[TacticalRelapse]

I have a 2014 SE sedan with a 5 speed manual. I really want to like this car. It has the sport package so it looks good, runs good and is leaps and bounds better than the Chevy Sonic I traded for it...except for this one glaring problem that drives me crazy. At idle, when in neutral and the clutch pedal not depressed there is a loud rattling/clattering noise coming from the driver side of the engine compartment. The car has just over 2k miles and the problem started just before I hit 1k miles. I've taken it to two separate Ford dealers and both said there was no problem, with the second dealer telling me that was just a characteristic of the vehicle. I'm not buying it. I've owned a lot of manual transmission cars and I've never heard one make this noise and it's not the high pitched noise that a bad throw out bearing makes. It's just a rattle and chattering. If I push in the clutch pedal it stops. It will also stop if apply a little forward pressure to the gear shift like if I was about to put it in gear. It reminds of a Ducati superbike dry clutch, if any of y'all are familiar with that sound. I'll try to get a video of the noise uploaded if I can do so from my phone. It's driving me crazy, because you clearly hear it inside the car as well. Any input would be appreciated so I could know what to tell my dealership next time I bring it in.

 

[Kabigon]

The noise is caused by gear rattle.

Of course some amount is normal but in your case I would make sure (or the dealer should make sure) that the transmission oil level is normal.

 

[Tylermittone]

My 14 se sport dose the same thing. Havnt brought it in yet :/

 

[wavsine]

I have a 2014 SE sedan with a 5 speed manual. I really want to like this car. It has the sport package so it looks good, runs good and is leaps and bounds better than the Chevy Sonic I traded for it...except for this one glaring problem that drives me crazy. At idle, when in neutral and the clutch pedal not depressed there is a loud rattling/clattering noise coming from the driver side of the engine compartment. The car has just over 2k miles and the problem started just before I hit 1k miles. I've taken it to two separate Ford dealers and both said there was no problem, with the second dealer telling me that was just a characteristic of the vehicle. I'm not buying it. I've owned a lot of manual transmission cars and I've never heard one make this noise and it's not the high pitched noise that a bad throw out bearing makes. It's just a rattle and chattering. If I push in the clutch pedal it stops. It will also stop if apply a little forward pressure to the gear shift like if I was about to put it in gear. It reminds of a Ducati superbike dry clutch, if any of y'all are familiar with that sound. I'll try to get a video of the noise uploaded if I can do so from my phone. It's driving me crazy, because you clearly hear it inside the car as well. Any input would be appreciated so I could know what to tell my dealership next time I bring it in.

Your dealer was correct. There is probably nothing wrong with your car. The MTX75 has always rattled at neutral with the clutch depressed but it was exacerbated by the introduction of the dual mass flywheel.

*If it rattles in neutral at idle when the clutch is not depressed. that is gear lash rattle or rollover rattle as some call it and it is totally normal for the MTX75 with a dual mass flywheel.

*If it rattles with the clutch depressed, that is a different story and could mean your throwout bearing is going out.

My personal experience is the gear lash rattle becomes much more pronounced in hot weather when the car is fully warmed up.

Another forum member, JeremiahD made a nice post about this:

If you aren't familiar with dual mass flywheels, think of instead of a single round metal plate (single-mass), it has two plates that are held together by a torsion spring so they can rotate a little semi-independent of each other; but not too far.

The idea is to make it a smoother feel when normally driving. As you engage the clutch against the outer flywheel, the engine rotates the inner plate, as it is bolted to the engine, but not the outer plate yet. As the inner plate pulls against the spring, it begins to rotate the outer plate, which then slowly rolls the power into the trans.

 

[TacticalRelapse]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one. My biggest concern is that the car didn't do it during the first few weeks I had it so I figured something worked loose or some manufacturing defect was beginning to flare up. I'll check the gear oil level myself and see if that could be it. The transmission does make a noticeable whine in 5th gear around 65mph but I figured that may be normal. Maybe it's because the gear oil is low and the noises are related? Who knows but I just can't image this rattling noise at idle is normal. It is LOUD. Loud enough for my girlfriend to ask me "What's wrong with your car?"

 

[TacticalRelapse]

Very interesting, I did not know this. This car is full of surprises it seems lol. I've never experienced anything like this before.

 

[wavsine]

It is LOUD. Loud enough for my girlfriend to ask me "What's wrong with your car?"

Step on the clutch and tell her:

"Nothing"

 

[TacticalRelapse]

Step on the clutch and tell her:

"Nothing"

I like your style. Well my concerns are mostly alleviated. If this is in fact normal. I'm a little disappointed they would make something that is supposed to be this noisy and had it made that noise when I test drove it I might have passed on the car and got something else but oh well, overall I like the car. Thanks for the learnin'

 

[felixthecat]

I like your style. Well my concerns are mostly alleviated. If this is in fact normal. I'm a little disappointed they would make something that is supposed to be this noisy and had it made that noise when I test drove it I might have passed on the car and got something else but oh well, overall I like the car. Thanks for the learnin'

I'd rather put up w/ a little noise then the automatic.

 

[ELCouz]

Mine sound like a good old john deer tractor when I'm in neutral. .. no radio and windows down I can hear it very well...its normal

 

[CunFFS13]

Sure it is! It's perfect normal!

