Ford - Explorer :: 2004 - Annoying Engine Rattle Most Noticeable At First Start
Jun 10, 2012
I own a 2004 Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition with 182,000 on the clock that has developed a very annoying engine rattle. The rattle started just shortly after having some service done on the truck. I had the P/S, Brake, Transmission and Rear diff fluids replaced. I also had the A/C system evacuated and recharged along with replacing the A/C manifold line and rack and pinion. The noise is most noticeable at first start and goes away when driving.
I took it to Ford and they said that the timing belt tensioners were bad so they were replaced, but the noise was still there. Then they replaced the serpentine belt tensioner and pulley, but again noise is still there. I refused to have Ford do any more work since I had already been charged almost $1500 for repairs and the problem was not fixed. They said the next thing would be the balance shaft or rebuild the engine. The truck runs fine, smooth and does not shake at idle. It just has this awful noise.
Here is a video of the noise : [URL] ......
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I'm posting for my brother who owns this Explorer 4.0 Valve rattle. As he went to lunch yesterday, he noticed his Explorer started running odd. Wanted to die a few times, lost power. He made it back to work fine, but on his way home it developed a harsh rattle from the top of the engine. While driving, he thought it was an exhaust leak. Got out of the vehicle when he got home and realized it was something worse.
When I made it to his house to look at it, the engine was still warm and the rattle was still there. Changed the oil with a Motorcraft filter (had a Fram on it before.) Started it and it sounded fine for about 20 seconds, then the rattle slowly came back. I've read a lot about the timing chain and tensioner issues, but not sure if this is it or not.
Most of those issues sounded RPM specific, where once this starts rattling, it's always rattling. It also seems to lack power and has a random misfire. I started and stopped it in 30 second intervals this morning and it got to the point where I would have to hold the accelerator to the floor in order for it to start. Where should I start?
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I have a 1997 explorer sport 4x4 4.0 sohc It has a real tuff time with cold starts sputters won't hold and idle sits at about 500 rpm once its warm its not as bad still has a low idle.
Also i have a constant engine rattle thinking left front cam tension-er
Also throwing and check engine light odb scan tool shows o2 sensor position two is bad
I was thinking intake gaskets and new tension-er is a good place to start.
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I have a 2001 F-150 Supercab with the V-6. This past weekend it developed some strange noise best described as a rattle or vibration that sounds like it is coming from under the driver's side dash possibly somewhere right behind the instrument cluster. May even sounds a little like a "grinding" noise - like two plastic gears not agreeing with each other, but I don't know of anything under there that could make that noise. I have opened the hood and listened from there with my wife pressing the gas to make the noise start, but can't hear anything from outside the truck.
It is not constant, but starts as soon as I give it a little gas, even before I put it in drive. It's a little worse when it is in drive. I have turned the air on and off, turned the steering wheel, pressed the brake, etc, and it doesn't appear to be related to anything obvious. I have stuck my hand under the dash and can't find anything obviously loose.
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I bought a 2010 Tiguan in April and have loved it, except for an annoying rattle in the dash. I took it to the dealer a few weeks ago and they couldn't find it. Took it back, they had it for two weeks - still couldn't find it, and ended up calling in Volkswagen engineering. Apparently, I have one of six cars that has this problem, VW is trying to find a fix. I picked up my car on Friday and realized that the bluetooth wasn't working and they'd put scratches on my dash. There were also grease marks on part of the plastic, and my gas light was on. Took it back yesterday, they fixed the bluetooth and put a small hole in my headliner in the process. I don't know what to do, the dealer said they would try to patch it, but it's right up front where I'll have to look at it all the time. I really want them to replace it, but at this point I'm worried what else they'll screw up.
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Noticed this shortly after taking delivery but now it's become worse. When I'm under hard throttle or on really grainy/old paved roads I can hear this rattle like there is no tomorrow. At first, I thought it was something plastic behind the speedo and I tried pressing/tapping and praying for this to go away haha.
I've come to realize it's coming from the dashboard where the VIN plate is attached.
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Ever since the weather has warmed up to open the pano roof, I've noticed it rattles terribly. It never did this before the winter.
It rattles even when I'm driving slow, and actually that's usually only when I can actually hear it because at higher speeds the rushing wind drowns it out.
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This noise is driving me crazy and i can't find out what's making it. When I go around a tight corner, I get a sound that sounds like a small metal ball rolling across thin metal. It almost sounds like what I imagine a ball bearing rolling around in an aluminum roasting pan would sound like.
