2016 F-150 4x4 Grinding when letting off the gas

[adsm08]

I think I got this one.

CAD = Crappy Activation Device

Close. Center Axle Disconnect.

Basically the short axle is always fully engaged to the front diff, and the long axle has a break in it that engages a splined collar, a lot like the slider hub in a manual transmission. This allows the front axle to be disconnected, since an open diff would then not really do anything, maybe spin the spider gears a bit. Jeep used them for a long time, but Ford's version wasn't particularly efficient or reliable and was ditched in favor of the IWE setup pretty quickly. The CAD units were used from 96.5 or 97 until the 04 Heritage body was done. The true 04s (the 6-lug ones) got the IWEs and they are still in use, more or less unchanged, at least through 2019, which is the newest F-150 I have worked on so far.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Close. Center Axle Disconnect.

Basically the short axle is always fully engaged to the front diff, and the long axle has a break in it that engages a splined collar, a lot like the slider hub in a manual transmission. This allows the front axle to be disconnected, since an open diff would then not really do anything, maybe spin the spider gears a bit. Jeep used them for a long time, but Ford's version wasn't particularly efficient or reliable and was ditched in favor of the IWE setup pretty quickly. The CAD units were used from 96.5 or 97 until the 04 Heritage body was done. The true 04s (the 6-lug ones) got the IWEs and they are still in use, more or less unchanged, at least through 2019, which is the newest F-150 I have worked on so far.

I pull the lever in my 02, wait for three clicks as the elves in the dash make magic stuff happen... and go.

Knocking on wood I have never done a thing to it.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I started hearing a light chatter on the freeway today. Went away when I took my foot off the gas and didn't come back.

Made an appointment online to get it in to the Ford garage where I bought it on Wednesday. I really hope they can find the problem and fix it. I need to head to Ohio for my nieces upcoming wedding.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I started hearing a light chatter on the freeway today. Went away when I took my foot off the gas and didn't come back.

Made an appointment online to get it in to the Ford garage where I bought it on Wednesday. I really hope they can find the problem and fix it. I need to head to Ohio for my nieces upcoming wedding.

Hopefully they help you out on it since they just sold it to you.

 

[Jim Oaks]

A few other observations...

Sunday it started to make a chattering sound that went away after I let off the gas and didn't come back.

On one occasion shortly after I got it, I was slowing down for a stop sign, and the truck dropped all the way to 1st gear. When I pulled away it didn't want to upshift out of 1st. I put the gear shift in M (Manual) and back in to Drive and it worked fine after that. I've heard that these 6R80's have had problems doing that due to a bad speed sensor.

 

[Snoranger]

A few other observations...

Sunday it started to make a chattering sound that went away after I let off the gas and didn't come back.

On one occasion shortly after I got it, I was slowing down for a stop sign, and the truck dropped all the way to 1st gear. When I pulled away it didn't want to upshift out of 1st. I put the gear shift in M (Manual) and back in to Drive and it worked fine after that. I've heard that these 6R80's have had problems doing that due to a bad speed sensor.

Next time it does it just coast and click it into 4wd... if it goes away it’s an iwe issue. My lifted 17 kept pulling a victim line off the drivers side IWE and sorta grind a little. If I put it in 4wd it would stop instantly. Then I’d pull over and put the vacuum line back on.

 

[Jim Oaks]

It's only made the noise twice, and it did it when I let off the gas. Actually heard a rumbling and then brief gringing when I let off the gas.

IWE's usually grind when accelerating. My problem seems to be opposite of that.

And the chattering sound freaks me out. Again, it stopped when I let off the gas and didn't come back. I feared that could be transmission issue, but I feel like it would be constant.

All this happens at 75-80 MPH.

Seems to do it when the engine is under load such as going up a small grade.

Those speeds and then letting off the gas makes me wonder if it's turbo related.

 

[adsm08]

I would still start with unhooking the IWES. They are vacuum operated and turbo engines have weird vacuum systems. On the throttle you are boosted, so no intake vacuum. Let off and it returns. If the IWE check valve is bad it can cause your issue, plus the test is free.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Well,

Showed up at 9:40 am for a 10 am appointment and was told they would put it in the que and that it wouldn't get looked at until tomorrow. Told me they'd have to keep it a couple of days to diagnose it, but if it's not currently making any noise, they probably won't find anything wrong. Told me to bring it back when the noise is constant.

Fawk that.

 

[Snoranger]

Well,

Showed up at 9:40 am for a 10 am appointment and was told they would put it in the que and that it wouldn't get looked at until tomorrow. Told me they'd have to keep it a couple of days to diagnose it, but if it's not currently making any noise, they probably won't find anything wrong. Told me to bring it back when the noise is constant.

Fawk that.

“Bring it back when something is totally destroyed so we don’t have to spend any time looking for the problem.”

 

[Ramcharger90]

“Bring it back when something is totally destroyed so we don’t have to spend any time looking for the problem.”

Sounds logical. Hopefully that warranty is good for awhile....

Well,

Showed up at 9:40 am for a 10 am appointment and was told they would put it in the que and that it wouldn't get looked at until tomorrow. Told me they'd have to keep it a couple of days to diagnose it, but if it's not currently making any noise, they probably won't find anything wrong. Told me to bring it back when the noise is constant.

Fawk that.

Message Ford directly. Or raise hell on Twitter on their page, They will want to put out that fire quickly. I was seeing a bunch people do it and someone at Ford wants DMs from them.

 

[Dirtman]

It's really a sad comment on life in general when companies care more about facebook and twitter comments then they do about a customer contacting them directly.

During the recent hurricane we lost power, I tried to contact PSE&G (our power company) through their phone number (disconnected), website (Not working), and even their mobile app (not functional). They replied directly to me in less than 20 minutes after I left a nasty comment on Facebook...

No one gives a crap about honest face to face communication anymore but you let the smallest gripe slip on social media and a company will do anything to save their reputation. They honestly don't care about you unless someone is watching (aka the internet).

Sorry for the highjack rant, but it was relevant at least.

 

[Ramcharger90]

It's really a sad comment on life in general when companies care more about facebook and twitter comments then they do about a customer contacting them directly.

During the recent hurricane we lost power, I tried to contact PSE&G (our power company) through their phone number (disconnected), website (Not working), and even their mobile app (not functional). They replied directly to me in less than 20 minutes after I left a nasty comment on Facebook...

No one gives a crap about honest face to face communication anymore but you let the smallest gripe slip on social media and a company will do anything to save their reputation. They honestly don't care about you unless someone is watching (aka the internet).

Sorry for the highjack rant, but it was relevant at least.

Your not wrong. Thats why I suggested it.

 

[Dirtman]

Just went through the same crap with Best buy too. Save the story but after 3 months of phone calls emails I gave up. I finally got contacted back after I said screw it and let my mother start harassing them on facebook... took her 2 days of nasty comments on Facebook and I had a tech at my door to fix my TV.

How bout deal with your customers in a professional manner so that they don't need to resort to hate speech on social media for the slightest bit of satisfaction?

 

[Jim Oaks]

I left the dealership a 1-star review on Google.

A long time ago we had a member here that had an issue with a Ford dealer. We ended up posting the problem here for the world to see. The problem got solved.

Had I taken this to my regular dealer, they would have at least looked at it and ruled things out.

I'm leaving for Ohio in the morning. It's a 1,200+ mile drive one way. Hopefully I won't have to make an unscheduled stop at a Ford dealer.