven't heard anything when in 4A, I put the truck in and out of 4A all winter. Hope it's not going to be a problem for you.

Ditto with my 2018 Lariat.

Yes I hear it too and it’s more pronounced at high rpm but almost whisper quiet at city speeds. I’m not sure it’s normal but I’m hopeful it isn’t a bad sign. I have driven many 4x4 and not had a similar issue before.

I don’t hear anything in 4A.

Ditto +1 2018 Lariat :eek:

Had mine in 4A for 2 weeks now and it's completely quiet....

I have noticed this too (‘18 Platinum with ~1600 miles). I figured I would inquire when I bring for service - other than the sound it seems OK.

I feel mine more than hear it.

Ford has the worst 4wd system.
Its always noisy, clunky, and jerky.
My 12 did it and so does my 16.
Chevy and dodge is smooth and quiet.

Mines going in to the shop soon to try and make it better, but I think it's just how they are.

I feel more then I hear, never recall another 4wd like this. But I can say that about many things about this truck, great tech, great looking and great power but lacking in quality with some of the standard simple things.

Well, it may be that the pinion wasn't properly torqued and is causing abnormal differential wear. If you can feel and hear it, and also get a vibration every so often, such as when decelerating from 55, and feel a rumble at 50, get it in for service. I just got mine back this week after 3 days in shop due to a vibration that I thought was a tire(still have a minor one that is a tire), and a noise like big mudder tires which I don't have on the truck and it turned out to be worn R&P and bearings. Had to have the differential removed, rebuild and put back on, thankfully under warranty.

Now since mine is a Lariat with 4A, I should have never felt or heard it in 2H, and since I dont have more than 10 miles total on the front drive system, there should not have een the amount of damage that was done, so I am thinking one of the IWE was sticking, and it was confirmed tonight when I was slowing to a stop from 25 MPH in 2H and heard an awful screeching noise from the right front, when I turned left and started accelerating I felt and heard the front drive system turning.

Going back tomorrow to find out if they bothered checking the IWE, or just considered it as full time in an XLT. It would also explain the loss of MPG the past few months, since it is lower than it was last year in the cold and winter blend by about a gallon.

Similar noise & feel in 4A. Just figured it was normal. 2016 5.0L FX4 Plat.

+1
This is my first 4A truck. I only hear and feel it under acceleration. Previous SUV AWD systems were quite. I figured I would mention it to the service department when I get the recalls taken care of in the next few weeks.

My SM said they have done at least 10 rebuilds this year, so get it checked.

Interesting,, I wrote the original post while seating in truck while waiting for my wife. On the way home not only was there the noise and a slight vibration but at one time there was a squealing noise while taking off from a stop. Only heard it the one time on the 6 mile drive home.

I had 4A in my previous 2008 Sport Trac 4.6L truck. It was 4A all the time with 4H and 4Lo options. No 2H option at all.

It made a slight vibration/grinding low frequency sound ONLY when slip happened and the electronic clutch engaged the front axle for 4A engagement. Otherwise truck drove in 2WD DRIVE until slip happened again. No noise in 2WD. Noise was very quiet and low frequency so it was hard to hear with other noise but easy to hear on a quiet night.

Same is true for EVERY 4WD truck I've had when putting it into 4H or 4Lo. Some ears are better than others, and some are always in noisy environments where you won't hear it.

However I would get it checked to be on the safe side as I don't know what you're hearing and things on the net can be confused. Get it checked out.

Seems to me this dead horse has been beaten.


https://www.f150forum.com/f118/2015-...-miles-302121/


IMHO, they're all defective. It's just a crap shoot which ones blow up. Shame.


Respectively, to those who continually make excuses for Ford, go drive any number of the hundreds 4x4 or AWD vehicles out there and you won't hear a sound.
TomJV

My 2015 Lariat has had a vibration since new while driving in 4A/4H. I can feel it in the gas pedal and hear it too. 20K miles now. I haven't gotten an answer from the dealer yet but I haven't pushed the issue. It seems most pronounced at 2100-2400 RPM, and under load (ie driving uphill).

The problem with the thread you linked to is that few state which transfercase they have. So the problem with the 2H 4H 4L one might bemixed with the 2H 4A 4H 4L ones hard to tell. I was under the impression from following that thread that most didn't have the auto one.

