Front end clunk/rattle

[haoleboi808]

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]

Welcome to the forum. I have a 2020 and haven't experienced that problem Sorry I couldn't help.

 

[bbbart]

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 end links. I had the same "clunking" and rattling and the tech had to replace the them.

 

[Imabot]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[devilsfan72]

I had a clunk also from R/F of my 23, strut and top bearing replaced. All good now

 

[Imabot]

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.

 

[JCR ST]

Mine was the passenger side strut also.

 

[banniar]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[banniar]

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...

 

[dalethewhale]

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]

My 2023 is starting to do the same thing with clunking sound.


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[22SporTsploder]

I'm hearing it on my new to me '22 with 43k miles on it. I'll be taking mine in to before I get my eibach springs.

 

[F=MA]

There is a service bulletin about defective front struts on certain 2023 Explorers. I replaced my front strut mounts and struts, rear shocks and all end links, front and back, as well as all fasteners at 2000 miles on my own dime and had them installed by the dealer as part of installing H&R lowering springs. That fixed the low speed clunking and its never came back in 6000 additional miles. This was before the SSM came out.

 

[23 Explorer ST]

There is a service bulletin about defective front struts on certain 2023 Explorers. I replaced my front struts, rear shocks and all end links and hardware at 2000 miles on my own dime and had them installed as part of installing H&R lowering springs. That fixed the low speed clunking and its never came back in 6000 additional miles. This was before the SSM came out.

View attachment 26415

Mine was built 11/23 and is not included in the service bulletin you posted but it definitely has a clunking noise at low speeds. Only 9,000 miles on mine.
I guess I’ll have to schedule it soon.


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