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IMPORTANT: ALL MK3 Focus Owners, I could use your input.

48K views 302 replies 49 participants last post by  FordService 
#1 · (Edited)
IMPORTANT: ALL 2012+ Focus Owners, I need your input. Survey inside.

Alright everyone, I hate to be a bother, but I (and everyone else with the clunk issue) really need your help.

I've been heavily involved in trying to get rid of the suspension clunking issue that plagues the vehicles of many users here (see the master clunk thread HERE), including my own. I've replaced several parts on my own dime, with limited success. However, the noise has always returned.

Recently, a fellow member with a new 2013 Focus (late-August production) brought to light a discrepancy between strut tower braces used on Foci of various production dates. Under my own research, I have found that the updated strut tower brace has been issued different part number (#DV6Z-16A200A)

So, in an effort to hopefully correlate clunking suspensions with specific strut tower versions, I've developed a survey. However, to give you some background before you complete the survey, please view the following:

The following photo is from an early August production Focus ST (FF member: earthling_david, suspension does clunk)


And here is photo from a late-August production 2013 Focus ST. Take note of the reinforcing plate added below the factory strut tower brace that is conspicuously missing from the previous photo. (FocusST.org member: Kragbax, suspension does not clunk)


If your suspension clunks, please complete this survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRLWE90cEVzcThkUVFjRkIyRVB1Zmc6MA#gid=0

If your suspension doesn't clunk, please complete this survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRLWE90cEVzcThkUVFjRkIyRVB1Zmc6MA#gid=0

If you completed my old survey, please complete this survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDRLWE90cEVzcThkUVFjRkIyRVB1Zmc6MA#gid=0

Thanks, everyone. Your responses are greatly appreciated!
 
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#3 ·
I'll fill out the survey as soon as I get my car back from the dealer.
 
#12 ·
This forum is full of Incredible people. I will fill out the survey as soon as can take a look under the hood. :) I hope we get this figured out soon. Oh and Zillion, I hope if you find the cause of the clunk Ford should pay you a finders fee ;) as it seems your working harder at it than they are.
 
#21 ·
Especially after people said it kept coming back the first thing I actually thought of was the strut tower deforming or having deformed in some way (not necessarily visible to the untrained eye but enough to cause issues). If so what is stopping all of the cars that don't currently clunk, or their owners feel they don't have the issue from suddenly having the issue after one too many bumps?
 
#23 ·
Tough question, many factors in play: The force(s) distributed to the shock tower are highly variable - There are what, 4/5 combinations of model trim with different wheel/tire combinations and effective damping rates (not to mention jacking forces, road conditions etc, etc).

With Zillon collating the data, one would expect to see definitive patterns that greatly narrow down the probability of each model/equipment group experiencing the issue.
 
#24 ·
Done. I reported "Yes" to clunking, but it's very subtle and infrequent - possibly not even strut related. It's usually when I have a full car or cold mornings. But I do, in fact, have the strut tower plates (thank God...) May 2011 build here.
 
#29 ·
submitted
hey check this out...
my clunk is from the drivers side and on that side there is obvious air space between the brace and the tower. there is only contact where the bolt is. When its 45 degrees out mine rattle an INSANE amount. Im gonna stick a shim like a credit card or broken knife blade in that space and see if it stop the rattle.
There is very little air space on the passenger side.
Thanks zillon:)
 
#32 ·
thing i dont get mine has a production date of 06/12, what with the intermitent installation at the factory? wouldnt it be a part youd think they wouldnt forget?[offtopic] sorry bashing is done i have quite i bit of problems with my focus. not a negative analitical personal, just things...
 
#33 ·
Going off of the survey results, which can only be used for mere speculation, here's what I've noticed:

It's also looking like the first 3-4 months of 2012 Focus production (January-April) seem to have the reinforced strut tower brace, until sometime in May of 2011, which is when Ford started installing braces without the reinforcements.

The reinforced towers weren't added back into production until sometime in August for the 2013 models, at least that's what it seems.

Being that your car was produced between 05/11 and 08/12, it fits into the range where the reinforced strut towers went missing from production. As to why the reinforcements were left out, that's anyone's guess until Ford tells us exactly what is going on. And that's not something I'd bet on them doing.

Again, this is all from the survey results I have so far, so nothing is exact.
 
#34 ·
check this out
this has a pretty good chance of being the fix. my clunk is really loose sounding when its cold like 55 degrees or so.

here is a link to the photo.
https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A3G4TcsmG4Iw9m
if someone can post that pic directly into a forum post go ahead and rip it please.
the credit card is .025 thick.
I tried a shim .015 which was too thin, and .035 is too thick.
thats a lot of space. I have said a few times that the frequency of my rattle would indicate that loose parts must be about .010 apart to make that kind of sound.
we will see tomorrow, as my other cars are blocking me in the garage right now:)
 
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