2012 Ford Focus –Suspension Clanking – Ford of Canada Unacceptable Behavior

[Gizmobiaritz]

Hello,

I have posted a note previously about a severe front end clanking with my 2012 Ford Focus (9000 kilometers).

You can find the problem description here:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...09#post4101909

Unacceptable behavior from Ford:

Dealer diagnosed loud clanking sound, it is very severe it is mainly when you take turns and pass over curbs but sounds very troubling.

Dealer acknowledges there is a problem, kept car for 4 days. Checked car visually but did not see anything under it. Contacted Ford of Canada mechanic Hot Line and Ford told them not to change any parts.

Their solution (Hot Line) was to re-torque all the screws in the front end of the car. Of course it did not work. The noise is very loud and there is clearly a broken part there.

Everybody acknowledges there is a problem and Ford told the dealer to not change any parts.

I am stuck with a broken 33k USD vehicle that makes horrible clanking noises (that is right this vehicle in Canada is 33k USD) and Ford does not want to change any parts?

Is this why there is a mechanic Hot Line so they can tell the dealer not to change any parts? Why is Ford not guiding the dealer to a successful repair? My noise makes my vehicle almost un-drivable.

I forgot to mention, that I went to 2 other dealers for the same problem to get different opinions. Both dealers eventually Hot Lined the problem and got the same response. One of the dealers even performed the suspension TSB (strut, mount and sway bar bushing) and it did nothing.

I have already given my VIN number to Ford on this forum a week ago or so. I have got not responses so far.

Has anybody in Canada had any luck with the suspension problems?

Thank you.

[Sponsor]

[Ralliart]

Mine goes in tomorrow for a similar issue as well as the service engine light now being on permanently.

Let you know what happens.

[Lipshurt]

I took mine In and they could not fix it so I have puttering around with it.
Try turning the front hood adjusters down (yes down) about two full turns.
See if that makes it better. Raising them made it worse and lowering made it better. Not perfect bu better. When they are too high there is a rattle near the hinge which might sound like the wheel area. It is a loose rattle sound over sharp bumps only at slow speed.

I have been eliminating possibilities like suspension, plastic, hood support rod, calipers, dust shield, exhaust etc.

I will keep on going with it to see what develops.

[Gizmobiaritz]

Hello,

Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately my sound is definitely a suspension sound. With the window down you can hear it clearly and feel it in the floor. It sounds exactly like a sway bar bushing or antiroll bar bushing that is worn out, exactly like that piece by piece.

Thank you.

[Gizmobiaritz]

Hello,

Has anybody replaced the swaybar links with any success ?

Thank you.

[allyy]

how far are yo from the US . drive it on over an have one of our dealers look at it.

[Rat Fink]

Originally Posted by allyy

how far are yo from the US . drive it on over an have one of our dealers look at it.

LOL, the hotline assistance is actually based in the US....even for Cdn techs. So if your guys down there contact hotline then they'll be speaking to the exact same people/person. With hotline assistance you often get canned responses that are cut/pasted from them that may or may not even apply to what you are dealing with. I rarely ever contact them. I usually only get ahold of them to establish a paper trail for when I am performing a large repair and want a little bit of backup as to what I am doing (because warranty often questions why you make large repairs). To be honest I don't think I've written them anything in over 6 months. Its far too hard for them to diagnose noise/vibration/harshness concerns from halfway accross the continent over a computer. Where they get helpful is when you have trouble codes and have already done a pile of electrical tests and give them all your results and go from there.

Sorry I can't help you OP, my focus doesn't clank and I don't think our shop has had to check one out yet. I'll ask our front end guy if he's had to diagnose one but I work right near his bay and don't recall ever seeing one.

........most Ford dealers do have a piece of equipment called "chassis ears". It's a device where you can clamp various probes to different parts of the front end and have someone drive the car while another tech sits in the passenger seat with headphones on. You can switch between the different probes and listen to the clanking/clunking. Based on which probe gives a louder signal, you can pinpoint where the sound is coming from. Find a dealer who has one of those. It might take a couple road tests and shifting probes around but I find they work pretty good.

[Gizmobiaritz]

Hello Rat Fink,

Are you located near Toronto ? Can I drive to your location ? my dealer does not have that device. Can you recommend a good dealer ? I am really desperate for help.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Any Ford technicians in the Toronto area that are willing to help ?

Thank you.

[MKorn]

Very interested in this ... i only have 2100 miles on mine and it makes a clank noise on the right hand side when i go over speed bumps.

[kmoose]

My advice; keep on it. Trying a dealer with a better relationship with Ford...they may get more leeway. I know my own dealer gets a lot more latitude than others because of its customer satisfaction rating.

My dealer with my Escape (Discovery Ford in Burlington, ON) has been awesome. They simply can't fix my tranny problem because I don't think there is a fix (google "Escape Transmission issues")

Ford Canada "customer service" is not helpful. I've got them involved trying to buy my Escape back or provide some sort of trade in allowance but their solution to my troubles is to "buy an extended warranty". I actually think calling them may have made it worse with my dealer, who is now feeling under pressure to fix my problem when I think they are doing their best (they've reprogrammed the tranny twice, and rebuilt it once...still a mess).