Mk4 Focus - Vignale - Rattles 'r' Us

[Zac Urquhart]

So, 

I have a Mk4 Focus Vignale 20MY, registered in Aug 2020, and it is my 7th new Ford in ~ 8 Years. It is absolutely PLAGUED with rattles from both front doors & dashboard. 

Is there anyone else that is suffering with generic appalling build quality with the latest model of focus? I understand that, being a Ford, there will be blatant uses of cost-effective materials (Let's talk about the faux leather door trimming and complete lack of headlining options); but surely we can expect our cars to be built to a standard where rattles are not to be expected? 

Preceding this car, I had a Mk4 ST-Line X, which suffered similar rattle issues but to a lesser magnitude. This one is horrendous:

- Any volume on the B&O system above 10 rattles the plastic trimmings on both front doors (the louder you have the system, the loader the rattle gets) and the door handle assembly units can be heard (from inside and outside) tinnily reverberating (sounds like a mosquito in your ear). 

-Any road surface not akin to motorway 'quality' rattles other plastic trimmings and something within the dashboards along with the door trims mentioned above. 

-The passenger side flip-out door edge protector fails to engage properly every time. 

-Centre arm rest squeaks with any weight placed on it while extended. 

As I've said, I've had many new fords, ranging from a Fiesta Zetec to this abomination; however, this is the only car that Ford marketed as a 'luxury' or 'premium' vehicle - Am I unreasonable to expect the build quality to match the marketing? 

I'm currently in contact with Ford Customer Relations Centre regarding these issues, who are reluctantly providing a loaner vehicle while this one goes in for inspection, after the main dealership have refused to provide one. 

How's everyone else finding theirs? If you have any experience with this please divulge; I'm currently in a position where I dread driving the car and I doubt Ford UK have the care, consideration or technical ability to diagnose and repair this without an extended period of fault finding. 

 

 

 

[ProximusAl]

- Any volume on the B&O system above 10 rattles the plastic trimmings on both front doors (the louder you have the system, the loader the rattle gets) and the door handle assembly units can be heard (from inside and outside) tinnily reverberating (sounds like a mosquito in your ear). 

 

This....My ST is 3 months old, and rattles exactly as you describe.  I also have a rattle over my right ear when driving from what sounds like inside the B pillar.

[alexp999]

Mine's the same, with the recent cold weather, I couldn't even have the volume over 5 without rattles, until the interior warmed up a bit.

My shifter also squeaks when its not quite as dry as it has been with the cold weather.

Was planning to take it in when things started opening up - but I think some of it will just be put down to being a Ford.

Tbf, all my Fords have rattled and squeaked (squeaks can generally be fixed easily). Although the doors on this are quite bad, I'm not chasing any other rattles, it will be never ending, my main concern is the door cards.

[DaveT70]

Yep, My MK4 Rattles on the front door casings, really bad. And the Sync Screen vibrates too, plus engine (1.5 TDCi) booms through the cockpit at 1900 RPM.

I've had the casings off myself too and added nitto foam and anti-squeak tape to all contact surfaces and it still does it.

On a Vignale though, I would kick up a right stink and even reject the car if they can't sought it.

Dealer's response to rattling on high volume was " don't have the volume so high then!"

 

[Wino]

Rattles are becoming very common. It doesn't hold much hope for those wishing to keep the car for a while.

My current rattles are .... ( ST Line X ) 

Centre pillar as mention in earlier post

Gear lever squeak from 5th to 6th and 3rd to 4th both intermittent but never the opposite way.

Rattle from behind the dash to the right hand side where the old key ignition would be ( push the dash in and it stops)

HUD vibrations on certain road surfaces. 

Centre arm rest creaks if I use it as an arm rest.

iPad on dash vibrates too but again intermittently.

Think thats about it. 

[Guy Heaton]

I must be lucky.  Or deaf 🤣  My 2019 STLX doesn't seem to suffer from any.  I've only done 8500 miles though.

[TomsFocus]

The Mk4s are pretty cheaply built in all honesty.  Even compared to the Mk3s!  At the end of the day the Vignale is still just a normal Focus with a few additions.  It's a luxury trim level, not a luxury brand. 

[Paul9619]

I had an annoying rattle in my Mk4 TX Estate.  I managed to find it.  Basically it was the rear seat Internal Light fittings on both sides.  The small rectangular lights in the roof.

I just slipped a small piece of card in each and it got rid of it.

I only bought it last month second hand but went for it over an Audi A5.  Hoping I won't regret not spending the extra £3 to 4k

[MarkRS9]

I must also be lucky as my 2019 STLX with 8500 miles doesn't have any rattles.

Maybe the automatic models were put together better.🤔

[TomsFocus]

50 minutes ago, MarkRS9 said:

I must also be lucky as my 2019 STLX with 8500 miles doesn't have any rattles.

Maybe the automatic models were put together better.🤔

Or maybe it says more about the automatic drivers...

