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Squeaks, creaks, and rattles

56K views 155 replies 75 participants last post by  Slicknick 
#1 ·
Hey all!

I have a sound coming from my headliner, directly above the passenger seat, on the bulge around the moonroof trim. It can be heard when driving over small bumps, when the subwoofer picks up some bass, and even when I close my door while getting in. If I touch the trim the sound goes away.

It's hard to describe, but it sound like their is some type of adhesive on the roof that helps hold the headliner because when I press against against it, it makes a "sticky" sound.

Any ideas?
 
#74 ·
Ok...I FINALLY discovered the source of the rattle in my headliner. From the drivers seat, while driving, it seems like it's originating from in front of the moon roof. No so. Part of the sound may be coming from the gap between the headliner and the roof of the car in the moon roof area, but the rattle is actually from the plastic unit housing the button for the moon room and the sync microphone. Since it just started doing this, my guess is that it's due to the cold temps that we've been having, and the plastic actually shrinking a bit. Now I just need to find a way to keep it from rattling.
 
#75 ·
I lived in Minot, ND in 1982, and I owned a VW Campmobile. In the winter, it got so cold, and the German tolerances in fit and finish were so close, that the plastic contracted around the light rocker-switch to the point that I had to put my hand over the switch and dash to warm it before I could turn it on. Cold does have an effect on plastic parts.
 
#79 ·
My '10 SES had a ssccrreekk when I opened or closed the cover. I didn't get a sunroof with my '12 SE Sport, for this reason. Looks like a good decision.

Hope everyone gets joyful resolution! I do have an intermittent rattle from the right side of the car, passenger area.

Can't determine where it is coming from, with my shot hearing. When I notice it, I listen for a bit, and it stops quickly. When I try to listen for it, before it appears, it never appears. If I find gremlins in there, they will be killed before they multiply...
 
#80 ·
Anyone else have the drivers side light (the one over your left shoulder) rattling and squeaking? I thought it was coming from the area over the rear passenger window at first, but it's definitely the light. Putting my finger on it while it's rattling stops it. Not sure why it's ratting.
 
#81 ·
ATTENTION: anyone with the rattling headliner problem. There is a problem with the front springs that cause the car to vibrate/headliner to rattle. Ford has a bulletin out about this. I took my car to the dealer for the rattling headliner, and they replaced the springs (to my confusion). It COMPLETELY solved my issue, no "re-gluing" of hte headliner needed!

See this thread.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276396
 
#85 ·
I also have a 2012 Focus titanium that rattlers and i have a bad vibration coming from the rar passenger side a pillar. I work for a Ford Dealer and have taken it in to service 3 times and they put foam in the headliner as the glue that holds it around the sunroof opening had separates. It fixed it for a week and it is back to rattling again and I have difficulty closing the sunroof now because of the foam in there. The vibration they can not find the problem for and it is becoming very annoying. Yes it going back into the shop tomorrow. I totally agree that we should not pay $28,000 for a car that sounds 10 years old after driving it for 6 months. The noises were not there when it was new and Ford should seriously address this problemm. There are no TSB's out on this issue.
 
#89 ·
I also have a 2012 Focus titanium that rattlers and i have a bad vibration coming from the rar passenger side a pillar. I work for a Ford Dealer and have taken it in to service 3 times and they put foam in the headliner as the glue that holds it around the sunroof opening had separates. It fixed it for a week and it is back to rattling again and I have difficulty closing the sunroof now because of the foam in there. The vibration they can not find the problem for and it is becoming very annoying. Yes it going back into the shop tomorrow...
So, about 3 days into colder temps here in Jersey and my headliner, which had been "refoamed" by the dealership last October, is making noises again. I also have had the sunroof refuse to close several times since the "refoaming."...
Hi jdwhite9547 and wsdmskr825,

I'd like to escalate both of your cases to your regional customer service managers. They'll reach out to both you and your dealership to coordinate efforts on a resolution. To get started, please send me a PM with your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name.

Thanks!
Crystal [:)]
 
#86 ·
So, about 3 days into colder temps here in Jersey and my headliner, which had been "refoamed" by the dealership last October, is making noises again. I also have had the sunroof refuse to close several times since the "refoaming." Plus, no fix from Ford regarding the wind noise coming off of the side mirrors. I well definitely be rethinking any future decision to buy a new Ford. Lovely.
 
