Whooping noise from 06 Mountaineer - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

exshipdriver · 08-24-2008, 01:36 AM

2006 Mountaineer Premier, V8 AWD.

I'm getting a whooping noise that sounds like it's coming from the right rear side. Noise is intermittent, and most closely resembles the start-up of a police car siren. (No cops behind me!) Noise lasts about a second, although on rare occasion it will drag on for a little longer than that.

It happens regardless of whether I'm driving, stopped at a light, or in park.

I can't forcibly replicate the noise or predict when it will happen. If there were some kind of a pneumatic load leveling system in the rear end, I'd suspect that since the noise could almost pass as air leaking out. (No beans for lunch.) It's definitely coming from the back end of the car and sounds like it's on the inside.

It doesn't sound like the same pitch as the back-up sensors. I also considered possible venting from the gas cap, but the noise happens regardless of tank level, temp, humidity, etc. Only other thing back there is the subwoofer, but I'm pretty sure it makes the noise regardless of whether the stereo is on or off.

Dealer couldn't replicate it, so no luck getting it fixed yet.

Any ideas? Thanks.

les_from_syracus · 08-24-2008, 08:38 AM

I just bought a 2006 Explorer last week and have the same intermittant "whoop". My vehicle seems to whoop when I am excelerating or rounding a bend, so I was thinking I have a bare wire somewhere that is contacting the frame, setting up one of the alarms. If anyone has fixed a similar "whoop:, Id be interested in what it was.

*corkey* · 08-24-2008, 09:24 AM

i had a whooping noise in the front of my 96 , i rotated the tires it went away ,for a bit , than the noise moved, i looked at the tire ,it looked like a bad belt, and than replaced it,, no more noise,,

exshipdriver · 09-17-2008, 08:48 PM

Took it in again for the whooping noise/groaning problem, and the dealer wants to think it's everything BUT what I've described. Wind noise (replaced weatherstripping on a FRONT door), even though I've told them that it's coming from the rear end and I don't have to be moving for it to make the noise, aftermarket stereo (but it was doing it before I installed the aftermarket stereo), and they keep referring to it as a "pop" when I keep telling them it's a "whoop." I even printed out posts from several other owners have the same problem and gave them to the service rep to show that I'm not the only one having this problem. Yet there's apparently nothing in the Ford database of anyone else having this problem.

http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Ex...rear_end.shtml

#s 66 and 73 at http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Ex...shifting.shtml

If you have had this same problem and got it fixed, please let me know what your dealer did to solve it. It's not a something I can voluntarily replicate or predict when it will occur, so troubleshooting is tough. I'm thinking of riding in the 3rd row whenever my wife and I are in the car together so that if it makes the noise, I can pinpoint where it's coming from. Otherwise, I'm at a loss, and my dealer is too (or he doesn't want to deal with it.)

Thanks.

exshipdriver · 09-18-2008, 09:41 AM

Another follow-up: Found the following posted by someone else at http://ford.justanswer.com/explorer/...d-explorer-xlt

Trying to see if the noise happens when rear AC is on. So far, only hearing it when it is off, so the guy who wrote this may be onto something. Anybody else?

there is a noise that I think may be yours ---see if this sounds right -- if you have rear a/c , there is a valve in that system -- this valve may make noise when the front a/c is on low blower and the rear a/c is off , it makes the noise more in this mode-- it will happen at any speed and make this hoot sound and you can not tell if its from the front or the rear --- to disprove my theory ,, try to see if the noise is there with or with out the a/c on --- if by turning the a/c off and driving and the truck and it never makes the noise ,, then I am on to something --- if it still makes the noise with the a/c off ,, well then I was wrong -----take your time and get back to be me ---noise problem are hard to diag , especially on the web ,,

gjmarr · 09-18-2008, 10:56 PM

I first noticed the whooping noise on our way back to Calgary from Minnesota this summer. I first thought it was wind noise but, as noted by others, it can happen any time at any speed. Tonight it happened pulling into our driveway. The A/C was not on at the time (Calgary, mid-September, 8:15 PM, altitude 3500 feet - it gets cold when the sun goes down). The noise definitely is coming from the rear part of the vehicle and it does sound like it is inside. Strangest car noise I ever heard. Should I be concerned about it?

