Whirring, Drive Train Noise

[JT58Bronc]

Had my Bronco at the dealership last week and they could not find it. I believe they tried, and the service rep did offer that I could bring it back with little notice. I plan to call him tomorrow to set up a road test and have a floor jack ready.

It is tough to hear under most circumstances but that still doesn't make it right. Not so much that it's a squeak as that there is some undue friction in the front drivetrain. I now think you can't let it cool more than a few minutes or it becomes a very weak sound.

I will go back and insist they have a floor jack ready so they can jack it up when it is hot. The noise is pretty severe and sounds like a bad bearing or something is not completely disengaging.

Attached is the noise I am experiencing. Is yours this bad?

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[Ford Motor Company]

Had my Bronco at the dealership last week and they could not find it. I believe they tried, and the service rep did offer that I could bring it back with little notice. I plan to call him tomorrow to set up a road test and have a floor jack ready.

It is tough to hear under most circumstances but that still doesn't make it right. Not so much that it's a squeak as that there is some undue friction in the front drivetrain. I now think you can't let it cool more than a few minutes or it becomes a very weak sound.

Hi there! Would you send us a private message with your VIN and dealership name and location? I’d like to look into this concern on my end.

 

[JT58Bronc]

Update-

I finally brought my Bronco in for the noise last week. I had them get a jack and jack it up when the vehicle was hot. The noise was loud and clear. The SM was great, said he would contact Ford, do some investigating, etc. We also jacked up another Bronco on the lot and it did not do the noise. I had the other "part time" system though where the front drive shaft does not turn all of the time, so no noise. They kept the Bronco over the weekend and I got an E Mail that parts ordered a driveshaft part number FOMB3Z-4A376-U and it came in. I have not heard back from the dealer but suspecting the driveshaft- same diagnosis as SuperFord most likely. See what happens when they give me an update this week.

 

[0ne]

Update-

I finally brought my Bronco in for the noise last week. I had them get a jack and jack it up when the vehicle was hot. The noise was loud and clear. The SM was great, said he would contact Ford, do some investigating, etc. We also jacked up another Bronco on the lot and it did not do the noise. I had the other "part time" system though where the front drive shaft does not turn all of the time, so no noise. They kept the Bronco over the weekend and I got an E Mail that parts ordered a driveshaft part number FOMB3Z-4A376-U and it came in. I have not heard back from the dealer but suspecting the driveshaft- same diagnosis as SuperFord most likely. See what happens when they give me an update this week.

Can you double check that part number please and thank you!

 

[Ducati1098]

Can you double check that part number please and thank you!

MB3Z-4A376-U is the correct part number.

 

[JT58Bronc]

OK another update.....

I picked up my Bronco last week, the day just before Hurricane Ian hit. It was a massive hurricane that unless you live here would not realize the extensive damage.

Anyway, the dealer replaced the front driveshaft. BUT- the service manager said it will most likely fail again and keep failing every 1500 miles or so unless Ford does something about it. According to him the Driveshaft is not actually failing- the grease inside the CV joint nearest the transfer case is getting "cooked" as it is too close proximity to the exhaust. The grease bakes to the CV joint over time and is causing the horrible noise. The Service Manager said if it happens again just keep brining it in and they will keep replacing the Driveshaft. he feels that it needs a heatshield or something to deflect or keep heat away from the CV joint.

Those of you without the advanced 4WD system do not have the front driveshaft turning all of the time and most likely will not hear it on paved roads. And off road there will be too many noises that you may not ever hear it. Will the Driveshaft ultimately fail due to the heat who knows.

I want to ask anyone else that has has their front driveshaft replaced- has it made the same noise since? SuperFord?

In the meantime since I am handy, I have fabricated a heatshield. I made it out of vent pipe- I cut a section and formed it around the drive shaft CV joint mounting it in 2 locations. I have the cardboard template if anyone is interested. Perhaps Header Wrap may help as well?

Anyone else let me know your thoughts. Is the heat really frying the CV joint grease, or was the Driveshaft defective in another way? Those of you with more miles or without the advanced 4WD system can you find a way to engage and rotate the driveshaft and see if it makes this noise?

Thanks for any help- I would like to get to the root cause of the noise.

 

[0ne]

Drive fast with windows closed?

 

[Dingbat]

OK another update.....

I picked up my Bronco last week, the day just before Hurricane Ian hit. It was a massive hurricane that unless you live here would not realize the extensive damage.

Anyway, the dealer replaced the front driveshaft. BUT- the service manager said it will most likely fail again and keep failing every 1500 miles or so unless Ford does something about it. According to him the Driveshaft is not actually failing- the grease inside the CV joint nearest the transfer case is getting "cooked" as it is too close proximity to the exhaust. The grease bakes to the CV joint over time and is causing the horrible noise. The Service Manager said if it happens again just keep brining it in and they will keep replacing the Driveshaft. he feels that it needs a heatshield or something to deflect or keep heat away from the CV joint.

