Hi everyone...first post....

This is difficult to describe...and diagnose remotely......I think.....

Son has just bought a 2006 Zetec 1.6 Climate...28k on the clock. There is a very faint ..very, very faint....scrapping type sound and a very, very slight "feeling" of it through the car when slowing to a stop. Its slightly worse when braking but below 1750 rpm...probably related more to speed than the actual revs.....if he depresses the clutch the noise is still there so its not clutch or gearbox....stationary there is no noise so not the engine. Its definatly there but as I say its very, very subtle.


Nothing is affected...brakes are fine..new pads didn't clear it...steering is fine, engine is fine....It wasn't obvious on the test drive as he doesn't know the car but someone else who also has a Focus pointed it out a couple of days later. I'm thinking something simple live a CV joint or drive shaft but why only at such low speeds ? And there is this subtle sense of something something rubbing/scraping .....

Any pointers appreciated. Seller, who was quite genuine, said it was still under Ford dealer warranty....so going in for its service on Monday at a local Ford dealer....its "only" 5 weeks late but has done only 10k since last year so that shouldn't be a problem.....and he will ask them to investigate but tips appreciated as to what it could be

it could be a dry bearing, best the jack up the car and slowly spin the wheeles by hand to see if anything shows up, better still let the warrenty sort it out. make sure the fault is logged at ford because they will most likely say theres nothing wrong.

[quote name='mintalkin' post='32642' date='Jul 12 2009, 04:54 PM']it could be a dry bearing, best the jack up the car and slowly spin the wheeles by hand to see if anything shows up, better still let the warrenty sort it out. make sure the fault is logged at ford because they will most likely say theres nothing wrong.[/quote]


Garage spotted the noise but couldn't find anything apart from budget tyres on the front...of course why didn't I think of that

Reversed tyres and took it back...Gowerings of Reading.....and they couldn't find anything wrong but balanced the wheels ????????

My son is taking it back again on Monday and going out with a senior engineer. He needs to find a smooth road where you can hear but certainly feel the noise even through the passenger floor. A rubbing/scrapping noise. Just went for a drive and the noise starts when slowing down around 14 mph and stays until stopping. Definitely still there when clutch depressed and is worse when turning right...but not left...at that low speed. The steering actually "snatched" slightly when turning right as well which he says it has done a couple of times. Garage said they had checked the wheel bearings not that that means anything. Its something harsh enough to feel through the whole car but its not a violent noise or vibration...as I say. But it IS there and everyone can hear it but....only when on a smooth road as a "normal" road hides it. He is going to take the engineer around a Makro car park which is smooth.

Funny thing is the garage have noted that there is a noise but the last guy "couldn't hear it". I know dealers get a bad rap...and deservedly so most of time but I feel we are in for the long haul here.....and other than take it to another garage how do I escalate this fault...to Ford as mintalkin mentioned? I suspect that would be a waste of time but if a dealer fails to resolve a problem there must be a way of escalating....? It has 5 months warranty left so I suppose the trade descriptions act would come into play if they fail to resolve a problem that EVERYONE else who sits in the car can here. Or is this just a dealer avoiding spending money ? Its the usual post 1st year warranty and I thought Ford picked up the bill ? So that can't be the problem can it ?


Could this be a power steering box problem ?

Okay...update.

Put 4 new Falken tyres on and the noise disappeared...rides quieter ....grip is much, much better and the car looks better.

However the power steering "snatch" is still there. Very sudden and brief but it is unsettling. Not constant but does happen on most trips especially going over local roads....although it did happen reversing slowly around a wide bend so steering wasn't on full lock.

Any ideas please ? It is going back to the dealer....but on their past record I'm not confident....

Anyone ?

[quote name='topgazza' post='36212' date='Aug 5 2009, 04:56 PM']However the power steering "snatch" is still there. Very sudden and brief but it is unsettling.[/quote]

Anything that affects the control of your vehicle, i.e. brakes, and steering needs to be taken incredibly seriously, and you should be taking it in to be looked at.

Indeed...thats what worries me. He's taking it to a different Ford dealer than before as he found the original one, in Reading, patronising and dismissive....which seems to be the general consensus of as lot of Ford service dealers. Although to be fair they did point out that the noise was probably the odd mix of tyres and the budget ones on the front.

this noise sounds very similar to a noise i had on mine when i first purchased it.it took me months to find it i asked a couple of people to look at it with no joy.i was told to wait till it gets worse so its more obvious which i wasnt willing to do.In the end i got the car up on ramps and did a good checkover underneath the car mainly at the steering as it seemed to be coming from this.I dont know why but all the time i had the noise i wondered if it was a pulley bearing on its way out untill it got worse then could tell it wasnt.It seemed to be coming from drivers side so thats where i started and would you believe it the bracket that holds the drivers side drive shaft was loose (8 complete turns of a spanner loose)to do it up and the other nut on it was also loose.took it for a test drive and noise was gone. i consider myself lucky i didnt leave it any longer or i could have caused damage to the driveshaft bearing.the bracket is located between the drivers side driveshaft and the main piece that goes into gearbox looks like a u clamp.also read on here someone else had this problem except his bracket was actually missing.its worth a check 2 people looked at mine and missed it.hope this helps

[quote name='alanelf' post='36938' date='Aug 12 2009, 12:12 AM']this noise sounds very similar to a noise i had on mine when i first purchased it.it took me months to find it i asked a couple of people to look at it with no joy.i was told to wait till it gets worse so its more obvious which i wasnt willing to do.In the end i got the car up on ramps and did a good checkover underneath the car mainly at the steering as it seemed to be coming from this.I dont know why but all the time i had the noise i wondered if it was a pulley bearing on its way out untill it got worse then could tell it wasnt.It seemed to be coming from drivers side so thats where i started and would you believe it the bracket that holds the drivers side drive shaft was loose (8 complete turns of a spanner loose)to do it up and the other nut on it was also loose.took it for a test drive and noise was gone. i consider myself lucky i didnt leave it any longer or i could have caused damage to the driveshaft bearing.the bracket is located between the drivers side driveshaft and the main piece that goes into gearbox looks like a u clamp.also read on here someone else had this problem except his bracket was actually missing.its worth a check 2 people looked at mine and missed it.hope this helps[/quote]

Worth a serious check....thanks Alan.....I've not had a chance to have a good look underneath and although it is still under warranty I have no issue with sorting stuff out myself unless its major...

Might explain the "snatch" as well if the drive shaft is moving....

Thanks again