*jrford* · 09-19-2008, 10:16 AM

I cant help with the wooping noise but i did have luck convincing a dealer of a problem with video clip using my Cell Phone. I took this other truck (jeep) in as it would just die anytime/speed etc. Service writer came back and said no problem found (no codes), but I pulled out my phone showed her that the check engine light comes on, hear the buzzer? They couldn’t dispute there was a problem. They wound up changing the CPS sensor which fixed it.

exshipdriver · 10-02-2008, 11:15 PM

So I sat in the way back for a little while and listened for the noise. I think the post that I found earlier about the rear AC compressor may be on the right track. The noise definitely comes from the rear LEFT side, basically in the back corner near the bumper. It also only seems to happen when the front AC is on low and the rear is off.

For gjmarr, understand temp differences in Calgary, but is it possible that you had the ac on but the temp set higher so that at least it was dehumidified air and not necessarily cold air?

08-24-2008, 01:36 AM	#1
exshipdriver Wannabe Elite Explorer San Antonio, TX 2006 Mountaineer Premier Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 8 Vehicle Specs	Whooping noise from 06 Mountaineer 2006 Mountaineer Premier, V8 AWD. I'm getting a whooping noise that sounds like it's coming from the right rear side. Noise is intermittent, and most closely resembles the start-up of a police car siren. (No cops behind me!) Noise lasts about a second, although on rare occasion it will drag on for a little longer than that. It happens regardless of whether I'm driving, stopped at a light, or in park. I can't forcibly replicate the noise or predict when it will happen. If there were some kind of a pneumatic load leveling system in the rear end, I'd suspect that since the noise could almost pass as air leaking out. (No beans for lunch.) It's definitely coming from the back end of the car and sounds like it's on the inside. It doesn't sound like the same pitch as the back-up sensors. I also considered possible venting from the gas cap, but the noise happens regardless of tank level, temp, humidity, etc. Only other thing back there is the subwoofer, but I'm pretty sure it makes the noise regardless of whether the stereo is on or off. Dealer couldn't replicate it, so no luck getting it fixed yet. Any ideas? Thanks.

08-24-2008, 08:38 AM	#2
les_from_syracus Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2 Vehicle Specs	Also have "whoop" I just bought a 2006 Explorer last week and have the same intermittant "whoop". My vehicle seems to whoop when I am excelerating or rounding a bend, so I was thinking I have a bare wire somewhere that is contacting the frame, setting up one of the alarms. If anyone has fixed a similar "whoop:, Id be interested in what it was.

08-24-2008, 09:24 AM	#3
corkey Elite COLD weather tester lifted and lock, and FROZEN SOLID,, oh yeah,. in CANADA,,,,,,, 96 XL and 90 Ranger XLT, Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,066 Vehicle Specs	i had a whooping noise in the front of my 96 , i rotated the tires it went away ,for a bit , than the noise moved, i looked at the tire ,it looked like a bad belt, and than replaced it,, no more noise,, __________________ 96 XL,some gears, axles,wheels,tires, lift kit, coilovers, back springs,shocks,stereo,subs,satellite radio,door speakers,amp bypass, and a few other things,,looks like enough for now,, till spring i guess, In this world there are two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig. clint eastwood,