Those of you without the advanced 4WD system do not have the front driveshaft turning all of the time and most likely will not hear it on paved roads. And off road there will be too many noises that you may not ever hear it. Will the Driveshaft ultimately fail due to the heat who knows.

I want to ask anyone else that has has their front driveshaft replaced- has it made the same noise since? SuperFord?

In the meantime since I am handy, I have fabricated a heatshield. I made it out of vent pipe- I cut a section and formed it around the drive shaft CV joint mounting it in 2 locations. I have the cardboard template if anyone is interested. Perhaps Header Wrap may help as well?

Anyone else let me know your thoughts. Is the heat really frying the CV joint grease, or was the Driveshaft defective in another way? Those of you with more miles or without the advanced 4WD system can you find a way to engage and rotate the driveshaft and see if it makes this noise?

Thanks for any help- I would like to get to the root cause of the noise.

Would love to see photos of this if you have any.

 

[Boxer4]

OK another update.....

I picked up my Bronco last week, the day just before Hurricane Ian hit. It was a massive hurricane that unless you live here would not realize the extensive damage.

Anyway, the dealer replaced the front driveshaft. BUT- the service manager said it will most likely fail again and keep failing every 1500 miles or so unless Ford does something about it. According to him the Driveshaft is not actually failing- the grease inside the CV joint nearest the transfer case is getting "cooked" as it is too close proximity to the exhaust. The grease bakes to the CV joint over time and is causing the horrible noise. The Service Manager said if it happens again just keep brining it in and they will keep replacing the Driveshaft. he feels that it needs a heatshield or something to deflect or keep heat away from the CV joint.

Those of you without the advanced 4WD system do not have the front driveshaft turning all of the time and most likely will not hear it on paved roads. And off road there will be too many noises that you may not ever hear it. Will the Driveshaft ultimately fail due to the heat who knows.

I want to ask anyone else that has has their front driveshaft replaced- has it made the same noise since? SuperFord?

In the meantime since I am handy, I have fabricated a heatshield. I made it out of vent pipe- I cut a section and formed it around the drive shaft CV joint mounting it in 2 locations. I have the cardboard template if anyone is interested. Perhaps Header Wrap may help as well?

Anyone else let me know your thoughts. Is the heat really frying the CV joint grease, or was the Driveshaft defective in another way? Those of you with more miles or without the advanced 4WD system can you find a way to engage and rotate the driveshaft and see if it makes this noise?

Thanks for any help- I would like to get to the root cause of the noise.

Wonder if this puts stress on the transfer case

 

[10K_Vet]

They make a high temp grease.
Heavy Duty High Temperature & High Pressure Grease | WD-40 (wd40.com)

 

[JT58Bronc]

Wonder if this puts stress on the transfer case

I don't think so. I do not think there is anymore resistance while making the noise either. The front wheels still rotate easily while making the noise.

Maybe it is not an issue further up north where it is cooler. It is 90's plus most of the year in FL where I live. So maybe this also could be isolated to hot states and only those with the advanced 4WD system?

And many of you may not hear it with the windows up, stereo cranked, etc?

 

[southwest270]

I have a similar noise, the dealer is mystified. Bronco has been there almost two weeks and they cannot solve issue. Driving rental corolla instead of Bronco. Starting to get very irritated

 

[JT58Bronc]

I have a similar noise, the dealer is mystified. Bronco has been there almost two weeks and they cannot solve issue. Driving rental corolla instead of Bronco. Starting to get very irritated

Do you have the advanced 4WD system where the front driveshaft turns all of the time? If you do, it's easy to prove the noise- drive it for at least 20 minutes to get it hot, jack up the front end, rotate the tires and you will hear the noise very clear from the rear CV joint of the Driveshaft. I had to do this with the Service Manager present before he could hear the noise. (If yours is doing the same noise).

There is a recall for the front Driveshaft for CV Boots making noise and failing but it's for 2021 specific model years. Mine is an early 2022 and I wonder if it by chance it got one of those Driveshafts. Maybe yours did too?

 

[southwest270]

Yes i have advanced 4x4 and I bet we did get that driveshaft. Thanks for heads up. Mine makes noise either hot or cold.

Thanks for heads up

 

[southwest270]

Bronco Saga Continues, Bronco has been at dealership 3 weeks. Bronco has been bounced around from driveline tech, to suspension tech and now back to driveline tech.

Service Director has acknowledged the noise and sent me an update that "they are in contact with Ford engineering to solve the problem - we think the front locking hubs are the culprit"

I have open front diff .

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