Troubleshooting Assist please

[Choppa]

Hi all,

So I have had a vibration that, to me, has progressively been getting worse. It will definitely be going to the dealer, but hoping to get some insight from all of you pros before I have drop it off.

SYMPTOMS

• 2015 NON-PP w/ 32600 miles
• Vibration can be felt through gas pedal
• Vibration is worse when cold, but still there when warm
• Vibration is highest at around 40 mph, but can be felt anywhere from 5 to 65
• Intensity does not change with speed except for 40ish mph mark
• When turning left (wide or left banking like s curves) it is intense and I vaguely hear and feel a knocking on the right side
• No issue with right turns or curves
• Vibration frequency is pretty consistent and regular (meaning you can almost count the rotational feeling regardless of speed)

DONE SO FAR

• Car was serviced and tires rotated at 30000 miles and 35000. PTU fluid and RDU fluid at 36000 (Had vibration before and after)

My concern is the PTU naturally and hoping it isn't. I would think if it was a bearing I would have some noise, but I don't.

Appreciate anyone taking the time to give it some thought and answer. Trying to set-up my appointment soon, just hate the thought of dropping off my car to get some junk loaner lol

 

[Bronco2fan]

When my girlfriends 2012 Ecoboost Escape started acting up, the front axle shaft (front wheel drive) passenger side would vibrate and shimmy on acceleration and go away when you let off the gas. Does yours do that or is it constant? Dealer tried to tell me it was tires and wouldn't touch it till I put 4 brand new tires on it. Problem still there, go figure. Told them I know it's the axle shaft, inspect that. Was told they had to get permission from Ford because it was still under warranty. They finally tore into it and sure enough axle shaft was bad. 1 week later car back and problem gone.

 

[Choppa]

When my girlfriends 2012 Ecoboost Escape started acting up, the front axle shaft (front wheel drive) passenger side would vibrate and shimmy on acceleration and go away when you let off the gas. Does yours do that or is it constant? Dealer tried to tell me it was tires and wouldn't touch it till I put 4 brand new tires on it. Problem still there, go figure. Told them I know it's the axle shaft, inspect that. Was told they had to get permission from Ford because it was still under warranty. They finally tore into it and sure enough axle shaft was bad. 1 week later car back and problem gone.

Vibration is still there weather cruising at a steady speed, accelerating or decelerating. Axle shaft was a thought of mine also

 

[Bronco2fan]

Vibration is still there weather cruising at a steady speed, accelerating or decelerating. Axle shaft was a thought of mine also

You jack it up and check play in shafts? No seepage anywhere? PTU not leaking? To many variables in these monsters. Hope you get it sorted.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

 

[Choppa]

You jack it up and check play in shafts? No seepage anywhere? PTU not leaking? To many variables in these monsters. Hope you get it sorted.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

Weather here hasn't given me of an opportunity to get under her yet.

Thanks

 

[krewat]

Does the vibration change with road-speed? Or engine RPM?

 

[Choppa]

Does the vibration change with road-speed? Or engine RPM?

No. The vibration is really consistent, frequency and intensity stay about the same EXCEPT 40-45 mph. At this speed I feel it the worst for some reason. Otherwise 5 mph or 75 mph it stays about the same.

 

[krewat]

I'm not talking about the intensity, I'm talking about the speed of the vibration. Rereading your symptoms list, it sounds as of the frequency doesn't change. If the frequency of the vibration stays constant, that is truly bizarre.

Do you feel it in the steering wheel?

 

[Choppa]

I'm not talking about the intensity, I'm talking about the speed of the vibration. Rereading your symptoms list, it sounds as of the frequency doesn't change. If the frequency of the vibration stays constant, that is truly bizarre.

Do you feel it in the steering wheel?

Right, vibration stays constant. I do not feel it in the steering wheel. I feel it with my foot on the gas pedal, somewhat in the floor board by the pedal.

 

[Choppa]

Aggravated. Went to two dealers today just asking if a tech could take 10 mins and take my car for a drive before I commit to making an appointment and dropping it off. But both dealers said "We can't help you unless you make an appointment". Customer service blows now a days. So I got home and figured I'd make an appointment for Monday. One dealer has nothing available until May 18th and the other doesn't accept appointments past 12:45 pm. What a ruse.

On a lighter note, when i put my stock tune back in and changed back to the 2 bar my car freaked out and threw 4 different codes and told me to service advance trak ... WTH ... Then I remembered I forgot to plug the 2 bar back in lol . Plugged it and cleared the codes, all good. Freaked me out for a minute.

 

[krewat]

Without the tune, no changes? Did you ever get a chance to jack it up and see if there's anything obvious?

 

[Choppa]

Without the tune, no changes? Did you ever get a chance to jack it up and see if there's anything obvious?

Stock and tuned symptoms are identical. I had it up in air the a couple weeks ago when I did my fluids. No visible signs of anything wrong, no leaks and everything was bone dry. I had some movement when I tried to turn the tires, but not enough to make me think it was a problem. No unusual noises either when moving by hand.

 

[Choppa]

I was on the highway today for almost 200 miles and didn't feel any vibration when I was trucking along at 75-80. As soon as I slowed down to around 40 there it was again.

 

[SHOdded]

Your odo reading is less than the serviced-at readings? Prob a typo. But could be a tire/wheel balance issue. Does rotating the tires make any difference? when was an alignment last done on your SHO? Roadforce balancing is a must.

The other suspect would be a wheel hub/bearing based on your turning left/right statement.

 

[Choppa]

Your odo reading is less than the serviced-at readings? Prob a typo. But could be a tire/wheel balance issue. Does rotating the tires make any difference? when was an alignment last done on your SHO? Roadforce balancing is a must.

The other suspect would be a wheel hub/bearing based on your turning left/right statement.

My odo is at 38500 currently. When I originally posted this I was at 32600 hence the 30k service, had another since . My 35k and RDU/PTU fluids at 36K since the original post.

Rotating the tires did not help. I have not done an alignment so your guess is as good as mine. I will be requesting that at my appointment along with road force balancing.

Appreciate the input.

 

[Choppa]

So since @SHOdded brought up a good point about alignment and balancing I made an appointment. Taking her to Firestone this coming Friday for Road Force Balancing and alignment. Hoping it will resolve the issues but regardless it needs to be done anyway. For $140.00 I think it will be well invested.

 

[SHOdded]

Fingers crossed

 

[Bronco2fan]

So what's Road Force Balancing? Never heard of it, that I can remember lol.

 

[Johnbigdog]

So what's Road Force Balancing? Never heard of it, that I can remember lol.

An inflated tire pushes the car off the road like a spring. Road force balancing measured the spring pressure of the tire pushing against the road and tries to equal this out. The tire is put on a tire balancer and usually a drum it run against the tire to measure the force in the tire/rim. The balancer then tries to match the force of the rim and tire to make a better balanced combo. Sometimes this can find a bad tire and or wheel.

Ford dealerships should have a vibration analyzer to determine if it is wheel related before getting this deep, or just swap wheels with a like unit. The vibration analyzer is expensive and not all dealerships have them.

 

[Bronco2fan]

Ok, so it's more in-depth than a normal balancing of wheels and tires and only recommended when a problem is occurring that can't be identified? Not something normally done with an alignment either?