With 5k miles on my 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid AWD, have noticed a "rumbling" noise when travelling over uneven pavement or especially railroad tracks. Before taking the vehicle in to the dealer, any thoughts on what this noise may be coming from. I just brought the tire air pressure all around to 34 psi. from reading other posts. I haven't noticed this rumbling noise when the tire air pressure was around 29 psi when I picked the vehicle up in June.

 

No real thoughts without hearing it.... its not going to be the air pressure though. Your tires should be at 35psi at least when cold so filling them up was the right thing to do (it'll also help your mileage). While 29 is probably safe, some people have been known to set it lower (to smooth out the ride) and thats a bad idea.... tires will wear wrong and heat up more.

 

I don't mean to be a smart-***, but "a 'rumbling' noise when travelling over uneven pavement or especially railroad tracks" sounds just plain obvious and normal.

What's the difference between the expected 'rumbling' over such terrain and the noise you're hearing?

 

Randy,
I saw your NYC location in your post. The city's roads are full of potholes, bumps in the roadway, etc. that you can't miss when driving your Escape. I think I need to explain the front end noise I'm experiencing. It's more like a "vibration" noise. It's like a thumping-rattling noise when going over any series of bumps in the roadway. When the roadway is smooth, i.e. a paved highway, the sound is not evident.What else is interesting is the fact that I don't feel the noise through the steering column. This is not my first driving experience with an "SUV" or small truck like ride. From a previous SUV, I noticed a similar sound at around 60K miles. I was told that I had looseness in the ball joints. It's too early to have these problems in the Escape. I don't do any off road driving which might loosen up the front end in any way. Having a newer age vehicle, I would expect tightness in the suspension. The dealer mentioned sway bar links when I tried to describe my "rumbling" noise. If it's normal. I guess I'll have to live with it.

 

Yeah, NYC roads are rougher than many off-road trails I've driven. I know people with regular cars (no big tires and beefy suspension) that have cracked rims through normal driving here.

Not sure what to think about your noise. It's a tough one to imagine without hearing it. I can't say I notice any additional noise with mine going over rough terrain... but I also came from a 17 year old 4x4 pickup with lots of miles on it, so in comparison the new FEH was pretty quiet.

 

Jurdean, there is no way we can tell you what the problem is based on what you gave us, but it doesn't sound normal. With a new vehicle having problems like you suggest, I would look for loose or damaged parts. Also, it sounds like your ruling out interior noise like the glove box or panel trim.

Try to eliminate which side in the front is causing the thumping and rattle. Drive one wheel at a time over bumpy or rough surfaces. Here are some things to look for:

Check the front spring mounts and brackets for damage or loose parts.

Check the control and radius arm bushings for damage, and look for twisted or bent arms.

Check the stabilizer bar bushings for damage, and check for isolators and brackets for any loose or damage components.

It appears wear is not an issue with 5,000 miles, so I'd look for loose or damaged parts. You may want to do the test to determine which side, and take the vehicle to get it inspected if you can't do it yourself. The dealership would be the best for that, but a tire shop could do a quick inspection also while your rotating tires.

GaryG

 

Hmm... my brother had this problem with one of his cars and after I listened to it, I popped the hood and jiggled the struts -- turns out they weren't fully snugged and were allowed to travel just slightly before engaging. This was causing his noise. Snugging them down solved the problem.

Being a new (5k miles) car, I'd really be surprised if you had this same problem but I since it only takes a minute to check you might as well have a look.

 

Thank you.
I found out what the problem was today. Upfront, on the right side, my outer tie rods are worn out. Also, there was some minimal play in the inner socket(tie rod). It was recommended that both be replaced. The wheel alignment shop I went to commented that this was the first time they had seen such a condition, with such low mileage. I've made an appointment with a nearby dealer to have it fixed.

 

Get your old parts back and inspect them. Let us know what you find.