Kuga Rattle

[mixymax]

I have the Titanium X Sport Diesel 2.0Auto. '63 plate. I purchased the vehicle when 9 months old around 6 weeks ago with a recorded mileage of 3,600. the vehicle has now done some 4,500 miles. Since day one there has been a 'Tinny Rattle' coming from the engine / transmission area. The rattle is only there when the vehicle is subject to acceleration and normally at the point of gear change. There is no rattle when vehicle stationary and engine revved. Been to garage some 4 times now for a total of 7 days.

Each time I am told that it is the injectors and a software update has been performed to cure the rattle!!!!! - Don't think so - the rattle is there every time I collected the car and is still there now. The vehicle is due for a return visit to the garage next week.

I am further told that the rattle is 'the norm' due to emission controls as laid out in legislation and that several Ford vehicles suffer this problem????????????

Surely if something is rattling then that component will be subject to excessive wear over time?

Prior to purchasing this car I test drove several other same spec Kugas but never noticed any rattle on those

Anyone have any views, comment, advice etc

The matter is being overlooked by Ford Customer service not that that seems to be doing much to solve the problem neither

UPDATE as from 10.12.14

Both dealerships - Evans Halshaw, Wolverhampton and T WALL at Pensnett both West Midlands say they can find no fault with my "Rattling Engine". They say it is running normal yet both agree that the engine is "rattling!!!! and always blames the injectors. They continue to say that this is normal and can be found on other Ford models (strange but neither one has presented a comparable vehicle though, so I can hear that one rattling?)

I have now taken the step of compiling a dossier of all the correspondence between me and the dealerships / Ford Customer Care (UK) and sent it to the Vice President of Global Ford Customer Services, Michigan USA with a request that they get involved - watch this space for any results - if any!

[Rossbclarke123]

Sorry I can't help you because I don't expirence this in my kuga but please keep me updated!

[bondkugabond]

Hi, Sorry to hear your problem but glad it's not me just going mad.

I have the same issue a rattle (pinking) sound under acceleration, I have only owned my Titanium X 2.0 2wd for 4 months and already had 3 trips to the Local "Trust" Ford in Tamworth. 1st visit they performed a software upgrade, supposable but made no difference. 2 Visit was for the 2 year service but asked to look at rattle again. They came back with it requires a software upgrade but were to late to load during service so would need to be booked in again. 3 rd visit for software, dealer admitted the heard the rattle and followed instructions from Ford to reset the injectors. It did make a slight difference but now its back !!!! same as before. Also the mpg sucks, I know I'm not a slow driver but I'm no boy racer. I currently get around 38mpg but on a run @ 80mpg down the M5 to Devon this dropped to 33mpg. I know this is a big heavy car but surley I should be getting better than this?

Thinking of going for a forth visit but would like to know how you got on and which dealer you have got the best service from.

Thanks for any info you can provide.

[mixymax]

Hi Bondkugabond,

Sorry but it's all bad news I'm afraid. You will see from my opening comments above that the vehicle was returned to the 2 dealerships who carried out the software upgrades which made no difference at all. The matter was referred to Ford Customer Services who were less than useless.

I have referred the matter to the Vice President of Glovbal Ford Customer Relations, USA who couldn't even be arsed to ackowledge receipt of the papers.

I have emailed Mike Ovende direct (MD @ Ford UK).

His goafer phoned me to say they will look into the matter. They replied having liased with the technicians at the dealership that as far as they are concerned the vehicle is running perfectly !!!

I have referred the matter to Motorcodes department who say it is not in their remit !!

I have referred the matter to the Motor Trades Industry - who also say it's not in thier remit and referred me back to Motor Codes, and so the circle began!!

I have also instructed solicitors to look at the case, they say there's less than 50% chance of winning the case so they would not take it on.

All the problems revolve around the fact that as Ford refuse to acknowledge the problem as a fault but a characteristic then there is no way forward.

I have since referred the matter to BBC Watchdog (twice) but they too have failed to respond to my submission....... so I am at a loss now where to go with it.

Latest update: I have again written to all Parties in the Ford Network as previous just to thank them for their outstanding customer care service provided - NOT!!! I have yet to receive any form of response but won't hold my breath.

I have spoken to various qualified technicians in Injector / deisel engines who say that Ford is currently having issues with the injectors and that the 'noisy' one's will get worse in time.

Unfortunately for myself I couldn't put up with the noise any longer so I have now part x my Kuga at a substantial finacial loss as you will appreciate

Sorry I couldn't offer you any positive advice / results but after owning several Fords in the past and indeed been very happy with them, I'm afraid I will never buy another Ford not because of the mechanics of the vehicles but solely on the lack of customer care offered by Ford.

[jeebowhite]

sorry to hear of your loss on this one mate, I was hoping that you would have had a more positive experience. I too have heard of the newer injectors being more problematic, and they arent exactly a cheap part to just swap out.

What did you go for in the part ex then?

[mixymax]

Hi James

My Kuga was Part x for BMW X3 2.0d auto

[sierragls]

I don't know if this will help, I do not own a kuga but have a grand cmax. I came across this when I was trying to improve my mpg which has always been poor. I own a clone vcm II so I was able to do this myself. Basically it is a reset of all learned values in the PCM, but according to the link below after doing this you need to follow the strict driving instruction for the car to relearn which includes relearning the injector flow values.

I carried this out. When I first started driving there was a definite rattle or pinking from the injectors but after following the driving instructions in the link below the rattle gradually when and I have also see a decent improvement in the mpg.

Read through the whole topic, but the relevant driving instructions are about 5 posts down regarding the deceleration.

http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=468&start=10

[jeebowhite]

Shame to see you had to leave the brand but hopefully your part ex at least offers you some peace.

[mixymax]

Hi sierragls, Many thanks for taking the time to reply........

As you can see I have now rid myself of the car.

It's a pity that Ford Technicians and the like don't know this

Thanks again

[bondkugabond]

Hi, Can't say thanks for the news that it now looks like I am on a slippery slope to partexing my Kuga. Think I will give the dealer 1 more go and then may look into the suggestion supplied by sierragls.

I do love the Kuga but the rattle is starting to twist my melon man....

[BJE]

Ive had a few cars in my time, where some times you just have to get rid of it as its a bad egg.... I had a Mercedes AMG that was the same, always in and out of the dealership... eventually I just traded it in at a whopper of a loss...

I hope you got some thing you now enjoy...