Grinding/clunking sound...

19557 Views 18 Replies 9 Participants Last post by kamakazee, Jul 12, 2014

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · Nov 25, 2013

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone here has experienced any grinding or louder than normal noises coming from behind the driver side firewall? In my case, the noise typically occurs during acceleration from a stop or coming to a stop at low speeds. I've taken my car to a local dealer where the service writer has concluded that the motor mounts are the culprit after driving the car for a couple hours. He also explained that Ford is aware of the issue and is currently developing updated motor mounts. As some of you may know, some Focus ST owners have experienced similar issues with excessive motor movements. Fortunately for them, the updated motor mounts have already been developed. I was told to call back in 3-4 weeks for updates on the motor mounts but we'll see. Until then, he said to drive it "normal." The ST only has 1000 miles so I still have a little ways to break in the engine. Any thoughts on the matter?

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

RodMoe

· #2 · Nov 25, 2013

Keep after them I have not noticed this on mine as of yet but we now add it to my list of noises

Keep us Posted

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 25, 2013

RodMoe said:
Keep after them I have not noticed this on mine as of yet but we now add it to my list of noises Keep us Posted

Will do! I understand that manual gearboxes make all sorts of noises compared to an automatic but the noise I'm hearing from behind the pedals is anything but normal.

brian

· #4 · Nov 25, 2013

Grinding noises aren't ever "normal". Did the service writer say what exactly was grinding?

I was hoping this car didn't suffer from motor mount problems :/

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 25, 2013

brian said:
Grinding noises aren't ever "normal". Did the service writer say what exactly was grinding?

I was hoping this car didn't suffer from motor mount problems :/

He actually didn't get into the specifics but he noted that the issue he noticed was almost identical to what he experienced in a Focus ST. I guess "grinding" wouldn't be the most accurate term to describe the problem. The closet I can think of is more like a hard shudder combined with a dull metal to metal banging in quick succession that last approximately 1-2 seconds during 1st gear engagement and while slowing down in first gear.

BRGT350

· #6 · Nov 25, 2013

Sounds like the dealer is confusing the early production Focus ST issue with the Fiesta. I have no such noises and have not heard of any from the other ST agents with cars. We run these things very hard and don't run into the noises you are talking about. The only noises under hard acceleration come from wheel hop, which is limited to wet or damp conditions. Under maximum acceleration in the dry and hard shifts into 2nd, there isn't any problems that I have found. I am highly doubting the dealership's explanation on the noise. Not saying yours doesn't have a motor mount issue, but I am pretty sure it isn't related to the Focus ST issue, which was only early production cars.

As for manual gearboxes making noises, that doesn't sound normal to me. With spirial cut gears, they are not loud at all.

Reactions: 1

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 25, 2013

BRGT350 said:
Sounds like the dealer is confusing the early production Focus ST issue with the Fiesta. I have no such noises and have not heard of any from the other ST agents with cars. We run these things very hard and don't run into the noises you are talking about. The only noises under hard acceleration come from wheel hop, which is limited to wet or damp conditions. Under maximum acceleration in the dry and hard shifts into 2nd, there isn't any problems that I have found. I am highly doubting the dealership's explanation on the noise. Not saying yours doesn't have a motor mount issue, but I am pretty sure it isn't related to the Focus ST issue, which was only early production cars.

As for manual gearboxes making noises, that doesn't sound normal to me. With spirial cut gears, they are not loud at all.

Well, that's good to know that virtually all Fiesta STs are trouble free. I really hope that mine is just an isolated incident. So far, the noise has become less frequent and is really intermittent. Let's just see what the next few weeks will bring. The "noise" I mentioned in regards to the transmission is merely the engagement sound. No worries there

I also have a 2012 5-spd SE that has been absolutely trouble free. Driving these two cars back to back, it's amazing what Ford has done to raise the bar in the affordable hot-hatch segment. I love them both in different respects!

BRGT350

· #8 · Nov 25, 2013

It surely sounds isolated to me. I think Brandon and I have put around 15,000 (he has the car this month, so I am not sure the exact number) miles on the ST since June. Most of those have been hard miles, autocrossing, open track, off road, and general hooning. We do get a laughing sound under hard acceleration and braking, but that is from the driver. The passenger gives a different noise, it varies from laughing to angry requests to stop hooning.

Good luck and keep us posted on the solution.

