Humming / Slight Vibration @ 45-48ish or Higher

[Griddlez]

Making a thread to track and log this issue and take advice by anyone that has it.

Started noticing after 3500ish miles a low, consistent humming like noise coming from the passenger side front wheel area anytime the truck would go above about 45 to 48 and would keep on making the noise no matter how fast you went, about the same amount of noise on up. There may also be a slight vibration I'm feeling in the throttle but I am not 100% sure if that was always there or not. The sound is not crazy loud and if I hadn't driven the truck for 3500 miles I would have thought it may be normal honestly. It certainly wasn't there before.

Figured there was a balancing issue. Took the truck in and got the tires balanced and rotated. Still noticed the same noise, maybe even worse now.

Took the truck into the dealer to have them look it over. They thought it might be a wheel bearing since the wheels were just balanced and rotated and there was still noise. They said they hooked it up to check for code / issues with the bearing. Apparently that's a thing? Nothing came of that.

I took them out for a test drive to get them to hear the sound and they did indeed. Their thought now is it may just be wind (lol), maybe it is the active air dam causing the noise as it normally starts deploying around that speed or could be grill shutters. They physically checked around for issues but didn't notice anything obvious.

They are going to put a ticket in with Ford next week to see if the issue I am having is normal and to get some feedback in general on it situation.

They gave it back to me as they thought it was perfectly safe to drive. Now I am half considering taking the auto air dam out just to see if it stops or at least finding a way to unplug its motor so it doesn't deploy... doesn't look easy to get to the plug though. If nothing turns out with Ford or by my own air dam removal, then I may just get new tires to see if it stops.

I'll report back here with any updates.

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[Ford Motor Company]

Making a thread to track and log this issue and take advice by anyone that has it.

Started noticing after 3500ish miles a low, consistent humming like noise coming from the passenger side front wheel area anytime the truck would go above about 45 to 48 and would keep on making the noise no matter how fast you went, about the same amount of noise on up. There may also be a slight vibration I'm feeling in the throttle but I am not 100% sure if that was always there or not. The sound is not crazy loud and if I hadn't driven the truck for 3500 miles I would have thought it may be normal honestly. It certainly wasn't there before.

Figured there was a balancing issue. Took the truck in and got the tires balanced and rotated. Still noticed the same noise, maybe even worse now.

Took the truck into the dealer to have them look it over. They thought it might be a wheel bearing since the wheels were just balanced and rotated and there was still noise. They said they hooked it up to check for code / issues with the bearing. Apparently that's a thing? Nothing came of that.

I took them out for a test drive to get them to hear the sound and they did indeed. Their thought now is it may just be wind (lol), maybe it is the active air dam causing the noise as it normally starts deploying around that speed or could be grill shutters. They physically checked around for issues but didn't notice anything obvious.

They are going to put a ticket in with Ford next week to see if the issue I am having is normal and to get some feedback in general on it situation.

They gave it back to me as they thought it was perfectly safe to drive. Now I am half considering taking the auto air dam out just to see if it stops or at least finding a way to unplug its motor so it doesn't deploy... doesn't look easy to get to the plug though. If nothing turns out with Ford or by my own air dam removal, then I may just get new tires to see if it stops.

I'll report back here with any updates.

Hello! Could you privately message us with your VIN and the name and location of your Ford dealer so I can look into this humming noise concern? Thank you!

 

[Griddlez]

I wanted to provide an update on this one.

TL;DR dealer ran diagnostics (looking at the wheel bearing most closely) and ultimately said nothing is wrong and the sound is just wind sound when the active air damn deploys around 45+. Ford gave me a choice to get a second opinion from another dealer or just pay the diagnostic fee for the first dealer and accept it as is.

Sound never happened during the first 3000 miles so I am skeptical of that being "normal". It only happens near the passenger side front wheel well. Doesn't seem right at all.

I more or less did confirm it is indeed the air damn or is something it's redirecting air toward and making vibrate / humm while deployed (45+). ---- I removed the piece that comes down (6 screws on (just) the plastic piece), touched nothing mechanical or wires. Sound/humm stopped completely - fully back to normal 45+ drive sound. The piece itself doesn't look damaged and I couldn't see where it may be redirecting air to cause the hum sound. I have no idea what's happening with it or why it is isolated to the wheel well area.

That piece provides efficiently and I need all I can get while towing so I want it back on. I am torn on what to do - If I want to chance it at another dealer to get told the same thing (and waste more money). Or just ignore the sound forever.

 

[Griddlez]

I'm getting a gopro and mounting it the bumper to watch what's going on (and to listen) lol. If I don't see anything or hear anything crazy I give up. Will report back!

 

[Henry Ford]

Does this happen all the time above 45 mph?

I've noticed an occasional humming from near the driver's side wheel when on the highway with a strong right crosswind. What I am hearing is almost certainly aerodynamic. I can't say if it's the same thing you are hearing or if it's normal.

I noticed an cooling air outlet behind the front wheel well that might offer a clue. I also noticed about four inches of loose 'tape' hanging down in that area which I cut off. I can't imagine the tape made the noise I heard but I haven't heard the noise since so...maybe?

Back to the cooling air outlet. If your noise is consistent you could experiment with changing the shape of the outlet by placing tape over it. I don't suggest leaving a cooling duct blocked up but in the name of science it might be worth a shot.

I'll be watching this thread...

 

[Griddlez]

Does this happen all the time above 45 mph?