#90 ·
Just want to add that I have all these same issues. No rattles when I took delivery of my car. Now (at 5000 miles) I have rattles from both B pillars(seat belt adjusters), rattles from the sunroof if the shade is in certain places, a rattle from the passenger door speaker during songs with a decent amount of bass and volume, and a rattle from the front drivers dashboard somewhere on bumpy roads.

Most of these are minor enough that I think they exist on most or all foci', but you have to have good ears to hear them and even better ears to have them bother you. Hopefully they will get bad enough before my warranty goes out that they can be located and correctly fixed.
 
#91 ·
Just want to add that I have all these same issues. No rattles when I took delivery of my car. Now (at 5000 miles) I have rattles from both B pillars(seat belt adjusters), rattles from the sunroof if the shade is in certain places, a rattle from the passenger door speaker during songs with a decent amount of bass and volume, and a rattle from the front drivers dashboard somewhere on bumpy roads...
Hi skiboarder119,

Have you visited your dealership so they can take a look? They'll be your best bet to get your Focus accurately diagnosed and repaired. Additionally, I'd like to escalate your case to your region's customer service manager. To do so, I'll need a PM from you with your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name. I'll make sure your information gets in the right hands and that someone contacts you promptly.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Thanks!
Crystal [:)]
 
#93 ·
Hi chum567,

I'd definitely recommend making an appointment at your dealership so they can take a peek. I'm happy to extend the same courtesy to you that I have to others and get your case escalated; just send me a PM with your dealer, VIN, mileage, daytime phone number, and your full name. I'll get to work!

Thanks,
Crystal [8D]
 
#97 ·
It's been below freezing here for about a week and it seems a new rattle shows up daily. The headliner rattle around the sunroof and front overhead console occur regardless of temp; but they really don't hit my annoyance threshold. I did have the tweeter speaker grill rattle on the passenger door that was loud but swapping out the speaker (Polk Audio) eliminated the issue. Recently a center console rattle/buzz has popped up that's really annoying.

These rattles and buzzes are what I am most disappointed with on an otherwise great car that's 10 months old.
 
#98 ·
Don't know if your dealer has looked at your headliner, but they actually can make these better. There seems to have been advice from Ford early on as to how to do it.

On the squeak/rattle front, I found one was coming from the the rear parcel tray in my 5 door. Pulling the parcel tray off its hinges and coating the hinges with some silicone (I used Napa Sil-Glyde brake lubricant) solved the problem.
 
#99 ·
Yeah I believe sometimes the fit and finish is not where it should be on these cars. I have a vibration in the rear passenger door. One in the sun roof somewhere and a very an annoying squeak where the passenger door closes to the dash. These sounds have not been weather related as they are there in the 100+ Texas heat and our current temps around freezing. It's one of those things I just deal with in place of dealing with the issues of working with the dealership.
 
#100 ·
An FYI, I took my car in for a number of headliner rattles. I was told that the cushoning material that should have been there was not. Essentially, there was nothing between my headliner and roof and the glue that was there didn't hold. The rattles I had around the sunroof are gone, but now I have worse ones above the drivers seat and the rear passenger. Heading back next week.

Mine is definitely a rattle box, so between those and having no interior storage cubbies in the cabin to set anything down, this car can be very annoying to drive. I've had no troubles with the big things(only 5k miles after a year), but those little things along with MFT had me looking to trade in after 8 months.
 
#103 ·
Thanks. I think this is a bit different as it is morr a click than a rattle. I read in some other car forums that the windshield shrinks some when it is cold and might move a bit against its gasket or frame or whatever.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk.
 
#106 ·
I've had the headliner creaking/rattling problem since I bought the car back in late 2011. The long story below might be interesting to anyone thinking of getting it fixed by a dealer.

After initially getting the dealer to even acknowledge that there was a problem, the solution after several visits seems to be: 'apply glue, hope for the best'. It's not fixing the problem. Even after a customer service escalation, the solution was to go back to the dealer, more glue. Given the headliner has to come down for them to fix it, each time there's more minor wear and tear on the inside of the car, and at least another wasted half day for me. I really like this car, but I'm beginning to wish I hadn't bought it. I feel like a nuisance customer at this point (because I take the car into the dealer for the 'normal' stuff too).

