OSCILLATING HUMMING NOISE/VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, GOES AWAY IN 4H

[cnycyberorangeobx]

Just wondering if anyone else has come across this issue with their Bronco, or if any technicians on here have heard of this.

Dealership has been trying to find the cause of this vibration, noise started out of nowhere while driving at highway speeds, it starts out at a pulsing vibration, almost like a loose wheel, then slows as you continue to drive to about one second on and off. The vibration stops immediately when you engage 4H and comes back when switching back to 2H, warranty covered replacing the entire transfer case but that didn't solve the issue.

2022 2 Door Outer Banks, 2.3L, Auto, Non-Sasquatch, no locking differentials

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[PWillette]

Have heard a few instances of intermittent highway vibrations but most due to improper wheel balancing however I do believe there may have been one case caused by faulty ABS sensor/module.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Just wondering if anyone else has come across this issue with their Bronco, or if any technicians on here have heard of this.

Dealership has been trying to find the cause of this vibration, noise started out of nowhere while driving at highway speeds, it starts out at a pulsing vibration, almost like a loose wheel, then slows as you continue to drive to about one second on and off. The vibration stops immediately when you engage 4H and comes back when switching back to 2H, warranty covered replacing the entire transfer case but that didn't solve the issue.

2022 2 Door Outer Banks, 2.3L, Auto, Non-Sasquatch, no locking differentials

Hi there, I'd be happy to look into your Bronco concerns on my end. Will you send us a message with your VIN and dealership info? I can look into things on my end.

 

[cnycyberorangeobx]

Have heard a few instances of intermittent highway vibrations but most due to improper wheel balancing however I do believe there may have been one case caused by faulty ABS sensor/module.

That was my initial thought was a tire issue but when it starts and stops depending on the 4WD that threw that theory out the window

 

[RunningJerk]

I have noticed this exact problem in the last month. I thought it was a tire issue so I rotated them without making any difference. It hasn't been slippery so I haven't checked to see if the noise and vibration goes away in 4h but I will try it now. The fact that it is intermittent made me question if tires could cause the vibration but then again you never REALLY know until you try. I've been searching for similar issues that others have had but I kept coming across the grinding noise threads. Please keep posting any potential solutions to the source of the noise/vibration.

2021 Black Diamond 2.3L 7MT 13,000 miles

 

[cnycyberorangeobx]

I have noticed this exact problem in the last month. I thought it was a tire issue so I rotated them without making any difference. It hasn't been slippery so I haven't checked to see if the noise and vibration goes away in 4h but I will try it now. The fact that it is intermittent made me question if tires could cause the vibration but then again you never REALLY know until you try. I've been searching for similar issues that others have had but I kept coming across the grinding noise threads. Please keep posting any potential solutions to the source of the noise/vibration.

2021 Black Diamond 2.3L 7MT 13,000 miles

Going back in the shop Tuesday or Wednesday of next week hopefully will have an answer then!

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I have noticed this exact problem in the last month. I thought it was a tire issue so I rotated them without making any difference. It hasn't been slippery so I haven't checked to see if the noise and vibration goes away in 4h but I will try it now. The fact that it is intermittent made me question if tires could cause the vibration but then again you never REALLY know until you try. I've been searching for similar issues that others have had but I kept coming across the grinding noise threads. Please keep posting any potential solutions to the source of the noise/vibration.

2021 Black Diamond 2.3L 7MT 13,000 miles

Hey there! I can look into your Bronco’s noise/vibration concerns on my end if you’d like. Will you send us a private message with your VIN and dealership info?

 

[RunningJerk]

I figured I’d post a video where I was finally able to catch the humming noise. If you have good ear buds you can hear it quite well.

 

[cnycyberorangeobx]

I figured I’d post a video where I was finally able to catch the humming noise. If you have good ear buds you can hear it quite well.

Yes, that sounds exactly like what I am hearing, does the noise go away when you engage 4WD

 

[Cygnusx1]

check your driveshafts. Someone had one come from the factory with completely loose bolts.

 

[RunningJerk]

Yes, that sounds exactly like what I am hearing, does the noise go away when you engage 4WD

I have been reluctant to drive in 4H on dry pavement, but I did try it for 1/4 mile the other day and the noise did stop, though the noise is not present 100% of the time in the first place.

If the ground was frozen I'd take a little trip through a farm field to test it more thoroughly but the weather hasn't cooperated.

If your dealership gets to the bottom of this please post. I'm sorry to say I'm happy that it's not just my vehicle, but I do hope it's something reasonably simple to address. I thought about taking each wheel off and pulling the ABS sensor to check for debris, but I don't care to monkey around with it with a bad back.

 

[cnycyberorangeobx]

check your driveshafts. Someone had one come from the factory with completely loose bolts.

Already had the transfer case replaced so I'm assuming the tech torqued all of the new bolts that he put in.

 

[RunningJerk]

This morning at 65 mph I shifted into 4h. The noise went away. I shifted back to 2h and there was a whole bunch of vibration/humming that occurred along with a change in the timing of the humming, plus what I can only describe as a grinding noise, though it wasn't the kind of grinding that you get when trying to put a car into gear without pushing in the clutch. On my way home from work I will try to record the sound it made going from 4h to 2h because I suspect this will shine a lot of light on where the problem could be. I do not know how the drive system engages/disengages on the 4 wheel drive but if engaging it makes the sound and vibration go away, and disengaging it temporarily increases it/changes it then it has to be something related to the front drive.

From what has been experienced by cnycyberorangeobx, replacing the transfer case did not address the problem, so what else is left that could cause the noise?

 

[kirby149]

MINE DOES SIMILAR SOUND AND VIBRATION. BUT ITS ONLY WHEN ITS 32 DEGREES OR LOWER OUTSIDE AND YOU HAVE TO GET TO ABOUT 55MPH BEFORE IT STARTS. BUT WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND GO AGAIN ITS GONE MORE TIMES THEN NOT. THEN THE NEXT COLD MORNING IT DOES IT AGAIN. FEEL IT IN THE FLOOR BOARD, STEERING WHEEL AND YOU CAN HEAR IT. ITS NOT A WHEEL BEARING. ITS ROTATIONAL BUT THERE IS A PAUSE FOR LIKE 3 SECONDS THEN YOU HEAR THE NOSIE THEN PAUSE AGAIN THEN THE NOISE AGAIN. SCRATCHING MY HEAD.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

MINE DOES SIMILAR SOUND AND VIBRATION. BUT ITS ONLY WHEN ITS 32 DEGREES OR LOWER OUTSIDE AND YOU HAVE TO GET TO ABOUT 55MPH BEFORE IT STARTS. BUT WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND GO AGAIN ITS GONE MORE TIMES THEN NOT. THEN THE NEXT COLD MORNING IT DOES IT AGAIN. FEEL IT IN THE FLOOR BOARD, STEERING WHEEL AND YOU CAN HEAR IT. ITS NOT A WHEEL BEARING. ITS ROTATIONAL BUT THERE IS A PAUSE FOR LIKE 3 SECONDS THEN YOU HEAR THE NOSIE THEN PAUSE AGAIN THEN THE NOISE AGAIN. SCRATCHING MY HEAD.

Hi there! Will you send us a message with your VIN and your local Ford dealer? I can look into things on my end.

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