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2021 ST rattling bulking noice going over small bumps!

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#1
Taking my brand new ST with 509 miles to the dealer on Thursday with rattling noise coming from front of the car going over small bumps at low speeds. Sucks! Never had this issue with any of my new cars before. It seems it’s a problem with these trucks. Any one experience same issue?


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Bunker Hill, WV, USA
#2
Could check the basics...sway bar ling, exhaust hanger....but since a few have had blown out shocks/struts already, I would check strut tops too.
 

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Houston, TX, USA
#3
Nope its a design "feature" numerous people have taken theirs in including me and not a single dealer has zeroed in on the source. Ford started telling dealers its normal.....
 

OP
M
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Thread Starter #4
Taking mine on on October 6 let’s see what they say


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TechGeek

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Bronxville, NY, USA
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2022 Explorer SL
#5
Taking my brand new ST with 509 miles to the dealer on Thursday with rattling noise coming from front of the car going over small bumps at low speeds. Sucks! Never had this issue with any of my new cars before. It seems it’s a problem with these trucks. Any one experience same issue?


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My boyfriend had the same issue with his new 2022 ST. He didn't notice it until he got back to his inner-city neighborhood where there are a lot of bumps in the road. He took it back to the dealer to fix it and they told him its normal. He is a mechanic and would not take that as an answer, especially since the car was 60k. He had to get a manager and argue with them to get them to even look at it. He was worried something might be loose and fall off! He left it there for a few days, they said they changed some parts and it should be fixed. It wasn't. He called a lemon lawyer. The lawyer said he is a good candidate for the lemon law. The law states you have to give the dealer 3x's to fix it. He did that, bringing it in 3 times for service. Each time they believed it fix, however it was not. His lawyer sued for lemon law. You sue Ford and not the dealer. They settled on him keeping the car and Ford paid him back $5000 in damages. It all went rather quickly, he already received the check. He ended up changing the ball joints and the struts for $200 and that fixed the issue!
 

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Maryland
#6
He ended up changing the ball joints and the struts for $200 and that fixed the issue!
need to know more! Did he use aftermarket parts? If I’m not mistaken, the ball joints are integrated into the lower control arms. So he would of had to replace the whole arm. $200 is awfully cheap to replace any of those parts
 

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Oregon
#7
Not to highjack, but this seems to be the right place. My new 2022 has a loud rattle when the RPM’s are right under 1000, such as when I come to a stop. It sounds like a door panel or something is rattling. It’s a metal in metal sound. Anyone else experience this?
 

CareerFiremanGuy

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#8

BarCode

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Savannah, GA, USA
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2020 Platinum
#9
My boyfriend had the same issue with his new 2022 ST. He didn't notice it until he got back to his inner-city neighborhood where there are a lot of bumps in the road. He took it back to the dealer to fix it and they told him its normal. He is a mechanic and would not take that as an answer, especially since the car was 60k. He had to get a manager and argue with them to get them to even look at it. He was worried something might be loose and fall off! He left it there for a few days, they said they changed some parts and it should be fixed. It wasn't. He called a lemon lawyer. The lawyer said he is a good candidate for the lemon law. The law states you have to give the dealer 3x's to fix it. He did that, bringing it in 3 times for service. Each time they believed it fix, however it was not. His lawyer sued for lemon law. You sue Ford and not the dealer. They settled on him keeping the car and Ford paid him back $5000 in damages. It all went rather quickly, he already received the check. He ended up changing the ball joints and the struts for $200 and that fixed the issue!
Apparently, this has been happening since 2020. I have a 20 Platinum and started to complain after 2k miles on the car. Dealer had it for 4 weeks. Said they put ears on the chassis and could not find where the noise was originating from. Started the process of a buy back but was not approved. I test drove a 2021 Platinum, same noise. This noise is only on the AWD models and obviously coming from the sub chassis. Anyone had this issue fixed ??
 

