Hello all, I have a 3.5 EB, HR - my van has a vibration and humming noise that we can not seem to locate. The vibration seems constant and can be felt even at idle when in gear, the noise appears most evident at speeds of 65-95 km, and frequency changes with speed We have balanced tires, tried a new set of tires, nothing changed. I drove another Transit on dealers lot it actually did the same thing. Does anyone else have this issue? The noise is more annoying then the vibration it really sounds like a bad belt in tire but it is not as we tested for that. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Vibration-Huming noise
Ahoelk
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FYI,
The ungraded Damper is only part of the U-Joint fix to replace the Flex coupling. The Temp fix where the Flex coupling is just replaced does not list the upgraded Damper to be changed.
This is an interesting read for sure. It was were I was getting some part numbers for the fix. After reading it over again Im a bit confused. They talk about a PERMANENT FIX for the flex joint. But they are giving everyone with sold units temporary fixes until a permanent fix is available, like one doesn't exists. Front Driveshaft Section, Bolt and Flange Kit, Pinion Nose Damper Kit and Universal Joint Kit all part of the permanent fix. Otherwise you just get a new flex coupling every 30,000 miles.
there is not much else left to say other then you are setting yourself up for failure because ford has repeatedly said the final fix will not be ready until sometime next year for current transit owners. if they are doing anything more to your vehicle now other then replacing the giubo, i would run because your transit has become a research and test vehicle for an early version of the final fix.
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The new Transits are already getting the final fix.
Ford is delaying the final fix to reduce profit/loss per share
impact. Federal agency would have to sign off on the temp fix as well.
Ford is delaying the final fix to reduce profit/loss per share
impact. Federal agency would have to sign off on the temp fix as well.
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I'm unhappy to report that our brand-new Transit 350 Wagon has the drive shaft noise. I diagnosed it during the drive home today from the dealership - 45-60 mph, where the key is that it becomes worse when off-throttle. I'd characterize it as more of a "booming" sound. But nonetheless I knew what the problem was even before reading this thread. As a retired engineer my first thought is they went to a giubo nose coupling originally as a means to compensate for slight shaft imbalances, then unfortunately were burned on poor longevity of the rubber. As a new vehicle, ours has the universal and damper (I looked!).
I didn't read this entire thread yet - it's a novel - but has anybody discerned if the problem is worse with LWB? I would expect it to be.
I need to make the decision whether to get Ford involved or just live with it; my wife hasn't noticed it and I'm not going to tell her! It's a damnsight quieter and so much more comfortable than the box truck it replaced, so I would suppose it's all relative.
I didn't read this entire thread yet - it's a novel - but has anybody discerned if the problem is worse with LWB? I would expect it to be.
I need to make the decision whether to get Ford involved or just live with it; my wife hasn't noticed it and I'm not going to tell her! It's a damnsight quieter and so much more comfortable than the box truck it replaced, so I would suppose it's all relative.
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I like your philosophy. I also admire your discipline in keeping it to yourself so your spouse can enjoy the ride.
I sometimes wish I had taken the "it is what it is" philosophy a little sooner than I did. The Transit certainly has enough likeable attributes to compensate for the drone, which only really annoys me in sustained driving at 55-60 mph.
I would still bring it up with Ford though.
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Well yes, the Drone is an ear sore but all the other features make the Transit a winner!!! I wanted a navigation DDIN with upgraded audio and have installed it since hearing the drone tune buying my van in 12-16.
I love to turn up the streaming audio on the road hearing Pink Floyd drone in Dark side of the Moon "Money" instead of the Ford Drone version on channel Ford. LoL!
that is what i have thought from the beginning: ford chose a giubo over an traditional driveshaft because of drive train noise transfer to the unibody. (the engine/transmission already has oversized rubber motor mounts.) at least a few on this forum are thinking or planning on keeping the guibo's, myself will probably be one of them.
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After another day with it on the road, I have decided the driveline booming is something we can most certainly live with. My wife said the van is even quieter than our daily driver SUV, and she appreciates that. So like I said, it's all relative. We're good.
I am new and just researching this problem. We have a 2016 250 Ecoboost and it has the drone noise. We have had it in and out of the shop looking at tires. The last time the dealer said it was the transmission. I don't know that much about engines, but my transit shift quite nicely. I just told them I wasn't replacing it that we needed to look at something else. It sounds like there are quite a few of us. I did talk to Ford but they just sent me back an email saying there is nothing they could do. Well, they haven't heard the last of mine voice. My family had a Ford dealership for 80 years. I know my father would be working them hard to find out what is wrong.
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Update on my rig.
90% there. Or IMO close enough for now.
The dealer has installed the final fix on the drivetrain. They also replaced the pinion gears which were showing some unusual wear.
The droning noise is still present but considerably less. Still presents itself at 1500 rpm but in a much narrower speed range than before and seems to be most evident while coasting whereas before, it was doing under power. At this point, I have to have the vehicle on hand for use and frankly, the drone has been reduced to the point that if it wasn't so prevalent earlier I probably wouldn't be so sensitive to it now and likely hardly notice it. If I was running a diesel engine, I probably wouldn't even notice it.