[Guy Heaton]

Are they all made at the same place?  I remember back in the day Vectra B saloons were made in Germany and were more reliable than the hatches made somewhere else 

[alexp999]

All European focus regardless of spec are made at same factory in Saarlouis Germany. 

[Wino]

28 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

All European focus regardless of spec are made at same factory in Saarlouis Germany. 

Perhaps the German roads are nice and smooth and not full of holes left from the blitz 🤔

[Alex.S]

Mines not too bad rattle wise, tho surfaces are different. Road noise could be better ..big wheels to blame maybe? 
As for build quality ..I’ve never bought into German builds being superior, even their shampoo is a fkn scam. 

[Guy Heaton]

Shampoo? 😆

[alexp999]

That caffeine rubbish I’m guessing. 

[TomsFocus]

I've been using the L'Oreal Men Triple Resist shampoo usually on offer in Tesco...  That doesn't work either though. 

13 hours ago, alexp999 said:

All European focus regardless of spec are made at same factory in Saarlouis Germany. 

I think you mean 'were'...   

[Alex.S]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

I've been using the L'Oreal Men Triple Resist shampoo usually on offer in Tesco...  That doesn't work either though. 

14 hours ago, alexp999 said:

Probably made in Germany 

[Zac Urquhart]

23 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

Yep, My MK4 Rattles on the front door casings, really bad. And the Sync Screen vibrates too, plus engine (1.5 TDCi) booms through the cockpit at 1900 RPM.

I've had the casings off myself too and added nitto foam and anti-squeak tape to all contact surfaces and it still does it.

On a Vignale though, I would kick up a right stink and even reject the car if they can't sought it.

Dealer's response to rattling on high volume was " don't have the volume so high then!"

 

They'll come out with 'don't go above 70mph either because the whee nuts won't take it' next! 
 

I managed to snap an entire engine mount on a Fiesta ST once - got told I was 'driving it too hard'. 
 

Only once I'd ridden them a little did they admit they'd made the bushings too soft and the engine could hit the firewall if shifted to hard. 
 

It's genuinely demoralising when you spend x amount of pounds, more often 5 figures, and get told it's your driving style or just tough luck! 

[Zac Urquhart]

23 hours ago, Wino said:

Rattles are becoming very common. It doesn't hold much hope for those wishing to keep the car for a while.

My current rattles are .... ( ST Line X ) 

Centre pillar as mention in earlier post

Gear lever squeak from 5th to 6th and 3rd to 4th both intermittent but never the opposite way.

Rattle from behind the dash to the right hand side where the old key ignition would be ( push the dash in and it stops)

HUD vibrations on certain road surfaces. 

Centre arm rest creaks if I use it as an arm rest.

iPad on dash vibrates too but again intermittently.

Think thats about it. 

'Think that's about it' got me at the end 🤣 

It's driving me, and I imagine many others, batshit crazy. 

[Zac Urquhart]

Just to update: 

Car is booked in on Monday to be looked at. Ford CRC UK are paying for a hire car to replace it while it's in. 
 

So my wallet is in the hands of a Ford Tech, no doubt CRC will slap me with the hire bill if 'no fault found'. 
 

I'm kicking myself for not rejecting delivery in the first 30 days - you can do this no questions asked providing there's a reason, I just thought the original rattle was a one off. After 30 days - 6 months you have to give the dealership the opportunity to fix it. Mine is 5.5 months old. 
 

 

[Wino]

Sorted one of the rattles out. The one behind the dash where the old key ignition would of been. 

Had disabled the HUD for a couple days to make sure it wasn't related to that and found the problem rattle to be located behind the void under the right hand side of the steering wheel. It could be part of the framework for the little storage thing under the light switches. I pushed my hand inside the void and could feel the line of plastic mould so I squeezed it and it clicked a little bit more " together " as if it wasn't totally unclipped but it seems to of stopped the vibration. 

[F0CUE]

I have the same type of rattle in the MK3 that I had in the MK2 on top of the dash in the center and the door cards rattle. They door card has been elbowed several times and the dash slapped. it sometimes helps 😂 

[JackH95]

I have all the same problems on my MK4 ST Line-X. Bass rattles the windows/door cards big style, especially in the cold. Buzzing from passenger glove compartment. Annoying!!!

[Zac Urquhart]

Just an update considering there's a fair few of us that have reported similar/the same rattles! 
 

The car has been in the dealership for 2/3 weeks now! They've added extra soundproofing, grommets and updated the sound system. These actions have helped some of the rattles, but not all. 
 

There's one particular rattle that comes and goes with the base of the sound system and bumpy roads. From what the service fellas have worked out, it's the chrome strip running along the waist rail of the door 'chattering' on the window, hence why this is particularly annoying for most of us. 
 

The dealership have said they've done all they can, and it has now been handed to Ford technical for diagnostics  If they accept it's a design issue over a poorly built car, I'll be looking at refusing the vehicle as per the finance agreement. 
 

If any of you feel inclined, I'd definitely report your concerns to Ford CRC; it'll only help in the future should you get as annoyed as I have with rattles. Insist on a hire car from them - they're obliged to provide one for a warranty concern!