I hate the thought of having them tear apart my truck,, but if necessary I have no choice as this one has to last my lifetime.. And need it fixed if it's bad before the warranty runs out. I'll probably let them look at it while getting the door recall done. I'm going to leave it in 4A till then..

Which TC? You make a good point. I just assumed they were talking about 4A ones.


I wouldn't want them touching my truck either! But if it's bad, it's got to be fixed. Have you considered an aftermarket warranty?


TomJV

Think first I need to find out if this would be covered under the 5/60 powertrain warranty.. If not yea keep thinking about the online Ford extended warranty.. With the lights and electronic coverage.

Having to have my transfer case torn down. Waiting to see how ford is going to handle this. I hope it won't take long being so close to Christmas.

Most seem to have XLT or XL trucks so non auto.. And yes it seems that that case had a lot of problems.. Where I haven't read of many problems with the auto one other than the noise like I have which seems like about 50% of answers to my post have reported they have also..

Nope, I driven all brands, and they all make noise when the 4WD is actually engaged. This is not specific to Ford, but all makes.

If you don't hear it, then maybe your hearing isn't in tune as others.

Now if it's a loud, obvious sound, it may be a problem, but all 4WD vehicles I've driven in the last 2 decades have a slight vibration/sound when engaged in 4WD (4A would have to engage front axle as I said earlier).

I have the same noise. Dealer can’t fix it.

I have lots of noises. Most of them are just things rattling in the center console while driving my 07 with a 5.4 3v it happens both in 2wd and 4wd. It happens when going straight or around corners, speed doesn't seem to change it that much. I'm pretty sure it's just normal..... What I'm getting at is we need a LOT more information please.

I have the same vibration in 2H and it’s really bad in 4A. Mine’s been to two different dealers and they can’t replicate.:glare: We've had a lot of rain the last few days and I’ve driven in 4A a lot. Do I need it? Nope, but I paid for it so I figure I should be able to use it. Truth is, it’s not an enjoyable experience. I get a nice groan and vibration at 2100-2400 rpms. So annoying.

Edit: Had a 2005 Silverado with 4A and never had an issue. Yes I could tell it was engaged but it was not bothersome at all.

FWIW the 15+ are more sensitive to wheel vibrations than previous gen. a 1/2 ounce off on a wheel can be felt throughout the cab. When I first got mine, one tire was bad and I could feel the vibrations mainly on very smooth pavement, but in between bumps could also feel it. I have a second set off my 14 that I swapped out and the vibration was gone. I dropped the wheels off and they checked the tires and sure enough found one bad tire that would not balance.

I have a vibration again, had new tires put on the wheels from my 14, and its a weird vibration now. I can feel in on smooth pavement, but not all the time. I did have a different vibration when slowing from 55 down to 50 and that was the front differential failing, and was felt in 2H, the IWE were not disengaging. With all the issues on the front drive, they didn't check tire balance last time it was in, and I had them rotate the tires, now the vibration is different leading me to believe that it is a tire, and is now on the rear.

Have your tires balanced, more than likely its as simple as that.

Mine is like a bowling ball rolling down the alley in 4A

That's a good description of mine,,, if you have a bad varnish job on the alley or throw a handful of sand on it.

Ditto on the sport trac. I had an Adrenalin edition and you always knew when the transfer case engaged more power to the front wheels. You could hear it and feel it in the floor. My AWD Jeep GC didn't have any feel, vibration or anything regardless of slip conditions, that was a very smooth AWD system.

In my F150 I can feel when 4 is engaged in 4a for sure, the truck just behaves ever so slightly differently and there is a bit of a low frequency hum, but I figure all of the driveline vibrations are now transferred through the whole truck as its all linked up so I expect it

I have had vibrations in 4a or 4H, always from 2100-2400 RPM. I had the dealer check it out yesterday on a test ride and the tech stated it's "normal drivetrain vibration of 4WD vehicles".

Not too sure I believe him on that but I'm not sure I can press the issue. It's done this since new and I have 25k miles now (2015 SCREW). Kind of annoying but not the end of the world either.

I'm not sure if there's a simple fool-proof solution but from the looks of this thread I doubt it.

Not to mention Ford charges an extra $1000 for their 4x4 system compared to competitors pricing.

I wish. try 3400 to 4600 more depending on trim level, the lower the trim, the higher the cost.