09-18-2008, 09:41 AM	#5
exshipdriver Wannabe Elite Explorer San Antonio, TX 2006 Mountaineer Premier Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 8 Vehicle Specs	Another follow-up: Found the following posted by someone else at http://ford.justanswer.com/explorer/...d-explorer-xlt Trying to see if the noise happens when rear AC is on. So far, only hearing it when it is off, so the guy who wrote this may be onto something. Anybody else? there is a noise that I think may be yours ---see if this sounds right -- if you have rear a/c , there is a valve in that system -- this valve may make noise when the front a/c is on low blower and the rear a/c is off , it makes the noise more in this mode-- it will happen at any speed and make this hoot sound and you can not tell if its from the front or the rear --- to disprove my theory ,, try to see if the noise is there with or with out the a/c on --- if by turning the a/c off and driving and the truck and it never makes the noise ,, then I am on to something --- if it still makes the noise with the a/c off ,, well then I was wrong -----take your time and get back to be me ---noise problem are hard to diag , especially on the web ,,

09-19-2008, 10:16 AM	#7
jrford Elite Explorer Birmingham, MI '04 EB V8 AWD Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,537 Vehicle Specs	I cant help with the wooping noise but i did have luck convincing a dealer of a problem with video clip using my Cell Phone. I took this other truck (jeep) in as it would just die anytime/speed etc. Service writer came back and said no problem found (no codes), but I pulled out my phone showed her that the check engine light comes on, hear the buzzer? They couldn’t dispute there was a problem. They wound up changing the CPS sensor which fixed it. __________________ Jim '04 EB Quad Buckets V8 AWD, 3.55s, Michelin LTX A/T2, Tow Hooks, Class III, roof rack, Audiophile/Sub

09-17-2008, 08:48 PM	#4
exshipdriver Wannabe Elite Explorer San Antonio, TX 2006 Mountaineer Premier Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 8 Vehicle Specs	Took it in again for the whooping noise/groaning problem, and the dealer wants to think it's everything BUT what I've described. Wind noise (replaced weatherstripping on a FRONT door), even though I've told them that it's coming from the rear end and I don't have to be moving for it to make the noise, aftermarket stereo (but it was doing it before I installed the aftermarket stereo), and they keep referring to it as a "pop" when I keep telling them it's a "whoop." I even printed out posts from several other owners have the same problem and gave them to the service rep to show that I'm not the only one having this problem. Yet there's apparently nothing in the Ford database of anyone else having this problem. http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Ex...rear_end.shtml #s 66 and 73 at http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Ex...shifting.shtml If you have had this same problem and got it fixed, please let me know what your dealer did to solve it. It's not a something I can voluntarily replicate or predict when it will occur, so troubleshooting is tough. I'm thinking of riding in the 3rd row whenever my wife and I are in the car together so that if it makes the noise, I can pinpoint where it's coming from. Otherwise, I'm at a loss, and my dealer is too (or he doesn't want to deal with it.) Thanks.

09-18-2008, 10:56 PM	#6
gjmarr Wannabe Elite Explorer Calgary, Alberta '06 Explorer XLT Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1 Vehicle Specs	I first noticed the whooping noise on our way back to Calgary from Minnesota this summer. I first thought it was wind noise but, as noted by others, it can happen any time at any speed. Tonight it happened pulling into our driveway. The A/C was not on at the time (Calgary, mid-September, 8:15 PM, altitude 3500 feet - it gets cold when the sun goes down). The noise definitely is coming from the rear part of the vehicle and it does sound like it is inside. Strangest car noise I ever heard. Should I be concerned about it?

10-02-2008, 11:15 PM	#8
exshipdriver Wannabe Elite Explorer San Antonio, TX 2006 Mountaineer Premier Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 8 Vehicle Specs	So I sat in the way back for a little while and listened for the noise. I think the post that I found earlier about the rear AC compressor may be on the right track. The noise definitely comes from the rear LEFT side, basically in the back corner near the bumper. It also only seems to happen when the front AC is on low and the rear is off. For gjmarr, understand temp differences in Calgary, but is it possible that you had the ac on but the temp set higher so that at least it was dehumidified air and not necessarily cold air?