The dealer and the engineers still can't seem to ascertain the exact cause of the issue.
I'm in the process of assembling the back end for use in winter. Part of this involves using the cage as a means of sealing off the driving compartment from the cargo area in the interest of making the most of the heat up front. I don't need/want heat in the back. I've installed Lexan panes over the cage grids and that has already quieted the remaining drone further.
The van is really a joy to drive now. Hopefully, whatever the issue is, it doesn't develop into something larger down the line. But for now, it's a lot better than it was before so I think we can safely say that the driveshaft, though maybe not the entire issue, is a considerable part of it.
90% there. Or IMO close enough for now.
The dealer has installed the final fix on the drivetrain. They also replaced the pinion gears which were showing some unusual wear.
The droning noise is still present but considerably less. Still presents itself at 1500 rpm but in a much narrower speed range than before and seems to be most evident while coasting whereas before, it was doing under power. At this point, I have to have the vehicle on hand for use and frankly, the drone has been reduced to the point that if it wasn't so prevalent earlier I probably wouldn't be so sensitive to it now and likely hardly notice it. If I was running a diesel engine, I probably wouldn't even notice it.
The dealer and the engineers still can't seem to ascertain the exact cause of the issue.
I'm in the process of assembling the back end for use in winter. Part of this involves using the cage as a means of sealing off the driving compartment from the cargo area in the interest of making the most of the heat up front. I don't need/want heat in the back. I've installed Lexan panes over the cage grids and that has already quieted the remaining drone further.
The van is really a joy to drive now. Hopefully, whatever the issue is, it doesn't develop into something larger down the line. But for now, it's a lot better than it was before so I think we can safely say that the driveshaft, though maybe not the entire issue, is a considerable part of it.
Eastside Bike - Can you please tell us all that was done? I have been reading this thread and was trying to follow. It kind of jumps around and for us car novices it is hard to follow. I would like to take that into my dealer and show them. This way we aren't wasting a bunch of time. I just want to make sure that driving this van with the vibration/hum that it does not hurt the transmission. All of you it seems have put in a huge amount of time and effort on this project. I thank you!
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My posts start on Page 19 with my description of the issue my van was having. It's safe to say there is some confusion in regards to what some people are experiencing and what I was. And to what extent. But I tried to lay out a timeline in my post of what was done with my rig and the results (or lack thereof). There was some assumption that the issue was with the drive shaft assembly which as you know has been recalled. Again this was an assumption and given that the sound is still evident to some extent, the drive shaft issue only accentuates the problem but is not likely the core of the issue.
In the effort to resolve the "Droning" problem we initially had the guibo replaced under the recall temporary fix. Mind you this was just over 700 miles, not the 30,00 recommended. It was as much a troubleshooting measure as a recall issue. Eventually, the dealer got a Ford engineer involved. The engineer had the, take apart the back end and inspect the gears and bearings. The pinion bearings had accessive and uneven wear and were replaced. The drone issue remained afterward which tells me the pinion bearing wear was a byproduct of another issue yet discovered. My feeling is the driveshaft issue caused the wear on the pinion bearings. Which I wonder if they bother to inspect when they perform the final fix. If not, you may get the final fix only to have pinion issues down the road.
Eventually, they managed to get the "permanent fix" components for the drive shaft. They have been installed and the drone is considerably better. Probably 80-90 percent. Quiet enough that if it was that way originally, I probably wouldn't have been concerned. AT this point they have no idea what causes the drone. And I have run out of time and must have the vehicle for work. They feel it is not a safety concern and really the vehicle feels great.
In regard to expediting any efforts on the dealer's part, it will depend vastly on your dealer. Our dealer was a complete catastrophe to deal with. Timing is everything and this dealer was falling apart at the time we purchased the van. The salesman who sold it to us left the company. The Manager was demoted. A general manager took over that position and was putting out fires left and right. He was completely unaware of our situation until I tracked him down and spent an 1.5hr explaining the timeline. The communication between the people taking in the work and those doing it was completely useless. Nothing I would explain was passed on to the techs. So a lot of time was spent chasing down issues that weren't there and not chasing down the ones that were. Literally, months were wasted and nothing really got on track until my talk with the GM.
If you have a solid dealer, maybe you will have better luck.
In the effort to resolve the "Droning" problem we initially had the guibo replaced under the recall temporary fix. Mind you this was just over 700 miles, not the 30,00 recommended. It was as much a troubleshooting measure as a recall issue. Eventually, the dealer got a Ford engineer involved. The engineer had the, take apart the back end and inspect the gears and bearings. The pinion bearings had accessive and uneven wear and were replaced. The drone issue remained afterward which tells me the pinion bearing wear was a byproduct of another issue yet discovered. My feeling is the driveshaft issue caused the wear on the pinion bearings. Which I wonder if they bother to inspect when they perform the final fix. If not, you may get the final fix only to have pinion issues down the road.