 

[TacticalRelapse]

Mine sound like a good old john deer tractor when I'm in neutral. .. no radio and windows down I can hear it very well...its normal

Yeah that's a good way to describe it! OK then....normal it is. So long as it keeps driving OK, I guess I'll get used to the noise.

 

[Kabigon]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one. My biggest concern is that the car didn't do it during the first few weeks I had it so I figured something worked loose or some manufacturing defect was beginning to flare up. I'll check the gear oil level myself and see if that could be it. The transmission does make a noticeable whine in 5th gear around 65mph but I figured that may be normal. Maybe it's because the gear oil is low and the noises are related? Who knows but I just can't image this rattling noise at idle is normal. It is LOUD. Loud enough for my girlfriend to ask me "What's wrong with your car?"

It's best to err on the side of caution.

Your transmission may have a real issue and even if it's audible from a block away, some people will tell you that it is normal (without ever hearing it).

 

[TacticalRelapse]

It's best to err on the side of caution.

Your transmission may have a real issue and even if it's audible from a block away, some people will tell you that it is normal (without ever hearing it).

I'm going to check the transmission oil level just to be sure. If that's fine, I'm going to have the noise checked a third and hopefully last time when I take it in for its first oil change, normally I don't bother having the dealer do it but the first oil change is a freebie. In the mean time, the problem has been noted in the computer system already so if it does fail there is a record of me bringing it to their attention. Hopefully though it's nothing. I'd like to hear another one in person just to see if it's really supposed to be THAT loud so maybe the dealer will oblige that request for me.

 

[ELCouz]

It's best to err on the side of caution.

Your transmission may have a real issue and even if it's audible from a block away, some people will tell you that it is normal (without ever hearing it).

I do hear it. At first, I've complained to my dealer told me its normal. Tried my 2005 dad focus mk1.5 same thing with the mtx75... its only worse on the mk3 because of the dual mass flywheel and low idle rpm.

 

[wavsine]

Your transmission may have a real issue and even if it's audible from a block away, some people will tell you that it is normal (without ever hearing it).

OP stated that he had already had the car checked out by two separate dealers so my comments were based on the fact that the possible existence of a problem had been eliminated by a Ford tech.

I know you own a DCT but those of us who drive a MTX75 on a daily basis are more than familiar with gear rattle which can be very loud under certain conditions such as hot weather.

I'd like to hear another one in person just to see if it's really supposed to be THAT loud

Make sure you make the comparison under the same conditions. (ambient temperature and operating temperature) If the dealer starts up a 5 speed MTX75, the rattle may not be very noticeable until the car is fully warmed up.

 

[OldGray320i]

I have a '12 5sp, can't say I've noticed any of the usual gear whine that I've experienced in most of the old cars I've driven (and for years/thousands of miles with said whine or rattle). None of the cars I've owned with gear whine/rattle in neutral have ever been what I'd consider very loud, though. Mildly annoying maybe, but not loud.

I'd try to find a local owner (maybe somebody you see with one at the grocery store or something!) and ask them.

Having said that, I have the front end clunkiness that many have complained about, but the car drives fine, handles fine, and has for the two years I've had it now.

43K and no worries, no issues at all.

 

[Kabigon]

OP stated that he had already had the car checked out by two separate dealers so my comments were based on the fact that the possible existence of a problem had been eliminated by a Ford tech.

I know you own a DCT but those of us who drive a MTX75 on a daily basis are more than familiar with gear rattle which can be very loud under certain conditions such as hot weather.

Your point is well taken.
My point was that "loud" is subjective so at least check the oil level.
Another thing that got me wondering:"The transmission does make a noticeable whine in 5th gear..."

 

[klotche]

I have a 2012 SE focus, 5 speed standard, it started to do the same thing...
Never had this issue before, looks like after 60k kilometers it started to rattle a lot at idle.
Same thing, it does rattle only after 10-15 minutes, when the car is warmed up
The rattle completely goes away when I push in the clutch (press on pedal).
It does sound like a old john deere..... I thought at first a cylinder was gonna explode, or I had a valve problem or something....

Since my first complete warranty is now finished, and I only have left the warranty 5 yr/100k kilos on motor, should I get this checked?

 

[ELCouz]

I have a 2012 SE focus, 5 speed standard, it started to do the same thing...
Never had this issue before, looks like after 60k kilometers it started to rattle a lot at idle.
Same thing, it does rattle only after 10-15 minutes, when the car is warmed up
The rattle completely goes away when I push in the clutch (press on pedal).
It does sound like a old john deere..... I thought at first a cylinder was gonna explode, or I had a valve problem or something....

Since my first complete warranty is now finished, and I only have left the warranty 5 yr/100k kilos on motor, should I get this checked?

Mine does that when it's warmed up.

On cold weather less than 15C, doesn't do that at all.

It's worst in the summer in the stop and go traffic.

You can hear it if your window are down. Maybe a little bit when radio is off with windows up.

Called few dealers and went to one (Circuit Ford) mechanic said it's completely normal noise... gear rattle has been there since the introduction of the MTX75 tranny in 1992 (IIRC)