Adobe2X

Well, I just had it in for the second time for this noise (they could not find the cause the first time)....and it turned out to be the right front CV joint.
We are hardly ever in 4WD, so this surprised me....still, if it is fixed, then more power to them for finding it .....

FordService

Thanks for the update, sterlingone; I'm glad to hear everything worked out.

Crystal

Northern Woodworker

So here's something, I'm having this exact same low speed rumble on decel. My truck is an 03 auto and is 2wd so no cv joints to make the noise. Has your noise returned at all?

Adobe2X

Yes, the noise has returned/never gone away. But it is so intermittent that I have not been able to take it into the dealer when it is happening. It also seems to happen more when the temperature is below about 40 degrees, so it may be a thing that I have to address next winter.
I think that the most reasonable thing that I've read on here is that the cause of the noise is that vacuum pump under the left front headlight....we'll have to see.

Northern Woodworker

Thanks. At least I know its probably not going to be a quick death to anything on the truck. From the way it feels and sounds, I've wondered if its coming from the rear differential, because the ring and pinion would be riding off of its regular mesh pattern and instead running on the backsides of the gears when on deceleration.

Northern Woodworker

So the noise had been getting louder whenever I towed my trailer, and as such I decided to take it in to a rear end shop. They rebuilt the rear end and said that while the gears were ok and were able to be reused, they were set out of spec for backlash and the carrier wasn't shimmed correctly (there was no preload on it). I suspect this was allowing the gears to rack out of alignment when towing and thus wear out of their normal pattern. New bearings and seals and having it properly set up and now the vibration / growl on decel is completely gone and the gear whine is almost inaudible. It was getting alarmingly loud before. The truck only has 130,000kms (80,000 miles) on it.

Platinumblack

Ford Service, I have a 2012 f150 ecoboost with about 40k miles and have recently started hearing what I believe is the same noise that sterlingone described. From other posts, this appears to be a common (and annoying) issue. What is Ford doing about it?

Adobe2X

Have your dealer check the vacuum pump under the driver's side headlight as well. This pump has been documented as the source of this noise as well................or trade it in on a 2014 like I did....

FordService

I definitely suggest scheduling an upcoming appointment with your local dealership for a diagnosis. Use this tool to do so online, and then send me a private message with your full name, VIN, servicing dealership, and best daytime contact number. I'll use this information to escalate your concern to the regional customer service manager for further assistance.

I'll ignore that last part.... Thanks for the helpful advice about the vacuum pump, sterlingone!

Brittany

Platinumblack

thanks for the suggestion sterlingone and to you Ford service, I'll take it in to get looked at and PM you with the info