Just curious, but every once in a while, when accelerating in my car, I can hear what sounds like a small rattling noise, mainly when accelerating at lower speads, like from a stop sign. I don't really hear it if I accelerate moderately fast, but if I do a nice smooth gradual acceleration, I can sometimes hear it.

My first thought is that maybe the car is not putting out enough torque or I'm at one of those speeds where the car is getting ready to shift to the next gear. It's kind of like a growling/rattling noise, but noting intense or loud. Just can kind of hear it.

I checked all of the fluids and they check out OK (clean and full), and the car still shifts OK. No odd engine noises (other than what I'm describing), and it doesn't always make this noise... just periodically when accelerating.

I'm the only owner of the car (bought it new) and it's got about 4k on it now (it's a 2010). I also have the automatic trans if that matters any. Nose will stop immediately after I take my off of the gas, too. But if I push back on the gas, most of the time, it goes away. Could it be a vibration of some sort or am I looking at a more serious problem (car is still under warranty of course).

Does anyone else experience this? Also, I do note that it does occur most during first and second, and really don't hear it beyond that, so i don't really hear it beyond about 30 mph.

try to find out if it only happens at a certain engine rpm. It can also be something under the car like an exhaust heat shield that sounds like it is coming from the front. Either way, Ford should fix it before your warranty runs out. It is a great car and you deserve to be happy with it.

You drive a focus I think everyone experiences these sounds. It is almost definitely one of your heat shields. I had same problem jacked the car up to find the damn winter salt hat corroded the aluminum around the bolts and the whole shield dropped on my exhaust

My focus has done this since brand new. Ford heat shields don't last long.

If you're using crap gasoline it may be pinging/knocking, especially if you only hear it on hard acceleration.

Otherwise, you may be hearing injector-tick, which is normal.

There is a Technical Service Bulletin for ticking sound at idle, and the tech has to add a soft cover over the fuel rail, to quiet the injectors down.

I had it done on mine even though I didn't really hear anything ...


See the pic below for the cover I'm talking about ... if your car already has it, then nevermind [:)]


http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee265/gpwebman/2010%20Focus/fuel-rail-cover.jpg

I had kinda the same noises coming from my 08' and after messin around alot i found that it was the ram air box vibrating against the inner fender haha scared me a little tho

Well, I'll take the Duratec's ticking over the SPI's various thumps, grinds, and whacking sounds. I had a 2000 Escort SPI and it was a true "four banger".

I drive a stick and if I do a slow start under low rpm, like 1000 and under, I get that same rattle. I'm about 100% sure it's a heat shield. I'm at 30K miles on my 2010 and it will be going in at 35 or so to have everything looked over and hopefully at that time get that fixed. It's not a pinging. I run good gas and fill up every 3 days. So it's fresh too. It's just something vibrating.

I drive a stick and if I do a slow start under low rpm, like 1000 and under, I get that same rattle. I'm about 100% sure it's a heat shield. I'm at 30K miles on my 2010 and it will be going in at 35 or so to have everything looked over and hopefully at that time get that fixed. It's not a pinging. I run good gas and fill up every 3 days. So it's fresh too. It's just something vibrating.

Agreed, I have a 2011 (manual) with 18k miles and I get the same. When it dips to about 500 RPM is the worst. But what can I say, I like the growl. [gunfire]

2010 Focus SE Automatic - 13K miles on it and I'm just noticing the rattling ... My 08 did the same thing but had other problems with the front end. when I took my 08 to the dealer they always said it was nothing ...it wouldn't happen for about a month or so then would start back up. I traded my 08 in for my 10 and later found out about a bulletin on the front ends making some serious noise for all of second generation Focus. I don't visit the dealer much anymore... since I have access to a shop and can do the work myself...

ok so i had that same annoying sound, that sounded like it was in the engine compartment kind of behind the glove box-- i searched and searched, and finally found it was the fricken prop rod, and one of the parabolic chambers on the air box!

I had a rattle in what I thought was the rear of the car, found out it had to do with the parking brake cable. There was a technical service call for it, stopped the rattling sound.

My ratting noise, which I finally found out, was from within the fender. Was told there was a wire and/or some plastic clips that had broken off and were rattling. At least, from then on I didn't really worry about the sound, because I could actually reproduce it by tapping hard on the fender, so for me, it wasn't anything in the engine or suspension, which was all I was really worried about (since I drive on the highway a lot).

I have a 2010 with 53k on it. It had been making a high pitch rattling noise on take off and just after I shifted into second for about the last 15k miles or so. I finally got tired of the noise and took it to the dealership to have it looked at. (May as well use the warranty I paid for) They ended up replacing the timing belt and the belt tensioner. That fixed the noise on mine.