Intermittent hum or howl from front end

[Snakebitten]

They simply don't have a mechanism in the hub for disconnecting from the axle. (half-shaft)
It's like a permanent AWD front hub.

Of course the transfer case can still disconnect from the front differential, so the front wheels are not connected to the output of the transmission permanently.

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[jridout325]

Joined this forum just for this thread as i believe i have the same issue. Just bought a 22' xlt with the 5.0 yesterday. Coming from a super duty and this is my first f150 so a lot of these issues are new to me. Picked up the truck from the dealer yesterday and drove it about a 60 mile trip home. Truck was great until I got about 50 miles down the road. It randomly started making this humming/grinding noise as you guys described. It would go away instantly after putting it into 4HI. It does have a dealer installed 2 inch leveling kit and 33 inch tires not sure if that has anything to do with it or not but I'm very disappointed in a truck with only 150 miles on it having this issue. I drove it to work today and It didn't do it on my drive. It is about 10 degrees where I'm at so maybe that has something to do with it. I already contacted the dealer but I'm going to continue to monitor and see if it was just a fluke deal or if it will start doing it again. I'm glad I am not alone on this issue

 

[Beef_Stew]

Joined this forum just for this thread as i believe i have the same issue. Just bought a 22' xlt with the 5.0 yesterday. Coming from a super duty and this is my first f150 so a lot of these issues are new to me. Picked up the truck from the dealer yesterday and drove it about a 60 mile trip home. Truck was great until I got about 50 miles down the road. It randomly started making this humming/grinding noise as you guys described. It would go away instantly after putting it into 4HI. It does have a dealer installed 2 inch leveling kit and 33 inch tires not sure if that has anything to do with it or not but I'm very disappointed in a truck with only 150 miles on it having this issue. I drove it to work today and It didn't do it on my drive. It is about 10 degrees where I'm at so maybe that has something to do with it. I already contacted the dealer but I'm going to continue to monitor and see if it was just a fluke deal or if it will start doing it again. I'm glad I am not alone on this issue

You’re defiantly not alone! I heard it 3-4 times when the truck was new, now I haven’t heard it in over 1000 miles. (It was 50’s when I first heard it and it’s been down around 10-20 degrees lately) also my truck is bone stock, so your lift and tires probably has no effect on it. I’ll be making a service appointment if I hear it one or more times

 

[Rineland]

Chiming in here as I'm also experiencing the humming sound coming from the front driver's side. 2022 XLT, 3.5L, 274 miles on it. It sounds just like others have described, like the wheel well liner got caught on the tire or the tire miraculously was swapped to an aggressive mud tire while driving. Similar instances of occurrence; it's cold, first drive of the day (usually), and on a sweeping right turn within a couple miles of my house at ~45mph, lasts less than 10 seconds. It's done it 4 or 5 times now. I did try the 4H trick and it instantly goes away once I press it. I've also experienced the same noise shifting from 4H to 2H on a flat straightaway at ~45mph (haven't tested other speeds). Coming from a '21 XLT, 2.7L that had 14k miles on it and never had this noise (I purchased in 2/21 so it was cold outside when the truck was new and "breaking in").

Reading up on a TSB for the older vacuum based system, it seems there was a prescribed fix in the TCCM to delay vacuum actuation when temperatures were above 32F. Inferring from that, it seems it already employs this delay strategy when temps are below 32F. My guess is for two reasons, one is to allow the engine to build up vacuum, the other is to warm up the differential fluid when cold.

Considering the new trucks use an electronic IWE, it doesn't need to wait to build up vacuum, which leads me to believe that it's employing the "lock hub on start up" strategy when cold to warm up the diff. Definitely seems like an IWE "issue", although it's not really a grinding noise like on the older vacuum based systems. Perhaps it's just wearing in because the truck is new. Or maybe there's a problem with some of the actuators not engaging/disengaging quickly enough. I'm planning to keep an "ear" on it for the next few hundred miles before raising it up with the dealer to see if it's just a break-in thing, which it may be based on @Beef_Stew's latest update.

 

[Beef_Stew]

Chiming in here as I'm also experiencing the humming sound coming from the front driver's side. 2022 XLT, 3.5L, 274 miles on it. It sounds just like others have described, like the wheel well liner got caught on the tire or the tire miraculously was swapped to an aggressive mud tire while driving. Similar instances of occurrence; it's cold, first drive of the day (usually), and on a sweeping right turn within a couple miles of my house at ~45mph, lasts less than 10 seconds. It's done it 4 or 5 times now. I did try the 4H trick and it instantly goes away once I press it. I've also experienced the same noise shifting from 4H to 2H on a flat straightaway at ~45mph (haven't tested other speeds). Coming from a '21 XLT, 2.7L that had 14k miles on it and never had this noise (I purchased in 2/21 so it was cold outside when the truck was new and "breaking in").

Reading up on a TSB for the older vacuum based system, it seems there was a prescribed fix in the TCCM to delay vacuum actuation when temperatures were above 32F. Inferring from that, it seems it already employs this delay strategy when temps are below 32F. My guess is for two reasons, one is to allow the engine to build up vacuum, the other is to warm up the differential fluid when cold.

Considering the new trucks use an electronic IWE, it doesn't need to wait to build up vacuum, which leads me to believe that it's employing the "lock hub on start up" strategy when cold to warm up the diff. Definitely seems like an IWE "issue", although it's not really a grinding noise like on the older vacuum based systems. Perhaps it's just wearing in because the truck is new. Or maybe there's a problem with some of the actuators not engaging/disengaging quickly enough. I'm planning to keep an "ear" on it for the next few hundred miles before raising it up with the dealer to see if it's just a break-in thing, which it may be based on @Beef_Stew's latest update.