Does Ford seriously not acknowledge there's an issue with this? The headliner around the moon roof is flimsy, and this glue obsession might be fun for the mechanics, but it's clearly not a permanent fix.

details:

February '12, I bring it in for the 11E04 emissions recall, and ask them to fix the headliner. After some insistence there really is a rattle, I wait a few hours and I'm told that it's fixed. If I remember correctly, the reason given was 'misaligned magnets', and I didn't have any reason to doubt him (The notes say 'RESECURED MOLDING'). Seemed okay for a while, but there's a bit of a rattle in the colder mornings. A warm summer followed, so it wasn't a huge problem.

November '12, the rattle is back almost full time, so I have it investigated when I'm in for the next service. I get 'NO PROBLEM FOUND, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE RATTLE'. I insist on a proper investigation. The next week I get a loaner car for two days, during which the dealer calls me saying they can't find a rattle - I insist that there is one, especially in the mornings when it's colder. Eventually, I get the car back with the note 'CK FOR RATTLE DID NOT CONFIRM BUT HEARD CREEK NOISE INSPECT HEADLINER AND REGLUE RD TEST OK'. The car reeks of glue for a day, but the rattle (sorry, 'creaking') is gone. I notice part of the headliner in the rear is a bit crushed, but I don't care because it's not that prominent and mostly I'm just happy it's fixed.

Feb '13, the creaking is back - not as bad as before, so I decide I'll just live with it. Ford happen to email me, asking me for a review of the car. They say that good or bad it'll go up. My review generally praises the car (I do like it a lot), but mentions that some of the parts and build quality aren't great. Instead of posting the review, I get an escalated customer care issue. The rep who calls me is friendly, but insists I bring the car back to the dealer, despite my reluctance. I have to explain the situation to the dealer from scratch, even though the rep says he spoke to the dealer about this issue. I'm feeling like a real nuisance customer at this point. After a couple of hours I get the car back with the note "RECHECK HEADLINER FOUND RIGHT FRONT LOOSE REGLUE HEADLINER OK LAST TIME WAS THE REAR OFF HEADLINER CAME LOOSE". I'm assured that it should be fixed, and I head off. The service rep rings me 2 days later and I confirm that the problem is fixed, which I regret doing now. A couple of days later I notice more marks on the dashboard trim, and of course, the creaking is back.
 
#107 ·
^ I think when it comes to rattles, you really just need to fix it yourself -because the dealership is going to keep following the recommended method of fixing it - which is more glue.

In humid continental climates, the glue WILL fail - it's just a matter of time. If you have the moonroof, let it fail - the headliner can't fall as it's also supported on the sides as well as with 3M locking strips around the moonroof. Instead, stick felt (or foam) in between the glue of the headliner and the metal supports (or roof itself) to stop the rattling.

If you don't have a moonroof, you'll have to have the dealership fix it or take the whole thing down yourself... so good luck with that.
 
#108 ·
^ I think when it comes to rattles, you really just need to fix it yourself -because the dealership is going to keep following the recommended method of fixing it - which is more glue.

...

Instead, stick felt (or foam) in between the glue of the headliner and the metal supports (or roof itself) to stop the rattling.
I think if there were no moon roof, or the headliner weren't so flimsy, this problem wouldn't be so acute.

It does appear that the 'fix it yourself' approach is the most popular, but then again, I'm guessing people here are comfortable with doing stuff like that. It's not as if I'm useless with my hands, it's more the fact that I bought a new car so I'd have a warranty and could have the dealer take care of any problems. It didn't occur to me that Ford would be so incapable in this instance.

Thanks for the reply!
 
#109 ·
I had a headliner rattle and it was pretty apparent that the entire liner was becoming detatched...I took it to the dealer, they used a "repair kit"...still there. I got hooked up with "customer service" via this message board...no dice. I got one of those online dealer surveys via email and expressed my frustration on that form. I got a call from the dealership the next day and a brand new headliner a few days later. It's as good as new now.
 
#118 ·
I got a call from the dealership the next day and a brand new headliner a few days later. It's as good as new now.
Looks like my dealer is going to make a call about another glue gun session or ordering a new headliner. Not sure which would be better.

Do you think the headliner was just faulty in your case, or that the quality of the new headliner is somehow better?
 
#112 ·
Sad, isn't it? (well - maybe it's a relief to you...)

