In late April, I picked up a 2017 F-150 that I ordered from the factory. it's a 2017 F-150 XLT with the 3.5L Ecoboost, Fx4, with the 10 speed transmission. About a week later, I noticed a grinding noise coming from the front of the truck after I backed it out of my driveway, and it persisted for a few days. I then took it back to the dealership, who had it for around two weeks. They said it was probably the vacuum lines for the four wheel drive, that they took it apart, cleaned, and put it back together.

After that, the truck went about a week of normal driving before it made the noise again over Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I went out of town that Thursday morning and didn't come back until the next Monday, and the truck wasn't driven during that time. The truck didn't make the noise again until Friday morning, then Saturday, and this morning. It usually makes it out of a cold start (3+ hours).

I've recorded a few videos of the noise. The first one doesn't have as good of quality, but the next two have it.

You can hear it here at 00:13-00:19:
You can hear it here at 00:36:
And you can here it hear at 00:20 and again at 00:31:
Because the people at the dealership were having such a hard time identifying the problem and any solution, I'm hoping that someone here can before I take it back to them.

Thanks

 

Maybe this

Growling or Scraping Noise After Brake Rotor Cover Removal
Some 2016-2017 MY vehicles with factory installed brake rotor covers may exhibit a growling or scraping noise coming from the wheel area after the brake rotor covers were removed as part of the pre-delivery inspection. This may be due to the brake caliper spring becoming dislodged during the rotor cover removal process and rubbing against the wheel.

 

Mine makes a grinding type noise some times when turned and slowly moving. Can't identify the source yet.

 

My 2017 just started the grinding sound.

What was the solution for your vehicle?

 

Alright Guys. There is a pattern forming. I have a 2017, 3.5, eco boost, xlt, 10 speed. I have the exact same symptoms mentioned above. The maintenance shop just told me that ford is calling it a "characteristic" of the truck. Please tell me they have a fix for this.

thanks

gene in Springfield, va

 

johnday had this issue on his 2017. He replaced the check valve to the IWE solenoid and so far so good.

 

I have same issue/noises at cold temps with a 2017 w/ 3.5L eco-boost with less than 12,000 miles.
Dealer has had truck for a over a week and now telling me another month before they can get any parts to hopefully fix. To say the least I am not the happiest of camper in the world.
Not sure if this problem is so wide spread that Ford ran out of repair parts in all the US (not sure yet what parts), or dealer is just ordering parts with the hope of fixing.

C'mon Ford you are better than this.

Al in Green Bay, WI

 

I turned my 2017 10 speed in to the shop for the 3rd, 4th or 5th time, last night. I've been there so many times that I'm losing track. Coincidentally there was a guy at the service desk with the exact same truck, he was turning it in for the exact same problem as mine. I asked the service rep if this is just a funny coincidence or have they seen this with others as well.....He indicated that we're not alone. If you switch from 2H to 4H when you hear the noise it will immediately go away. I've had the front left IWE Solenoid replaced....The noise was still there. Now they're replacing the front right hoping that that will fix it. If we all scream loud enough maybe ford will listen before they start turning everyone into Chevy customers.

 

New member here, first post. My 2017 XLT 3.5L ECO with 9,300 miles on it started doing this about four months ago. The first time i noticed it, i couldn't pin point the problem. This morning it did it a few times always as slow speeds and on the accelerator. Took it to the dealer on my way to work and they told me it was the actuator on the front drivers side. They told me to drive it until my appointment on Tuesday of next week.

 

I picked up my 17' xlt about the same time, except mine didn't start until August around 6k miles. Couldn't get an answer from 2 dealers so I started investigating. I have diagnosed the problem by hooking up a vacuum tee on each side of the solenoid and running them into the cab to a gauge while going down the road. The grinding begins as the system loses vacuum. The grinding is the partial engagement of the iwe actuators down in the hub. This happens when the system loses vacuum. The design needs vacuum to pull the hubs in. They seem to start letting go and grinding around 5 inches of vacuum. The reason it happens during acceleration is because the engine loses its vacuum when you open its throttle plate. So you can make it quit by idling or just switching it to 4wd. When the system is not leaking, the check valve and vacuum reservoir hold in a deep vacuum so when needed you can switch into 2wd. But the problem is that we are losing the vacuum to a leak and it drain the reservoir. I leak tested every component and tested operation of solenoid and it came down to an intermittent leak.Replaced the check valve to ensure the leak was not from the check valve intermittently not holding. So it comes down the the o ring on the actuator itself in the hub. I proved it by video to the shop and they went to order 2 new actuators and they told me they are on back order. So here I am, problem is getting worse the colder it gets. They still make trucks everyday, so are they redesigning this part or what?

 

Makes perfect sense to me. This problem has been around (in one form or another) since they went to the IWE system in 2004. I had all sorts of issues with the system on my 2005 F-150 and got to know they system very well. (By the time I bought my 2010 F-150, they'd pretty well fixed all of the previous issues.)

What most folks don't understand is that vacuum disengages the IWEs - pretty much the same thing as unlocking your front hubs. So in the absence of vacuum, your IWEs (front hubs) will lock. The worst thing that can happen is a leak or partial loss of vacuum which causes the IWEs to partially disengage. The grinding sound you hear when that happens is your IWEs eating themselves up.

I wonder if Ford (or maybe their IWE supplier) made an Engineering Change (probably to save money) and an unintended result is leaking IWEs?

 

Just got my 2017, last month, day after pick up noticed scraping noise as turning onto main road. Dealer says they have not seen this, but obviously is out there. I'm in GA so cold weather isn't a big factor however I've noticed that this noise is only when the temp is lower than 60s. I'm hoping that what I found written by angrychicken87 will help. According to dealer Ford has put out NOTHING on this issue. Also had this noise at higher speed while on freeway at 70. Any ideas to help fix would be appreciated. Thanks...

 

This is what they said was wrong with mine. Reprogramed pcm , reset kam , pcm/tcm , It was making intermittent grinding noise also .

 

Thanks Okee I'll pass that along to my dealer. Another appointment this week...