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Front end clunk/rattle

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Location
Hawaii
Vehicle
2023 explorer st
#1
We bought a 23 st in October it’s at 3500 miles now, in the last 1000 miles we have heard a rattle at low speeds and when you hit bumps. It’s not consistently doing it. It doesn’t sound rough or like it’s damaging anything, but it’s a bit annoying. Anyone experienced this?
 

Blue Beast

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Location
Cincinnati, OH, USA
Vehicle
2020 ST
#2
Welcome to the forum. I have a 2020 and haven't experienced that problem Sorry I couldn't help.
 

bbbart

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Location
Chicago
Vehicle
Ford Explorer ST
#3
We bought a 23 st in October it’s at 3500 miles now, in the last 1000 miles we have heard a rattle at low speeds and when you hit bumps. It’s not consistently doing it. It doesn’t sound rough or like it’s damaging anything, but it’s a bit annoying. Anyone experienced this?
Good chance it's the front swaybar. I had the same "clunking" and rattling and the tech had to replace the front swaybar.
 

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57
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Location
Lancaster, NY, USA
Vehicle
2021 Explorer Platinum
#4
Good chance it's the front swaybar. I had the same "clunking" and rattling and the tech had to replace the front swaybar.
Would like to see the repair order information from the dealership for the sway bar replacement.
Would you post it or post the list of parts that were replaced.
Regards.
 

Imabot

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Location
Nebraska
Vehicle
2023 explorer st
#5
I have the same problem. 23 with 3200 miles. Dealer thinks it's a swaybar mount but also found the cv boot leaking on the front passenger side. Scheduled to be in the shop in a week. I'll let you know.
 

Griffin

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Location
Franklin, TN, USA
#6
We bought a 23 st in October it’s at 3500 miles now, in the last 1000 miles we have heard a rattle at low speeds and when you hit bumps. It’s not consistently doing it. It doesn’t sound rough or like it’s damaging anything, but it’s a bit annoying. Anyone experienced this?
Just for the heck of it, check the under-carriage panels below the driver and front passenger seats. They cheaped out bad and these are only held on with clips in spots. They come loose and rattle bad over bumps. Just push them up and make sure they are attached directly to the underframe without play. If not, small bolts hang down where the clips are. Take the clips off and put large washers and nuts on each, inner and outer on both panels. Massively annoying if they are loose. Worth a shot cause my 2020 rattled like crazy until I found the problem and this fix worked good. Initially I thought the sound was coming from the front as well.
 

Imabot

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Location
Nebraska
Vehicle
2023 explorer st
#7
Just for the heck of it, check the under-carriage panels below the driver and front passenger seats. They cheaped out bad and these are only held on with clips in spots. They come loose and rattle bad over bumps. Just push them up and make sure they are attached directly to the underframe without play. If not, small bolts hang down where the clips are. Take the clips off and put large washers and nuts on each, inner and outer on both panels. Massively annoying if they are loose. Worth a shot cause my 2020 rattled like crazy until I found the problem and this fix worked good. Initially I thought the sound was coming from the front as well.
That's what I thought mine was at first. No missing clips here
 

bbbart

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Location
Chicago
Vehicle
Ford Explorer ST
#8
Would like to see the repair order information from the dealership for the sway bar replacement.
Would you post it or post the list of parts that were replaced.
Regards.
It was also the endlinks to the swaybar that needed replacing. It is a vague description on the mechanic's description.
 

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Location
New Jersey
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#9
I had a clunk also from R/F of my 23, strut and top bearing replaced. All good now
 

Imabot

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Location
Nebraska
Vehicle
2023 explorer st
#10
Mines been in the shop for a week now. They replaced my cv axle and sway bar links. It's still rattling so they had to buy a chassis stethoscope to try and diagnose where the noise is coming from. We've had some bad weather here that delayed the parts delivery.
 

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Location
Central Cal
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#11
Mine was the passenger side strut also.
 

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Location
SW Louisiana
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#12
Just got mine back today after putting it in for a passenger side clunking/rattle. Service rep said it was the strut top mount, but when I picked it up, she had 2 brand new struts with new top mounts and sway bar links. Only cost me $100 with the extended warranty.
He said they've had several come in lately with this problem and its not always the same thing causing it. I guess they used the shotgun approach to make sure mine was fixed the 1st time.
 

Jschmi13

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Location
Michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer Platinum
#13
Just got mine back today after putting it in for a passenger side clunking/rattle. Service rep said it was the strut top mount, but when I picked it up, she had 2 brand new struts with new top mounts and sway bar links. Only cost me $100 with the extended warranty.
He said they've had several come in lately with this problem and its not always the same thing causing it. I guess they used the shotgun approach to make sure mine was fixed the 1st time.
 

Jschmi13

New Member
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Location
Michigan
Vehicle
2023 Explorer Platinum
#14
I have a 23 Platinum purchased Dec of 23. I had the same sound over certain bumps at low speed, it started at 500 miles. It was a bad upper strut mount on the passenger side. I am now at 3000 miles and have the same noise, I suspect it’s the driver side strut mount. Only difference this time is that it is very apparent when vehicle is cold- under 55 F or has sat for a few days in the garage. Once hot it seems to go away. But it’s the exact same bobbling rattle sound over bumps at low speed. Taking to dealer soon.
 

Light

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Location
Alberta
Vehicle
2023 Explorer ST
#15
I had this problem from brand new on the passenger side on my 2023. They ended up replacing literally everything but did cure it. Seems it was multiple things causing it though as the first replacement of the sway bar links quieted it down but replacing the steering knuckle and strut fixed it for good.

Seems to be a trend with the problem existing on the passenger side though. Bad run of parts.
 

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Location
SW Louisiana
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#16
I had this problem from brand new on the passenger side on my 2023. They ended up replacing literally everything but did cure it. Seems it was multiple things causing it though as the first replacement of the sway bar links quieted it down but replacing the steering knuckle and strut fixed it for good.

Seems to be a trend with the problem existing on the passenger side though. Bad run of parts.
Seems to be more than a bad run given this is an issue on 2020 - 2023 models...
 

Messages
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Reactions
6
Points
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Location
San Francisco
Vehicle
2023 Ford Explorer ST
#17
2023 ford explorer st front passenger noise as well over bumps in the city. Sounds like ball joint or cv joint. Will bring into service soon.
 

23 Explorer ST

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Firefighter/EMT
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Location
NC
Vehicle
2023 Ford Explorer ST
#18
My 2023 is starting to do the same thing with clunking sound.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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