My car is 2 years old and if I traded it in now, I'd probably still owe $5k more than I'd get for it. Granted, I didn't get the best deal when I purchased it and I've put a lot of miles on it.
 
#114 ·
It didn't occur to me to blame the dealer themselves, since it seems to me that the headliner itself is the problem.

Not sure what to do next, really. I could go in screaming at the dealer, but then I risk another glue job, another lost half day, and still end up where I am now. I wasn't planning to sell up for a while, but I'm getting tired of this now. Thanks for the feedback, folks!
 
#115 ·
Hi cafelatte,

It sounds like you've already gone down the escalation path in the past, but I'm still happy to look into your case and see what I can do to help. If you'd like to proceed, send me a PM with your info (VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name) and I'll start researching.

Crystal
 
#121 ·
Rattles and Vibrations

I purchased a New Focus at the end of May 2013. I would like to thank everyone on this forum as you have enabled me to have the rattles and vibrations fixed by the dealer very quickly.
I had a horrendous dashboard rattle which turned out to be caused by the steering column. The dealer took it apart and thoroughly greased it. It took a few days for the noise to completely disappear but now I have no rattle.
The other problem I had was a noise in my ear when i hit a bump in the road. It sounded like the trim at the top of the car door was loose. It turned out to be the adjustable seatbelt mechanism wasn't properly locked. a quick push and click and the problem is gone. I now have a great car
 
#122 ·
Rattles

I have a 2012 Ford Focus SE Hatchback (with moon-roof) that was purchased in April of 2012. I too have had problems with the headliner rattling in several places. When you push the headliner up to contact the roof, the rattle goes away, but it always comes back a short while later. As suggested by others, it is no doubt faulty adhesive at the core of the problem.

On another topic, my blue-tooth audio really has started to suck. I have to repeat my commands several times and people claim that they can barely hear me on phone calls due to a large amount of noise that sounds like a wind tunnel. Anyone else having this issue? Sync services suggested that maybe the microphone is bad and needs replacing. I guess it is time for an extended service call to my dealer, but I am skeptical that they will be helpful with these issues.
 
#124 ·
I have a 2012 Ford Focus SE Hatchback (with moon-roof) that was purchased in April of 2012. I too have had problems with the headliner rattling in several places. When you push the headliner up to contact the roof, the rattle goes away, but it always comes back a short while later...
My 2012 Focus has been rattle free ..... except, now the driver seat creaks sometimes...
Hi mmable and Pennut,

Your dealership will be happy to check out any bothersome noises coming from your Focus. Make an appointment and they'll perform an inspection. As always, I'm happy to do what I can to help; send a PM my way with your VIN, dealer, mileage, daytime phone number, and full name so I can get started. :)

Crystal
 
#123 ·
My 2012 Focus has been rattle free ..... except, now the driver seat creaks sometimes. Doesn't sound like it's coming from the rails. Sounds like it's coming from within the seat itself. Mainly the bottom cushion. Weird. I'm 5' 10" about 176 lbs. So I'm somewhat average height & weight. Never had a creaking seat before.
 
#137 ·
i had the same driver seat problem and although it took two trips to the dealer it was finally fixed... seems that two 'springs' were touching just barely and depending on who was sitting in the seat (me or the dealer tech) it squeaked or didn't. they took the seat out and pulled the 'springs' farther apart... Been silent as the grave since....
 
#125 · (Edited)
Crystal,

It is nice to know that Ford actually cares about their customers, so thanks for your reply. Besides the noises from the headliner, I have a few other issues that I was going to bring up to the dealer: my Sync system is almost unusable for Blue Tooth calls - everyone says it sounds like I am in a wind tunnel and it does not recognize my voice commands much of the time. The tech I talked to at Sync said that it sounds like the microphone in the car is bad. Also, the car is very herky-jerky on starts from a stop, sort of like a manual clutch jumping on engagement. I know the focus uses a different clutching system than a true automatic, but the car didn't behave like this when it was new and has gotten worse over time. Any help you could lend would be appreciated.

Marc
 
#129 ·
Crystal,

It is nice to know that Ford actually cares about their customers, so thanks for your reply...
Hi Marc,

I sent you a PM with your case escalation info; check out your inbox for my message. Your questions regarding SYNC and bluetooth connectivity are best addressed by my awesome colleagues at FordIVTTeam. Send them a PM with your concerns and they'll be happy to help you out. :)

Crystal
 
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