Reactions: 5

Sekred

· #9 · Nov 25, 2013

I'd be going over the vehicle with a wrench and socket set or take it to a Mechanic and get it check out. Its definitely not normal what your hearing and sounds like a component is loose, could be engine or transmission.

lessard.dcj

· #10 · Feb 17, 2014

you are not alone in the "Big bang" department, as my car bangs from 1-2 and 2-3, cobb has a mount coming next month or so.
The mount banged before the Cobb AP.

Reactions: 1

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 17, 2014

led.dcj said:
you are not alone in the "Big bang" department, as my car bangs from 1-2 and 2-3, cobb has a mount coming next month or so.
The mount banged before the Cobb AP.

I plan on getting the stiffer motor mount as well. Aftet 3 trips to the ford dealer. They finally pin pointed the noise to a loose lower a-arm crossmember bolt and retorqued everything. It has been 3 weeks and the noise hasnt come back thank goodness! Now I can focus on further modding the car without having the noise bugging the hell out of me.

Reactions: 5

Matt_FiST

· #12 · Feb 18, 2014 (Edited)

Here is the noise my FiST is making. Does it sound anything like this?

Smokin

· #13 · Feb 18, 2014

kamakazee said:
I plan on getting the stiffer motor mount as well. Aftet 3 trips to the ford dealer. They finally pin pointed the noise to a loose lower a-arm crossmember bolt and retorqued everything. It has been 3 weeks and the noise hasnt come back thank goodness! Now I can focus on further modding the car without having the noise bugging the hell out of me.

Wow. Thanks for the heads up. Gonna have to check all the connections when spring finally arrives...

kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #14 · Feb 19, 2014

Matt_FiST said:
Here is the noise my FiST is making. Does it sound anything like this?

Sorry Matt, my car made a metal on metal type of sound. Yours sound more like a duller clunk. Are you able to replicate that sound every time? If so, I would bring it to your dealer asap and show them that video as well. Have the service writer sit in the passenger seat while you demonstrate the noise. I went through two service writers before having this issue rectified by demonstrating the noise in front of him. I work at a motorcycle dealer so I understand that if the problem is not present or cannot be replicated, we cannot remedy the issue. Intermittent problems are most frustrating to deal with. Hopefully it's nothing serious but keep us up to date.

Tony
.

Matt_FiST

· #15 · Feb 19, 2014

kamakazee said:
Sorry Matt, my car made a metal on metal type of sound. Yours sound more like a duller clunk. Are you able to replicate that sound every time? If so, I would bring it to your dealer asap and show them that video as well. Have the service writer sit in the passenger seat while you demonstrate the noise. I went through two service writers before having this issue rectified by demonstrating the noise in front of him. I work at a motorcycle dealer so I understand that if the problem is not present or cannot be replicated, we cannot remedy the issue. Intermittent problems are most frustrating to deal with. Hopefully it's nothing serious but keep us up to date.

Tony
.

Its easily rectifiable everytime after its been driven.

the_silver_bullet93

· #16 · Jul 12, 2014

kamakazee said:
Will do! I understand that manual gearboxes make all sorts of noises compared to an automatic but the noise I'm hearing from behind the pedals is anything but normal.

Did you ever solve the problem? My fiesta st makes what I think is a similar noise. It's usually when I have the throttle applied slightly and am letting the clutch pedal out when shifting into second from a stop. I thought it was just the gears fitting since it was still being broken in, but it has continued. The motor mount solution makes sense, seeing how if the motor torques more than expected, something spinning on the engine could be hitting something else. I just wanted to see if you ever solved the problem and if my and your issue is one and the same.

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kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 12, 2014

the_silver_bullet93 said:
Did you ever solve the problem? My fiesta st makes what I think is a similar noise. It's usually when I have the throttle applied slightly and am letting the clutch pedal out when shifting into second from a stop. I thought it was just the gears fitting since it was still being broken in, but it has continued. The motor mount solution makes sense, seeing how if the motor torques more than expected, something spinning on the engine could be hitting something else. I just wanted to see if you ever solved the problem and if my and your issue is one and the same.

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Actually, my noise issue wasn't related to the transmission or engine. Turned out to be a loose lower a-arm bolt.

the_silver_bullet93

· #18 · Jul 12, 2014

Damn ok. I just don't want to go into the dealership now because I have the Cobb ap and panel filter in and don't want to void the warranty

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kamakazee

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 12, 2014

the_silver_bullet93 said:
Damn ok. I just don't want to go into the dealership now because I have the Cobb ap and panel filter in and don't want to void the warranty

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The panel filter is fine just as long as you revert back to the oem map.

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