It's coming from the general area of the driver's seat. It's not very loud, but loud enough that it's driving me nuts. Something is definitely rolling around somewhere, but where to start looking.
What it might be or where to start looking? I'm tempted to pull up the carpet and see if anything got under there, but I doubt there's enough room between the carpet and floorpan for something to roll around this freely.
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I have taken it to the dealership and they claim they can't hear anything and I'll have to wait for it to get worse. The noise emanates from the front left wheel well area. It is only heard at low speeds (under 20-25mph) on areas of semi-rough or undulating pavement. It sounds like a loose shock or something....
I've seen on other boards that there have been problems with other Lexus vehicles and the struts, upper and lower insulators, mounts and bump stops.
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My 06 f150 5.4 3v has developed this miss in the last 1000 miles which is very annoying and fuel consuming. Its most noticeable at idle where the engine quivers and at highway rpms where it will start to vibrate when being slightly worked. I have already changed the cops and plugs, and there are no codes coming up.
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Recently I have gotten a very loud and annoying rattle coming from my heat shield I think. I jacked the car up and tried to locate where the issue was but that wasn't successful. Do I need the heat shield by the muffler? And do you think it could be my cat rattling?
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I bought a 97 4.0 SOHC about 2 weeks ago with 85k miles on it. I noticed a slight rattle coming from the engine after I got home. I bought it from an individual who I don't think was aware of the problem. I did some investigating on FTE and talked to a friend who has a 98 that locked up at 40k with timing chain problems. After listening to the engine and reading posts I determined it was either the tensioner and the chain guides or both.
I took it to my local dealer to have them check it out. I told him I thought it was 1 or both of these problems. And was aware of the Owner Notification Programs for these issues. And that the tensioner ONP 00M12 was expired but not the guide ONP 01MO1. He said it sounds like the tensioner, and that 99% of the time that was the problem. I said go ahead and check it out, but while your in there could you look at the guides and replace them if they need it since they are covered. He said " They will look at them and replace them if the need it". They ended up just replacing the top tensioner.
I got the vehicle out the next day and 50% of the noise was gone, but a rattle persisted. I took it back and pointed this out, their mechanic said it sounded like it could be the catalytic converter. but they would have to listen more closely to determine where the sound was coming from. Of course my suspicion is and was the chain guides all along. So this morning he called me and said it is a timing chain area noise, but they don't think it is the guides they think it is the middle tensioner. Big surprise, they don't think it is the guides, so I said go ahead and spend 5.5 hrs of labor to tear it down and see what the problem is. He said if it turns out to be the guides it is covered under the ONP. But if its the bottom tensioner "bend over" actually he didn't say that last part, I was paraphrasing.
So here we are, grabbing my ankles waiting for word on the cause. I told him when they get it torn down I want to come down there and physically inspect the problem, he was fine with that. Here is my deal regardless of the problem, they should not have charged me for the original 5 hrs of labor to replace the top tensioner, if that did not fix the entire problem, they could have replaced that one when they reassembled the engine after checking out the guides. And not only that but why are they so resistant to say it is the guides, Ford is the one who foots the bill. Not only that but if it is the middle tensioner as well how do they know the guides are not contributing to the sound, and if so they should be covered and they should only charge me for the parts for the 2 tensioners.
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I have a 2005 Ford Explorer with a 4.0 SOHC while the engine is running the left side timing chain rattles. I replaced the timing chain and guides and tensioner, the engine has good oil pressure but the noise is still there.
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Grinding feeling, and noise from rear of 02 explorer xlt. only noticed when starting out from a full stop and turning. It feels like something is grabbing like the rear brakes. I purchased this suv of a local dealer lot, because it was so clean and on a short test run seamed fine.
The day after I picked it up I took it for a shakedown cruise to see if I noticed any problems. After going up a few forward grades I noticed a disturbing rattling noise coming from mid under carriage, and got very worried. I immediately took it to a local well revered mechanic. They eventually had it for 4 days in order to diagnose it. After the dealer had done the inspection on the car and passed it, that all rotors and pads needed to be replaced, left front wheel was locked up, inspection sticker month was never punched, both front tires were bad and either the flex plate or tork converter or both needed to be replaced. I took it back to the dealer with the report and he agreed to fix it with me paying for parts. He did and the rattle was gone !
Yet now I have noticed the problem mentioned at the beginning of this piece, plus the rear wiper does not work. I think I got taken for a ride, which may become a longer ride than I thought. All I want is a reliable car. what could that rear noise be ???