Eventually, they managed to get the "permanent fix" components for the drive shaft. They have been installed and the drone is considerably better. Probably 80-90 percent. Quiet enough that if it was that way originally, I probably wouldn't have been concerned. AT this point they have no idea what causes the drone. And I have run out of time and must have the vehicle for work. They feel it is not a safety concern and really the vehicle feels great.
In regard to expediting any efforts on the dealer's part, it will depend vastly on your dealer. Our dealer was a complete catastrophe to deal with. Timing is everything and this dealer was falling apart at the time we purchased the van. The salesman who sold it to us left the company. The Manager was demoted. A general manager took over that position and was putting out fires left and right. He was completely unaware of our situation until I tracked him down and spent an 1.5hr explaining the timeline. The communication between the people taking in the work and those doing it was completely useless. Nothing I would explain was passed on to the techs. So a lot of time was spent chasing down issues that weren't there and not chasing down the ones that were. Literally, months were wasted and nothing really got on track until my talk with the GM.
If you have a solid dealer, maybe you will have better luck.
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Why don't other Ford dealerships work as hard? Dealerships get paid for warranty work. Maybe not as much for out of warranty work but if a dealership fights for you, you are more apt to be a return customer to Ford and them.
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Why should you have to live with it? When you bought the van were you aware of the driveline booming? I bought a long and tall Transit knowing that the wheelbase was shorter than ideal for my operation. THAT is something I knew I could live with and work around. Not some obscure defect that wasn't apparent until after the purchase.
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After reading what folks have gone through trying to resolve this I have come to the conclusion that the cure is worse than the disease. Not to mention I have zero confidence with dealership service departments wrenching anything and putting it back together correctly, with all fasteners intact. Outright failures, yes, are on their dime, but I don't want them chasing perceptions, or even worse, trying to address design issues with field fixes.
It doesn't bother me any more, almost being part of its charm at this point. Wife still hasn't noticed. When you consider what ours replaced (a 20-year-old box truck), mild booming or no, it is a luxury limousine by comparison, please pass the champagne. Trust me, we'll live with it.
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My extensive exposure to Transit service issues backs up your conclusion 100%.
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Absolutely. My van, for example, wasn't built exactly as I would want it. But I can work on certain things and adapt. I'm okay with that. In regards to the drone, however, dealer initially kept blowing me off under the assumption that I was simply complaining about the inherent noise of an empty unibody vehicle. Which was not at all the case. It was not something I was willing or able to work around. The level of noise that was being produced was not within the bounds of what would be considered reasonable or acceptable. (Especially for a brand new vehicle.) And was, in fact, intolerable for any length of time.
Everything is relative or subjective. Maybe some people can tolerate some sounds that make it impossible for others to think straight. My van currently still has the noise but it has been greatly reduced to the point that I feel I can use it. Since none of us really know to what level they are experiencing this droning issue relative to others, I think it's safe to say that one's willingness to simply live with it, does not mean that they are living with the same thing as someone who is/was unwilling to.
At this time I've made changes to the driver area and cage. While driving with the cage closed I can only hear any hint of the drone if I listen closely and try to induce it. Compared to other cargo van and box trucks, this thing is amazingly comfortable, now. I really enjoy driving it. And for the first time since purchasing this van in June, I feel like it's actually mine.
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I just picked up my 2nd 2017 Ford Transit 150 XLT commuter van, and it is making the exact same noise as my previous new 2017 Ford Transit. I sent this entire thread to San Tan Ford Fleet Services in Gilbert, AZ., and cc'd the Enterprise Holdings, Inc., folks who manage the vanpool program for Valley Metro here in Arizona.
There is clearly, IMO, an engineering flaw in the driveshaft/drivetrain of this vehicle, and I am curious what Ford will do about it.
It is an unacceptable and annoying flaw that is very difficult to ignore. All of my passengers can hear it as well.
There is clearly, IMO, an engineering flaw in the driveshaft/drivetrain of this vehicle, and I am curious what Ford will do about it.
It is an unacceptable and annoying flaw that is very difficult to ignore. All of my passengers can hear it as well.
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With this issue raised again, I will ask the group this question: has anybody taken their Transit to a performance-tuning shop and had the driveshaft precision balanced on a dynamic balancer? I would be happy to do it... but living out in the sticks we have nobody in the area who does that sort of thing.
It remains my impression given normal variances in manufacturing we are dealing with a microscopic balance problem creating harmonic issues, an imbalance so small it's not going to show-up in a normal static balance procedure. The physics of a long and heavy rotating body get complicated really fast.
<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @BrianK*1954 <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , thank you for confirming the problem with your 150 Wagons. I was looking for data on whether it was unique to the long wheelbase, evidently it is not. At what speed range do you observe the problem?
It remains my impression given normal variances in manufacturing we are dealing with a microscopic balance problem creating harmonic issues, an imbalance so small it's not going to show-up in a normal static balance procedure. The physics of a long and heavy rotating body get complicated really fast.
<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> @BrianK*1954 <!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> , thank you for confirming the problem with your 150 Wagons. I was looking for data on whether it was unique to the long wheelbase, evidently it is not. At what speed range do you observe the problem?
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