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Engine Vibration

haslegs

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#1
Has anyone noticed an engine vibration around 1500 to 1800 rpm? Ford pushed a software update about a month ago and after this, I started to notice a vibration in the steering wheel. Transmission in N, engine speed at 1500 to 1800 will vibrate the steering wheel and shake the vehicle.
Have not taken to dealer yet....
Anyone else notice this problem?
 

Zalmer

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#2
I have a similar problem, I notice my vibration when I'm driving it. When I feel the vibration, I downshift one or two gears and it goes away immediately. I have not tried doing it in neutral. Currently I have mine in the shop investigating this issue. I'll report back if they actually find something. Right now they're still doing BS things like checking the tire balance and whatnot.
 

Zalmer

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#3
What is the build date of your Explorer?
 

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#4
I have a similar problem, I notice my vibration when I'm driving it. When I feel the vibration, I downshift one or two gears and it goes away immediately. I have not tried doing it in neutral. Currently I have mine in the shop investigating this issue. I'll report back if they actually find something. Right now they're still doing BS things like checking the tire balance and whatnot.
To high of a gear for the engine speed.

I’ve experienced this in my 14 & 17’ fusion as well as my 06’ Volvo 6Speed.


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Zalmer

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#5
Yeah that's exactly what I believe it is as well. But it's happening when it's just in normal drive mode. So it's the car that's putting it in those gears not me. I have to downshift it to get it to stop doing it. I keep thinking that it will learn to drive in a lower gear but after 11k miles it still won't do it. And I've driven several other STs and none of them have the vibration at all.
 

Zalmer

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#6
I just got my car back. They said they fixed the vibration in my car and it was 'smooth as butter'. They said the wheels were slightly out of balance...
Well color me surprised but on the drive home, there was the same old vibration as persistent as ever.

So I just tried your method, kept the car in park and rev'd the engine over 2000rpm and let it come back down and I felt the vibration on the way down. I got out of the car and put my wife in the driver seat to rev the car. I opened the hood and couldn't hear it at all, then I got under the car and boom, I found it.

It's the exhaust. I watched it vibrate against the car.

4 times I've brought my car in and I'm the one that identifies the issue. And I just had to pay $500 to the dealership replace the windshield in my loaner car.

I'll be going back in to the dealership tomorrow to express my feelings on the matter and get it fixed.
 

Cdubya

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#7
And I just had to pay $500 to the dealership replace the windshield in my loaner car.
Curious. Any details on that?
 

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#8
I just got my car back. They said they fixed the vibration in my car and it was 'smooth as butter'. They said the wheels were slightly out of balance...
Well color me surprised but on the drive home, there was the same old vibration as persistent as ever.

So I just tried your method, kept the car in park and rev'd the engine over 2000rpm and let it come back down and I felt the vibration on the way down. I got out of the car and put my wife in the driver seat to rev the car. I opened the hood and couldn't hear it at all, then I got under the car and boom, I found it.

It's the exhaust. I watched it vibrate against the car.

4 times I've brought my car in and I'm the one that identifies the issue. And I just had to pay $500 to the dealership replace the windshield in my loaner car.

I'll be going back in to the dealership tomorrow to express my feelings on the matter and get it fixed.
You’re persistence will pay off. Good find!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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#9
You’re persistence will pay off. Good find!!


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Your*


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Detroit, MI, USA
#10
I just got my car back. They said they fixed the vibration in my car and it was 'smooth as butter'. They said the wheels were slightly out of balance...
Well color me surprised but on the drive home, there was the same old vibration as persistent as ever.

So I just tried your method, kept the car in park and rev'd the engine over 2000rpm and let it come back down and I felt the vibration on the way down. I got out of the car and put my wife in the driver seat to rev the car. I opened the hood and couldn't hear it at all, then I got under the car and boom, I found it.

It's the exhaust. I watched it vibrate against the car.

4 times I've brought my car in and I'm the one that identifies the issue. And I just had to pay $500 to the dealership replace the windshield in my loaner car.

I'll be going back in to the dealership tomorrow to express my feelings on the matter and get it fixed.
Which side and where does it vibrate against the car?
 

OP
H

haslegs

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Thread Starter #11
What is the build date of your Explorer?
Sorry for the delayed reply. I was on vacation last week and no email access.
Build date is 08/2019.
 

Zalmer

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#12
Which side and where does it vibrate against the car?
It's on the passenger side, seems like very close to the catalytic converter. I was not able to pinpoint exactly where it is.

I took it in and the tech looked at it in the service bay for about 30 seconds in the service drive through and then said, 'okay we'll I'll reach out to Ford to see if they know anything.'
 

Zalmer

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#13
Curious. Any details on that?
The last time I had a loaner- the second day I had it, I literally sprayed the windshield wiper fluid and the windshield cracked from end to end. It was cold out, and I know extreme cold and hot don't mix when it comes to glass. But it was just the windshield wiper fluid. So the windshield must have had a chip in it that I didn't see when I took it. When I returned it they charged me $500 to replace the windshield.
 

OP
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haslegs

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Thread Starter #14
Just got the Explorer back from the dealership yesterday. Ford stated that the engine isolator mounts need to be replaced. The mounts are on back order so most likely there is a known problem. stay tuned.
 

Phileas

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#15
Hello @haslegs how it ended up? Did they fix it? I have exactly the same issue. Same built. Would be helpful if you could update here if it was fixed as I will be heading to the dealership with this. Very annoying “bug”. Many thanks and good luck!
 

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haslegs

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Thread Starter #16
Hello @haslegs how it ended up? Did they fix it? I have exactly the same issue. Same built. Would be helpful if you could update here if it was fixed as I will be heading to the dealership with this. Very annoying “bug”. Many thanks and good luck!
New mounts installed but the vibration is still present. I think it's getting worse. The dealer has contacted the Ford Tech support and Ford states it's a characteristic of the "high performance" engine. This is crap. Been looking for a new one on the lot to drive but have not found yet to compare.
 

F=MA

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#17
I had a similar issue after I installed the Magnaflow exhaust. Turned out to be the "L" shaped exhaust hanger in front of the drivers center muffler expanding as the exhaust warms up which caused it to just touch the heat shield on the underside of the car and cause the rattle. I could make the sound occur by slowly revving up the engine in park to around 1600 to 1800 rpm. Went to Midas and had the car running on the lift while I listened below and was able to find the rattle sound by holding various parts of the exhaust (gloves). Heated the hanger with a torch and bend it slightly away from the heat shield and the sound was gone. Could be a factory hanger slightly touching when it heats up.
 



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