Transmission vs Differential issues

[urbanrider85]

Hello, so let me start by saying I LOVE this truck. I however am not a fan of the current issues I'm having. I purchased my 2021 powerboost in December of 2024. I drive a mixture of highway and towing, so this has been a great mix. I however have noted that while 'Ford Tough' does not always apply to this truck. I was driving home one day from work and due to heavy rain that we were having, I elected to put the truck in 4A versus 2H. When I went to put it it I received an alert 'Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power'. The truck did eventually transition into 4A and then back to 2H. The wrench icon stayed on the the remainder of my drive and I have the alert for this stored in the Ford app on my phone. I made it home safety, and the next time I started the truck, the alert was no longer there and the truck transitioned between modes and 4A/4H/4L with no issues. I however have noticed a mechanical rubbing noise that I am getting. It is typically at speeds above 45mph, occurs on the highway, and will be there for a moment or two and go away. It is not a consistent noise. I went to a local mechanic (who is almost a ford master tech) and he said that it was either, a known issue with rubbing against the hybrid battery or something with the differential, based on the alert that I had received. He suggested that I take it into a Ford Dealer for next steps. Well, Ford dealer #1 was a bust- they couldn't replicate the issue. Ford Dealer #2 was able to replicate the issue, but said that it was the transmission. He said that there was nothing do to with it now, as other than being an annoyance, everything was working as it should and to keep driving. While we work on figuring out this issue- has anyone had any issue similar to this?

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[Gros Ventre]

Well... I don't agree that the rubbing is not a problem. Something will eventually be worn thru. If you don't know what it is, it will come find you at an inconvenient time and place.

 

[Buyer2021]

@urbanrider85 , just curious, how many miles on your PB?

 

[urbanrider85]

@urbanrider85 , just curious, how many miles on your PB?

102k

 

[urbanrider85]

Well... I don't agree that the rubbing is not a problem. Something will eventually be worn thru. If you don't know what it is, it will come find you at an inconvenient time and place.

100% agree- which is also why I’m trying to determine what the issue is. But also what the cause is.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I had something kick my butt some years ago. Ended up buying a set of strap-on remote sound transducers. They sent a signal to a control box in the cab. That resolved it after a few runs moving them around. No other way in that case since it was a brand new strut. I just couldn't believe it until the sound transducers showed it. You may have to do something like that.

 

[urbanrider85]

So now I'm at 104k, and about a month and change later- figured I would add in the additional data that I've picked up. Continues to make the same noise in 2H, 4A- still shifting fine between them. I also recently towed with it (small two horse trailer) and while it didn't do it much on my 70 mile trip out there, it did it about 3-5 times on the way home. The truck was in tow mode and I was honestly surprised that it didn't do it more as I was carrying a load (both my horses were in the trailer and I had to go up some pretty decent hills and also going between highway and regular roads). Based on some research that I'm continuing to do, I'm going to talk to my mechanic about IWE's which was also one of the things we briefly talked about, but given that different modes didn't make a difference, it was not dismissed but lower on the list. Has it gotten worse? no. It's stayed consistent. my extended warranty covers my truck for another 44K so hopefully we figure it out before then.

 

[Gros Ventre]

So now I'm at 104k, and about a month and change later- figured I would add in the additional data that I've picked up. Continues to make the same noise in 2H, 4A- still shifting fine between them. I also recently towed with it (small two horse trailer) and while it didn't do it much on my 70 mile trip out there, it did it about 3-5 times on the way home. The truck was in tow mode and I was honestly surprised that it didn't do it more as I was carrying a load (both my horses were in the trailer and I had to go up some pretty decent hills and also going between highway and regular roads). Based on some research that I'm continuing to do, I'm going to talk to my mechanic about IWE's which was also one of the things we briefly talked about, but given that different modes didn't make a difference, it was not dismissed but lower on the list. Has it gotten worse? no. It's stayed consistent. my extended warranty covers my truck for another 44K so hopefully we figure it out before then.

Maybe I missed the entry. Have you drained the transfer case and axle oils? This may be damge to the gears. On another truck, I once had a shock to the diferential that broke a tooth off. It drove fine for a good while with some noise. When I drained the oil gobs of grind particles came out... Might be a tip off...

 

[urbanrider85]

Thank you! We have not- but I’ll make sure that talk about this with my mechanic. We’ve tried a few other things and given how sporadic it is, this might fit.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

What I find odd is that no mention of a thorough visual inspection of the entire drive line as well as suspension components was made. If there's something consistently rubbing especially at speed then there should be evidence of it somewhere. Make sure to check all the various fender liner pieces and if still installed that the fiber splash pan are properly secured or not damaged. I had installed rear fender liners and some time later noticed an intermittent rubbing sound. Turned out the passenger side rear liner was lightly touching the shock causing the noise. I fond it when I got in the bed and was bouncing the truck over the axle. Had to trim a little off the fender liner to fix it. 15K miles later no return of the noise. It could be something as simple at that.

The hybrid battery is located above the frame and has vibration dampers on it so it's a near physical impossibility for anything to rub against the casing and a visual inspection will show if there is. If you don't have it get a code scanner or Forscan and check for codes to see what is going on. The failure to engage into 4A and subsequent warning may indicate an issue with the transfer case control module ML3Z-7E453-P which are around 130-140. Checking for codes may show that this component is failing.

If there are no visible signs of rubbing anywhere then you will need to get or have a set of strap-on remote sound transducers put on as @Gros Ventre mentioned to perform testing to locate where the sound is originating from.

 

[urbanrider85]

So update: dealership completed a TSB update after confirming what i was hearing. However the update did not resolve this issue during test drive. So transmission specialist will be looking at it either today or tomorrow and they are leaning towards torque converter.

 

[urbanrider85]

Additional update: now needing a whole new transmission. Litchfield Ford is thus far earning a gold star for how they have been handling this and working with me.

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