Loud exterior rattle at freeway speed

bgriffy5

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I have had my Bronco Sports Badlands about a month. I have noticed a fairly loud rattling noise under the driver when I set into freeway speeds. It usually happens once I have hit above 70 and I am maintaining speed.
I have taken this to the dealership twice. Once they claimed there was no noise. The second time, I drove with the service manager, he acknowledged it and then went back and replaced a bolt on my splash guard. He test drove the Bronco and said it was fixed. Not 24 hours later, the sound is there again. Called the dealer and they recommend getting a second opinion as they have extinguished all options.
Has anyone else experienced this in their Bronco Sport? Thanks for your help.
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Bigridge83

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I have experienced this in both the sport and a previous escape. I have narrowed it down to the covers that run the length of the vehicle on the driver and passenger side. they arent bolted per se, they just have kinda like a push nut on a ribbed stud. I think wind gets in there and flutters them. I can always feel it in my feet! I havenā€™t noticed if the issue is on the passenger side.
 
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bgriffy5

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I have experienced this in both the sport and a previous escape. I have narrowed it down to the covers that run the length of the vehicle on the driver and passenger side. they arent bolted per se, they just have kinda like a push nut on a ribbed stud. I think wind gets in there and flutters them. I can always feel it in my feet! I havenā€™t noticed if the issue is on the passenger side.
Thanks for your reply. That is what I suspected was the issue. On the Badlands model, there is no cover on the passenger so I have not experienced any rattle on that side.
Not a great answer but it seems like the solution right now is to live with it.
 

ZeroCool

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I have experienced this in both the sport and a previous escape. I have narrowed it down to the covers that run the length of the vehicle on the driver and passenger side. they arent bolted per se, they just have kinda like a push nut on a ribbed stud. I think wind gets in there and flutters them. I can always feel it in my feet! I havenā€™t noticed if the issue is on the passenger side.
My edge had a rattle i had to fix from the covers underneath.
 

Bigridge83

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Thanks for your reply. That is what I suspected was the issue. On the Badlands model, there is no cover on the passenger so I have not experienced any rattle on that side.
Not a great answer but it seems like the solution right now is to live with it.
Itā€™s amazing what theyā€™ll put on a vehicle to get a couple of tenths more mpgs out of it lol
 


BranMillFarm

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Itā€™s amazing what theyā€™ll put on a vehicle to get a couple of tenths more mpgs out of it lol
I have now had my Bronco at the dealer for service 3 times. The first time they felt that it was the under-body unit was the problem and ordered a new one. Once it arrived they started to change it out and found that in order to do so they would have to remove the side windows and back panels off both sides. According to the manager they called the engineering team to discuss other options. So far 2 alternative attempts have gotten me no where and now it sounds like a flat tire. They keep ensuring me that it is not a safety issue but it can't be good for the car for long. Interesting that it only happens over 70 mph on mine as well. Must be Ford's way of slowing us down, LOL. Will be talking with service manager again on Thursday and will update if we figure anything new out
 
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bgriffy5

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I have now had my Bronco at the dealer for service 3 times. The first time they felt that it was the under-body unit was the problem and ordered a new one. Once it arrived they started to change it out and found that in order to do so they would have to remove the side windows and back panels off both sides. According to the manager they called the engineering team to discuss other options. So far 2 alternative attempts have gotten me no where and now it sounds like a flat tire. They keep ensuring me that it is not a safety issue but it can't be good for the car for long. Interesting that it only happens over 70 mph on mine as well. Must be Ford's way of slowing us down, LOL. Will be talking with service manager again on Thursday and will update if we figure anything new out
I just it to the dealer for the 3rd time. They had it for 2 full days and ultimately came back with shoulders shrugged. They told me that it is not a safety concern. I ask them if they would continue driving a car like this though with this obnoxious sound. They said to be patient with them. There just arenā€™t enough of these on the road yet to have a lot of information. Basically told me to come back if it get worse. Not really happy about that.
 

