About a month ago I started to hear what I thought was bearing noise in front driver side. It was intermittent at first... after a few weeks it was more reproducible. Any slow turn to the right caused a low rumble from left front. I figured that is textbook wheel bearing. I brought it in to dealer. They called me today to tell me it is not the bearing, it is a front differential issue. They have a ford rep coming to look at it tomorrow to decide to rebuild or replace, since I have the Ford Extended warranty. I am very reluctant to have it rebuilt. And am hoping for any advice on what I should ask or how I should handle it to make sure Ford fixes this right.

This issue only started a few weeks back... but I am wondering if there has been some issue since I bought the truck new 5 years ago. I had never driven an F-150 before, and in my test drive before signing the papers, I put it in 4A and noticed it sounded a little rougher than my only other 4WD experience which was an Explorer. The dealer said this is perfectly normal for F150. I only use 4A once or twice a month in rain or snow and the "rough" sound has stayed the same since day 1. I have always wondered if the dealer mislead me and the front differential had some issue from the factory all along.

When you are just in 2WD mode, is anything in the front differential actually moving? If anyone is aware of another thread on this that I missed, or can give me any advice on how to handle this with the dealer tomorrow if I get anything other than full replacement decision from Ford, I'd appreciate it. I'm also wondering how long it will take to get a new one... I am hoping my truck will not be in the dealership for weeks here...

 

With the TOD (Torque On Demand) transfer case that your Lariat has there is a clutch used to synchronize the front driveline to the rear driveline for shifting on-the-fly from 2H to 4A or 4H. The clutch has some inherent drag which results in the front drive system rotating slightly during 2H driving.

 

I don't hear any difference between 4A and 2H, so I wonder if you have had an issue since you got it, as suspected?

I think you can ask for a replacement but it is not required. I don't have any specific advice on how to try and sway them.

 

It just seems to me that the labor time to rebuild, and the risk that a non-expert tech at the dealership will not do it right and I will be back in again is much more costly to Ford than just putting a new one on... am I wrong? Now the dealer may try to pad their pockets since the warranty is paying the bill... but I am hoping Ford makes the right call and just has a new one put on.

 

Depends on the tech but that could be true.

 

You can't tell at all when mine is in 4a. But, I don't think you will have a choice. Ford is going to do what corporate tells them. It is what it is.

 

Was told the new front differential finally came in and was replaced... but a test drive still showed an issue. Don't know anything beyond that... I am trying to understand how the problem could be identified as being with the differential... it is replaced with a new one... and some problem still exists. I'm assuming that if Ford replaced the differential with a new one, there must have been some evidence of an issue inside it. So, if a complete new one was put on, what else could still exits? Or is it possible I am being told a new differential was installed but they really just rebuilt the old one? I should be able to see from the paperwork when done, right? Is it possible the front left wheel bearing is still an issue like I suspected from the sound made when turning right in parking lot? Or is it possible something else was damaged when the differential was replaced? I would appreciate advice on what else could have caused my original right turn noise, and what could have additionally been damaged in replacing the differential? Or what else could have existed that they did not see before?

 

Could it be something other than the diff? Hubs/axles?

 

That is what I am asking for input on... I have not really gotten any clear information from the dealer as to whether the problem that they still see is the same as before replacing the front diff or something new. I would hope it is the same as before and not some new problem created. Assuming the front diff was replaced, new... what else besides driver front wheel bearing could cause the grinding noise when turning right at slow speed?

 

Grinding makes me think IWE? Has the dealer followed the TSB for diagnosing grinding on a front wheel?