I've noticed an occasional humming from near the driver's side wheel when on the highway with a strong right crosswind. What I am hearing is almost certainly aerodynamic. I can't say if it's the same thing you are hearing or if it's normal.

I noticed an cooling air outlet behind the front wheel well that might offer a clue. I also noticed about four inches of loose 'tape' hanging down in that area which I cut off. I can't imagine the tape made the noise I heard but I haven't heard the noise since so...maybe?

Back to the cooling air outlet. If your noise is consistent you could experiment with changing the shape of the outlet by placing tape over it. I don't suggest leaving a cooling duct blocked up but in the name of science it might be worth a shot.

I'll be watching this thread...

Yes, every time and even when there are crazy winds at highway speeds, it's drowned out a bit but still barely there. The sound starts when the active air damn comes down - the air damn has a built in delay so I can be going 50+ for 5-10 seconds and then suddenly the sound starts (because of the deployment delay).

As I mentioned earlier, I had taken the plastic piece of the damn off and the sound stopped completely. So yea, it's certainly either the damn itself or it redirecting air somewhere else when deployed that is causing the humm noise in the wheel well area.

I'll try the find the opening your talking about - not sure I have seen that. It's accessible without removing any body parts?

I'm picking up the gopro and mount today; I'll report back later on if I see/hear anything seemly related.

 

[Griddlez]

Does this happen all the time above 45 mph?

I've noticed an occasional humming from near the driver's side wheel when on the highway with a strong right crosswind. What I am hearing is almost certainly aerodynamic. I can't say if it's the same thing you are hearing or if it's normal.

I noticed an cooling air outlet behind the front wheel well that might offer a clue. I also noticed about four inches of loose 'tape' hanging down in that area which I cut off. I can't imagine the tape made the noise I heard but I haven't heard the noise since so...maybe?

Back to the cooling air outlet. If your noise is consistent you could experiment with changing the shape of the outlet by placing tape over it. I don't suggest leaving a cooling duct blocked up but in the name of science it might be worth a shot.

I'll be watching this thread...

Do you mean this "vent" thing directly behind the wheel?

 

[Henry Ford]

No, actually I was talking about this one aft of the front wheel. Upon further inspection I don't think either of these are vents. Might be worth a shot to tape them up and see if it makes a difference. Air is interacting with something down there. Maybe the air dam on your truck is creating a flute?

 

[Griddlez]

No, actually I was talking about this one aft of the front wheel. Upon further inspection I don't think either of these are vents. Might be worth a shot to tape them up and see if it makes a difference. Air is interacting with something down there. Maybe the air dam on your truck is creating a flute?

I think we took a shot of the same thing I just can't described anything worth a crap. You're right, It's probably redirecting air somewhere and causing a noise, the plastic components themselves of the deployable part seem solid so I doubt it is itself flapping (but the gopro can confirm that later).

The damn is wide, it does indeed come down close to the wheel well area (and could be pushing air into the well). I will try covering that "vent" there and see what happens!

 

[Replika]

Are you able to get a recording of it?

 

[Henry Ford]

I think we took a shot of the same thing I just can't described anything worth a crap. You're right, It's probably redirecting air somewhere and causing a noise, the plastic components themselves of the deployable part seem solid so I doubt it is itself flapping (but the gopro can confirm that later).

The damn is wide, it does indeed come down close to the wheel well area (and could be pushing air into the well). I will try covering that "vent" there and see what happens!

The "vent" you took a photo of is 'behind' the wheel, or on the frunk side of the wheel. The "vent" I took a photo of is 'aft' of the wheel, or on the cab side of the wheel. That is kind of a pain to describe.

 

[yed19]

I have also had this vibration happen at around 50 mph. I am almost 100% sure this is the air dam mechanism that probably gets some dirt or crud in there. Try washing the truck and specifically the air dam area and see if that resolves it. I get it intermittently and I believe washing it once resolved my issue. I think someone did do a video on this issue in the past.

 

[Griddlez]

Are you able to get a recording of it?

The "vent" you took a photo of is 'behind' the wheel, or on the frunk side of the wheel. The "vent" I took a photo of is 'aft' of the wheel, or on the cab side of the wheel. That is kind of a pain to describe.

I covered both "ports" / "vents" and the sound remained. Sadness. There was was another area between the wheel wheel cover and a metal brace/beam that I wanted to coverup but it's wet on the roads right now and I can't get the material I am using to cover it, to stick properly to a wet surface so that test will have to wait for it to dry out.

I got the cam charging and will get out in the next couple hours and take a video. I'll try first pointing the cam, off the front bumper, looking down at the bottom passenger side area.

 

[Griddlez]

I have also had this vibration happen at around 50 mph. I am almost 100% sure this is the air dam mechanism that probably gets some dirt or crud in there. Try washing the truck and specifically the air dam area and see if that resolves it. I get it intermittently and I believe washing it once resolved my issue. I think someone did do a video on this issue in the past.

Do you think it's not deploying all the way because of crud/dirt? I'll try giving it a good spray/cleaning out. The video I am going to take in a bit as well may show what is going on. I'll report back.

 

[yed19]

Do you think it's not deploying all the way because of crud/dirt? I'll try giving it a good spray/cleaning out. The video I am going to take in a bit as well may show what is going on. I'll report back.

Looking at the shutter system, its definately possible that those shutters get stuck open and then start to vibrate at higher speeds or maybe one or two fans get stuck open. Not sure why it would happen... Seems like that is what has caused noise and vibration in the other threads though

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