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have 2002 Explorer with 4.6l that stalled at a stop light and upon restart, there was noticeable ticking and a sucking sound. The exhaust regularly sucks your hand against the pipe. Ticking is from all around the engine. Exhaust smells like rotten eggs.
Son was driving and we just got it back to house so I do not know much more than that. Where to start to diagnose.
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For a long time my 2004 regular cab truck has a quirk that both the driver (and passenger if present) must click their seat belts before starting the truck. If not, the seat belt chime and light flash, even though the seat belt light is off when the alarm is not sounding.
Even if the truck is in park, and the passenger gets out of the truck and back again with the engine running, once in drive it will start the seat belt alarm with everybody properly buckled.
A few months ago I was driving to work and the airbag light started to flash.
I took the truck in for the air bag wiring harness recall, and the airbag light did not flash since then, and for a little while the seatbelt problem went away.
1 month later the seat belt quirk was back again.
This past weekend the 5x5 air bag alert started. I checked previous posts, and confirmed that my air bag light does not ever light on my dash. I don't remember if it ever came on once the recall was "fixed".
My gut feel is that the wiring to the light is fine, and that this is a wiring problem in the harness. I saw a post that made a vague reference to the air bag sensor under the center console and the seat belt circuit and could find no more.
Looking for a wiring diagram? If the airbag light is out, does the 5x5 alert supposed to indicate that the bulb is burned out, or that the bulb is out AND there is an airbag fault?
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Ok noticed this a few times recently. On the first start up of the day, sometimes it sounds like something "rattles" in the engine before it comes tight? This only happens when I first start the truck from sitting overnight, if I run to the store, or at lunch go out, etc, it starts normally. I did have one of the pulleys replaced this past summer, it was making a whining noise so maybe the new belt they installed is loose? I know it could be any number of things.
04 5.4 with about 87k miles...
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I have a 2004 F-150 5.4L V8 3v vin code 5. I'm a heavy equipment mechanic and know my way around engines. The longer I own this truck the worse the problem gets. I believe I've narrowed it down to the oil actuated timing chain tensioners. I get a really bad rattle with a shaking condition only after changing my oil. Other then that it runs perfectly. I'm guessing it's losing its prime and trying to build up oil pressure. Is there any way to hand prime those tensioners? Or should I just go ahead and replace the whole assembly?
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I just purchased a 2004 Explorer from a police auction. It had driver side damage but nothing major. When I try to start it it cranks but nothing else. I purchased a new battery, fuel filter, coil packs, spark plugs and installed all. But same thing it tries to fire up but stops short. A few times we sprayed starter fluid in it and it would start for about a second and a half and shut off..... I also listened for the fuel pump and I hear it coming on when I turn the key and checked the inertia switch...
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1994 Explorer V6 100,000 miles, it is getting fuel and spark. After driving for a short/long period the engine will turn over but won't start. If you floor the gas pedal it will fire up, with a small puff of black smoke out the exhaust. Fuel pressure regulator came first to mind, and has been replaced. Problem was cured for a few days, then it started again.
Next Idle Air Control solenoid. Replaced, with same results. Replaced EGR position sensor. This worked for a few weeks. Then starting issue came back. Then I was told to replace fuel pump relay. This was the last part replaced. It had been running great. Started warm without any issues for a week. But now I have a check engine light and hot start problem again.
If the gas is floored the truck will fire. If gas is not floored the engine keeps turning and turning. I am sure it is not a fuel pump problem, as there gas fumes and the tailpipe is black. Could it be Mass AIR FLOW ?
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My wife's 2004 Explorer Limited 4.6L (130,000 miles) is in the parking lot of a store right now because it won't start. She says it started a little slow (2-3 seconds) at the stop before, but it started, so she drove it to the next store. When she got out of that one it wouldn't start at all.
Once I got there I tried the key and got nothing, not even a click. All the interior electronics work, the info center in the dash says "Charging System OK" and the battery gauge reads fine. The battery cables are corroded, a problem it's always had, but it's apparently making a good connection.
I'm thinking either fuse/relay or starter at this point but I thought I'd check . Ever since I borrowed a Ford van from a friend I've doubted my diagnosis skills on the newer vehicles since most of my knowledge is pre-2000. The van ran fine, I went into a store and when I came back it would start but wouldn't go into gear. After an hour of diagnosis I learned that the fuse for the brake lights went out and when that happens it locks the shifter so you can't drive it like that. How to diagnose starter?
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