Focus MK4 vibrating - but not Cylinder Deactivation related

[Jayas]

Hi,

my Focus MK4 125bhp manual transmission is having a vibration through the car at 90 km/h in 5th gear.

• when switching to 6th gear the vibration is gone
• there is no difference between driving modes Normal, Eco or Sport
• sometimes I think the vibration is also there in higher speeds when in sixth gear but much less noticeable.
• brought the car to my local mechanic, he was very enthusiastic about the car and it being very silent. But he didn't find the vibration sadly enough while it's really there.

Does somebody also have this problem?

[piotrmod]

I hate this car because of that!

I own it for 3.5 year and practically there is no single ride when I don't think bout how it is possible, that this car is vibrating so strong. I feel it in my butt!

I had to, sorry.

Now a bit more details. Wagon (tournier) has some issue, it used to vibrate when speed goes above 120km/h. on motorways. It is not related to wheels (changed different size and tires), suspension (I changed 100% - springs and absorbers). Car has been checked a few times, geometry etc, all perfect. 

1) It applies mainly to models with 1.5EcoBoost and 2.0 EcoBlue engines (heavy?)

2) It is much more noticeable in winter, when temperature goes below 10deg. 

3) Sometimes it starts when a turn is taken, sometimes when it goes a bit uphill. 

4) Vibrates with the same frequency, does not matter 120km/h or 150km/h,

5) Is not related to engine rpm, I press the clutch, rpm=1000 and vibrations are still there.

6) Somehow, weight on rear wheels makes this stronger.

7) It is related to a tire pressure, noticeable difference between 2.1 and 2.4 bar

Looks like normal vibrations from roads and wheels goes to the car and make some part to resonate with it's own frequency. My theory is that the engine vibrates - too soft "pillows". It might be some stiffness of the body. 

 

 

 

 

[Jayas]

thanks for adding @piotrmod!

• last sentence sounds familiar " Looks like normal vibrations from roads and wheels goes to the car and make some part to resonate with it's own frequency. My theory is that the engine vibrates - too soft "pillows". It might be some stiffness of the body." But shouldn't that be better after changing springs and absorbers
• My car is a 125BHp Ecoboost, different engine, sort of the same problem
• When I focus (N.P.I.) on the vibrations it feels like when taking some road vibrations it sometimes picks up the vibration to the car, like you said: like it's going to resonate with it's own frequency
• Todays drive on the other hand was again fine (no noticable vibrations at 90Kmph in 5th gear)
• Vibrations are also noticable at around 110 in 6th gear so around 2400RPM(?)

[Jayas]

okay okay okay $%^# cars!!

I stand corrected! It ís caused by the cylinder deactivation

• Took my Focus out for a spin
• hooked up Forscan and the oscilloscope tool to check what's going on.
• enabled "command to cylinder activation" in PCM to monitor
• enables "inhibited cylinder deactivation by drive mode" in PCM to monitor
• Also on Sportsmode the cylinderdeactivation is engaged!! What?!

What I found was that the cylinder deactivation is active a lot of the time (in normal driving mode). Much more than some people here write. From first till 6th gear. My problem was that going 90km/h in 5th gear the car was vibrating, when shifting to 6th gear the problem is was gone. So at first I tried shifting more progressively but also felt the same kind of vibration a lot more at different speeds etc.

When reading about this problem from other Focus MK4 drivers I read that this problem, if caused by the cylinder deactivation, should disappear when driving in Sports-mode. Mine certainly does not! I will open another topic for this but if any of you knows something......

[Tizer]

1 hour ago, Jayas said:

When reading about this problem from other Focus MK4 drivers I read that this problem, if caused by the cylinder deactivation, should disappear when driving in Sports-mode. Mine certainly does not! I will open another topic for this but if any of you knows something......

If you have a 1.5 then Cylinder Deactivation is not disabled in Sports Mode, I know that for a fact. I have read on here that it is on the 1.0 Engined cars but don't know if that is true or not. I always suspected that it was not true.

I have also seen that Inhibit Cylinder Deactivation by Drive Mode PID in FORScan on my 1.5 but it does not show anything in either Normal or Sports Mode, I have not checked Eco Mode.

Just for information there are a lot of other PID's in FORScan. As well as Commanded Deactivation there are ones for Actual verses Commanded as well. I can't remember what they are called exactly.

A Master Tech on this forum said that he tried everything to solve the problem including components and there is no cure.

I have not had the problem on my 1.5 and my best guess, and it is only a guess, is that there may be a Valve Seating or Compression problem in Cylinder one. The Valves on Cylinder one should close when Deactivation occurs to give a cushioning effect, otherwise the car would feel like it is running on two Cylinders and I'm sure that the PCM is supposed to detect if that is not happening and stop Deactivation but maybe it is not very good at doing so. I'm sure that there is something in one of the PID's that says why actual is not the same as desired.. This is only a guess, I don't have any inside information.

The other thing about the 1.0 Engine is that only the Automatic ones have a Balancer Shaft arrangement, at least on the earlier engines. For info all the 1.5 Engines have one.

Good luck in solving the problem. 

[Jayas]

went for a (st)roll today and got myself a PCM update, 45 Euro's not too shabby, finally the cylinder deactivation is gone in Sports mode. Me Happy.

[Stingray1987]

I too have this problem on my mk 4 2.0 ecoblue when traveling above 60mph, feels like your sat on top of a tumble dryer lol to be fair it feels quite light on the road with any slight pump snagging the steering wheel even at low speeds. I've had all 4 wheels rebalanced, had the tracking done and about to replace the brake discs all round. The handbrake used to stick on and the car seems to jerk as if the brakes are applied when coming off the accelerator at 30mph so I'm hoping min is a warped disc. 

[Jayas]

that sounds even worse... I hope you find the problem. Is this a 3 cilinder with cylinder deactivation?

[RL123]

Assuming you’ve ruled out tyres, I’ve had water in one which gave balancing issue vibration and once a carbuncle in a tyre wall . The only other thing I can think of is a driveshaft joint or support if it has one.

thought it would have been spotted when doing the brakes though.

[piotrmod]

There is one guy in Germany, with some huge vibrations. service replaced half of the car including auto gerbox. But, out of the sudden, the guy found out that his steering wheel angle calibration is 7.5degree when driving straight forward.  There was also discrepancy with ABS, ESP readings. I don't know the end of the story, according to him, executing some calibration procedures help greatly with the f* vibrations. At least, that is a thread to explore.