Great info here! The lock up hub on start up to warm the dif is interesting

 

[Rineland]

I did some additional testing yesterday afternoon and I can pretty consistently reproduce the sound when shifting from 4H to 2H. Since I can reproduce it I'm going to make an appointment with the dealership to have it looked at. I'll report back with their findings.

 

[Beef_Stew]

I did some additional testing yesterday afternoon and I can pretty consistently reproduce the sound when shifting from 4H to 2H. Since I can reproduce it I'm going to make an appointment with the dealership to have it looked at. I'll report back with their findings.

Sounds good! What speeds are you able to reproduce it? And steering angle?

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I did some additional testing yesterday afternoon and I can pretty consistently reproduce the sound when shifting from 4H to 2H. Since I can reproduce it I'm going to make an appointment with the dealership to have it looked at. I'll report back with their findings.

Hi Chris. Can you send us a DM with your VIN and dealership info? I can look into this for you.

 

[Rineland]

Sounds good! What speeds are you able to reproduce it? And steering angle?

Speeds are generally 30-45mph and (other than one time going straight) it's always been when the wheel is turned to the right (maybe 35-60 degrees?). During my drive with the service Forman today, we were able to reproduce the sound and he also said he felt a little vibration in the floorboard when it happened. He is going to research it with Ford Engineering but did say he wanted to order a new IWE for the driver's side and replace it. I imagine it needs to be approved first which is why it was an "I want" rather than a definite "I will". I'll follow up with updates when available.

 

[Beef_Stew]

Speeds are generally 30-45mph and (other than one time going straight) it's always been when the wheel is turned to the right (maybe 35-60 degrees?). During my drive with the service Forman today, we were able to reproduce the sound and he also said he felt a little vibration in the floorboard when it happened. He is going to research it with Ford Engineering but did say he wanted to order a new IWE for the driver's side and replace it. I imagine it needs to be approved first which is why it was an "I want" rather than a definite "I will". I'll follow up with updates when available.

Great news, I’ll see if I can replicate it also

 

[SRHAGEN]

Sounds good! What speeds are you able to reproduce it? And steering angle?

I have noticed the steering angle is definitely part of the equation. When I turn slight left, about5 degrees off center, I feel the left front vibes lessen.

 

[Rineland]

I received a call from my dealer yesterday. They are ordering a new IWE for the driver's side and will replace it. It's on backorder until mid-February, which after the last two years hardly seems like a backorder situation. It is interesting though and makes me wonder if these are being replaced on a number of trucks. I'm inclined to believe so considering there are people joining the forum just to chime in that they're experiencing the issue.

The service foreman did do some additional research on the questions I asked surrounding the IWE engagement logic. When the temperature drops (I think he mentioned 35F or lower) the IWEs engage to warm the differential fluid for approximately 2 miles. If you put the vehicle in park during the same key cycle and then drive, the IWEs will re-engage for approximately 2 miles again.

I'll follow up after the replacement with whether it has resolved the issue or not.

 

[Beef_Stew]

I received a call from my dealer yesterday. They are ordering a new IWE for the driver's side and will replace it. It's on backorder until mid-February, which after the last two years hardly seems like a backorder situation. It is interesting though and makes me wonder if these are being replaced on a number of trucks. I'm inclined to believe so considering there are people joining the forum just to chime in that they're experiencing the issue.

The service foreman did do some additional research on the questions I asked surrounding the IWE engagement logic. When the temperature drops (I think he mentioned 35F or lower) the IWEs engage to warm the differential fluid for approximately 2 miles. If you put the vehicle in park during the same key cycle and then drive, the IWEs will re-engage for approximately 2 miles again.

I'll follow up after the replacement with whether it has resolved the issue or not.

Good info!

 

[Ballerzclubprez]

Chiming in here as I'm also experiencing the humming sound coming from the front driver's side. 2022 XLT, 3.5L, 274 miles on it. It sounds just like others have described, like the wheel well liner got caught on the tire or the tire miraculously was swapped to an aggressive mud tire while driving. Similar instances of occurrence; it's cold, first drive of the day (usually), and on a sweeping right turn within a couple miles of my house at ~45mph, lasts less than 10 seconds. It's done it 4 or 5 times now. I did try the 4H trick and it instantly goes away once I press it. I've also experienced the same noise shifting from 4H to 2H on a flat straightaway at ~45mph (haven't tested other speeds). Coming from a '21 XLT, 2.7L that had 14k miles on it and never had this noise (I purchased in 2/21 so it was cold outside when the truck was new and "breaking in").

Reading up on a TSB for the older vacuum based system, it seems there was a prescribed fix in the TCCM to delay vacuum actuation when temperatures were above 32F. Inferring from that, it seems it already employs this delay strategy when temps are below 32F. My guess is for two reasons, one is to allow the engine to build up vacuum, the other is to warm up the differential fluid when cold.

Considering the new trucks use an electronic IWE, it doesn't need to wait to build up vacuum, which leads me to believe that it's employing the "lock hub on start up" strategy when cold to warm up the diff. Definitely seems like an IWE "issue", although it's not really a grinding noise like on the older vacuum based systems. Perhaps it's just wearing in because the truck is new. Or maybe there's a problem with some of the actuators not engaging/disengaging quickly enough. I'm planning to keep an "ear" on it for the next few hundred miles before raising it up with the dealer to see if it's just a break-in thing, which it may be based on @Beef_Stew's latest update.

Do you know for sure it locks up on start on the 21+? Or is that a guess on your part?

 

[Rineland]

Do you know for sure it locks up on start on the 21+? Or is that a guess on your part?

This is for sure. The service foreman confirmed it with Ford when he consulted with engineering. They engage when the temperature is below 32F for approximately 2 miles.

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