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Location
Lancaster, NY, USA
Vehicle
2021 Explorer Platinum
#10
Apparently, this has been happening since 2020. I have a 20 Platinum and started to complain after 2k miles on the car. Dealer had it for 4 weeks. Said they put ears on the chassis and could not find where the noise was originating from. Started the process of a buy back but was not approved. I test drove a 2021 Platinum, same noise. This noise is only on the AWD models and obviously coming from the sub chassis. Anyone had this issue fixed ??
I have the same noises in my Platinum AWD built in September 2021. Dealer acknowledged my concerns and filed a report with Ford but was not able to remedy.
I switched to an 18" wheel (Enkei XM-6) with Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 tires (265/65R18) and it's significantly quieter and no more tire slapping on tar strips. The OEM 21" wheels and 45 series were unbelievably noisy on my Explorer and roadway tar strips were the worst. Hope this helps.
Enkie.jpeg
 

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Maryland
#11
So here’s a glimmer of hope- I drove a 2020 ST the other day that did not have the noise!
I have driven dozens of 2020-2022 explorers (all trim levels) being that I am a technician at a dealership. I also own a 2020 Platinum that has made this horrid noise since it rolled off the lot with 7 miles. I immediately picked up on it after driving it for a couple of days.

Anyway, I am constantly driving these things at work, always taking notice of the noise and every single platinum or ST regardless of the model year has sounded the same. I constantly check TSB’s hoping Ford will release a fix… still nothing to date. We acquired a 2020 ST with 46k mikes from a local auction for the used car lot that needed a state inspection (which is what I do) and I couldn’t believe my ears when the noise was absent on the road test! I thought holy shit, hopefully I can find where some struts/shocks, or something had recently been replaced. Popped the hood- could easily tell that the upper strut tower bolts and strut tower brace bolts had been wrenched on at some point, pulled the warranty history- and discovered the long block had literally just been replaced 25 miles ago at a neighboring dealer. So from what I’ve gathered, in the process of removing the front subframe and engine/trans- somewhere during reassembly something must have been tweaked just right or tightened down more than it was from the factory to rid this truck of this awful noise! Sorry for the long read- but I’m now hopeful that someone will finally be able to pinpoint where this shit is coming from.
 

CareerFiremanGuy

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#12
The worse thing to come out of your post was that an ST with 46k needed a new long block. :oops::unsure:
 

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#13
Yeah, we have seen a few engine failures at way way lower miles than that on these things already sadly, this one had notes in the history about being towed in for no crank no start, engine locked up. #3 piston broke for whatever reason and destroyed everything. I hate to say it but these trucks are getting to be laughable at this point with the build quality. It really is a shame
 

CareerFiremanGuy

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#14
Seeing the one you wrote about was a '20, I'm hoping '22's are in the clear for that.
 

hbalek

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#15
Yeah, we have seen a few engine failures at way way lower miles than that on these things already sadly, this one had notes in the history about being towed in for no crank no start, engine locked up. #3 piston broke for whatever reason and destroyed everything. I hate to say it but these trucks are getting to be laughable at this point with the build quality. It really is a shame
Makes me not want to give back my 2019 Edge ST loaner! I am seriously considering trading for a low mileage certified pre-owned Edge ST! I've already had a clutch, fuel pump, rear glass and battery replaced in 2 years and 25,000 miles. I also have the exhaust noise and leak problem which is getting worse. The driver's seat also rattles and creaks intermittently getting worse.
 

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#16
Seeing the one you wrote about was a '20, I'm hoping '22's are in the clear for that.
not to bum you out, but about 3 weeks ago I ran a 22 around the parking lot after it was PDI’d the day it came off the transporter, and I heard the noise within 20 seconds of driving it I also heard the brake pedal noise a lot of people with 21’s have complained about
 

CareerFiremanGuy

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#17
not to bum you out, but about 3 weeks ago I ran a 22 around the parking lot after it was PDI’d the day it came off the transporter, and I heard the noise within 20 seconds of driving it I also heard the brake pedal noise a lot of people with 21’s have complained about
I was talking about the blown engine, but if you mean the rattling issue, yes, I reported hearing that shortly after getting mine.

I posted here about a Ford Tech fixing the flex pipe on a '20 model because of the rattling, and he said it was happening on '22's as well.

I'll wait a bit (only have 1,000 miles on it) before I take it in for that, or maybe until my first oil change. At this point, it's intermittent.
 

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#18
My 2022 rattles. I plan to replace all the exhaust from the turbos back tho.
 

CareerFiremanGuy

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#19
My 2022 rattles. I plan to replace all the exhaust from the turbos back tho.
Thanks for the info, I thought maybe I was the only one with a '22 that did it.
 

hbalek

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#20
This sad... I bought mine 6 months after production had started and thought I would be ok too. They need to do a major refresh inside out and underneath it seems for next year to get all these issues addressed. I wonder if the team that came up with this mess is still employed!
 



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