13MikeH

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I just it to the dealer for the 3rd time. They had it for 2 full days and ultimately came back with shoulders shrugged. They told me that it is not a safety concern. I ask them if they would continue driving a car like this though with this obnoxious sound. They said to be patient with them. There just arenā€™t enough of these on the road yet to have a lot of information. Basically told me to come back if it get worse. Not really happy about that.
I am being as sincere as possible. The dealer is correct. It's an all new vehicle. It takes time to sort out issues and sometimes it's just a bad vehicle. Option one is sell it. Get out of it now, why deal with such aggrevation.
Option 2 remove the bash plate for a week and see if that's the source. I highly doubt you honestly need it right now.
Option 3 try a different shop/find an actual off-road outfitter and see what they think, in Utah I'm guessing that's not hard to find. And I'd guarantee someone has had issues off roading and found a fix.
Option 4 replace all the fasteners under the panels
 
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Glamdring70

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I'm trying to say this without being flippant about it, but if you think it's that crummy cardboardish underbody piece, take it off. It's held on by about a dozen push nuts and body pins. Heck, make the dealer take it off. 30 mins of work instead of two days and months. Drive without it and see if that is the issue. Or maybe something is caught in on top of it and making the noise. Or maybe a harness isn't tightened down. It's probably hard to find since they have to be going 70+ to find it. Do you have 70mph roads? Out here, that's be 15+ over the limit and I'd raise hell if the dealer was driving my car like that. They probably took it out on a 45mph test run and didn't find it.

I drove a Mustang for almost a year fighting an underbody squeak with a dealer, until the sharp oil change tech (out of all the Ford service guys) says to me, "I think the exhaust bracket needs adjusting". A few turns on a wrench and it's fixed. You need to bump into the magic tech that knows what's up. Maybe try a different dealer if that is an option. You don't have to go where you bought it.

Then we had a PT cruiser that made a weird noise on bumps. We look for stuff rubbing. Mess with the exhaust, fuel filler, body panels, everything. Replace shocks and springs. Nothing. Then my tire guy says "Oh, that is the crossbody sway bar bushing. I can replace it". Bam, new shoes and no noise. It takes someone that's familiar to quick diagnose this stuff. Those people aren't around yet.
 
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bgriffy5

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I'm trying to say this without being flippant about it, but if you think it's that crummy cardboardish underbody piece, take it off. It's held on by about a dozen push nuts and body pins. Heck, make the dealer take it off. 30 mins of work instead of two days and months. Drive without it and see if that is the issue. Or maybe something is caught in on top of it and making the noise. Or maybe a harness isn't tightened down. It's probably hard to find since they have to be going 70+ to find it. Do you have 70mph roads? Out here, that's be 15+ over the limit and I'd raise hell if the dealer was driving my car like that. They probably took it out on a 45mph test run and didn't find it.

I drove a Mustang for almost a year fighting an underbody squeak with a dealer, until the sharp oil change tech (out of all the Ford service guys) says to me, "I think the exhaust bracket needs adjusting". A few turns on a wrench and it's fixed. You need to bump into the magic tech that knows what's up. Maybe try a different dealer if that is an option. You don't have to go where you bought it.

Then we had a PT cruiser that made a weird noise on bumps. We look for stuff rubbing. Mess with the exhaust, fuel filler, body panels, everything. Replace shocks and springs. Nothing. Then my tire guy says "Oh, that is the crossbody sway bar bushing. I can replace it". Bam, new shoes and no noise. It takes someone that's familiar to quick diagnose this stuff. Those people aren't around yet.
Thank you for your reply. I have calmed down a bit from my previous post realized that this a new car with a few kinks to work out. I can be patient. As for the roads, where I live we have 70MPH freeway in the city and 80MPH freeway just about 30 miles south me. I do use the Bronco as a commuter vehicle and spend about 20 Miles on the freeway daily going about 70+ MPH. I have noticed that the sound is not always there. Really depends on the wind direction I think. It's such a funny thing to diagnose. I'll just keep waiting and hopefully I can get it fixed someday. Not ready to throw in the towel yet.
 


Flash

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I drive the freeway 2 or 3 times a week, usually from 75~85 MPH and have no rattle at all.
 

FirstEdition

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I have now had my Bronco at the dealer for service 3 times. The first time they felt that it was the under-body unit was the problem and ordered a new one. Once it arrived they started to change it out and found that in order to do so they would have to remove the side windows and back panels off both sides. According to the manager they called the engineering team to discuss other options. So far 2 alternative attempts have gotten me no where and now it sounds like a flat tire. They keep ensuring me that it is not a safety issue but it can't be good for the car for long. Interesting that it only happens over 70 mph on mine as well. Must be Ford's way of slowing us down, LOL. Will be talking with service manager again on Thursday and will update if we figure anything new out
Hoping Ford managers donā€™t come back with ........ā€Drive 69 mph and belowā€!
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