Explorer A-Pillar Rattle/Noise

[janskim]

The right atmospheric crosswinds presented themselves today in MD on my ride home and after over 1,500 miles of silence I was inducted into the A pillar rattle club.
Build date 2/4 off to the dealer to convince them to fix, oh joy.

 

[jeff59rt1]

I will wait on this one, I want Ford to have the really really good solution to this problem and not have some poor flat rate tech driving my lease around town trying to find a problem we all know about!

 

[gregross]

What has worked for me on this (so far) is that Cory escalated the issue to Ford Customer Service who called me and then called the dealer. They are now discussing the parts. They even got a link to one of the videos posted here to discuss the problem with the engineers who knew about it. This saved having to convince the service manager at the dealer that there was a problem. What is going on now is the service manager is working with Ford on the parts. I did forward the parts list from the New Mexico dealer. I told the service manager at the dealer that I would wait for a fix that everyone thought would work.

 

[chimoman]

Seems pretty obvious it is the gasket causing the problem. Not sure but it doesn't take rocket appliances (joke) to figure it out.

 

[wickmaw1]

Yes, At about 70 mph going into a moderate wind there is a distinct whistling sound comming from the right side of the windshield.

 

[Bill1234]

Yes, At about 70 mph going into a moderate wind there is a distinct whistling sound comming from the right side of the windshield.

I heard this in a LTD I test drove.

Mine, nothing, but I did notice a strange sound that seems to have to do with aerodynamics of driver side mirror with window down. I have not had time to duplicate it though.

 

[maroon-n-gold]

Pickep up mine yesterday. Took it on a 250 mile round trip today and noticed the A pillar rattle. Came to intenet and typed in "vibration noise on 2011 explorer in front pillar" - it brought me here - Thank goodness for the internet. Sent the Ford Service guy a PM - hope this gets figured out soon. Appears as if mine was built on 4/11 - so they must have been using the smaller gaskets even then. Thanks for info and help - My wife LOVES her new Explorer.

 

[yourstone]

Pickep up mine yesterday. Took it on a 250 mile round trip today and noticed the A pillar rattle. Came to intenet and typed in "vibration noise on 2011 explorer in front pillar" - it brought me here - Thank goodness for the internet. Sent the Ford Service guy a PM - hope this gets figured out soon. Appears as if mine was built on 4/11 - so they must have been using the smaller gaskets even then. Thanks for info and help - My wife LOVES her new Explorer.

You can get this fixed. Here is my story which I have previously posted here and on the Explorer facebook site:
I had both of my A pillars fixed 4/11. A few times I have heard rattles in both A pillars at 55 mph or higher with a strong crosswind. Don Chalmer’s Ford, Rio Rancho New Mexico used the following parts: SPO BB5Z 7803137 AA, SPO BB5Z 7803137 BA, SPO BB5Z 7803136 AA, and SPO BB5Z 7803136 BA, all listed as moulding windshield. The original vertical gaskets that run along the A pillars were noticeably thinner and easily lifted off the windshield. The new ones are noticeably thicker and more substantial. The install job is perfect. On 4/11 I got it up to 65 mph with a 15 mph crosswind. No noise at all.
A-pillar noise is totally gone now. On 4/14 I drove North ten miles up to 80 mph, South ten miles up to 90 mph, then West five miles at 65mph, and finally East eight miles at 70 mph. All in wind gusts to 65mph. Royally quiet A-pillars. The repair worked. Thank you Don Chalmers Ford. This should be the standard Ford repair in my opinion.

 

[shoeman]

Well , my 4/12 build is now entered into the Piller wall of shame, doing 120-125 klm per hour on highway 407 just outside Toronto today ,I started hearing THE NOISE. I will wait till I do my first oil change and then bring it in . I thought by 4/14 build they were using the new parts. OH WELL.

 

[yourstone]

Well , my 4/12 build is now entered into the Piller wall of shame, doing 120-125 klm per hour on highway 407 just outside Toronto today ,I started hearing THE NOISE. I will wait till I do my first oil change and then bring it in . I thought by 4/14 build they were using the new parts. OH WELL.

I would suggest that you contact your dealer about this now. They may need to order the four parts.

Enjoy your Explorer. You will enjoy it more when your A pillars are totally quiet like mine are now.

 

[FordService]

Yes, At about 70 mph going into a moderate wind there is a distinct whistling sound comming from the right side of the windshield.

wickmaw1, I can see how a noise like that would get annoying. If you would like me to assist you with getting it resolved, please send me a private message with your VIN, approximate mileage, and dealer name.

Bill1234 & scottfmc, if this is a sound that you would like me to help with, please also send a message with the details.

Cory

 

[yourstone]

wickmaw1, I can see how a noise like that would get annoying. If you would like me to assist you with getting it resolved, please send me a private message with your VIN, approximate mileage, and dealer name.

Bill1234 & scottfmc, if this is a sound that you would like me to help with, please also send a message with the details.

Cory

HI Cory,
Thanks for helping out here. And thanks for your awesome help on the facebook site back in January through March when I took delivery of my 2011 Limited. It is an awesome vehicle. Love it. The A pillars on mine were fixed. Totally quiet now.

Have a great day!
Steven

 

[peterk9]

On the Ford Explorer Facebook site their is a discussion thread about noise when underway in the windshield. The area of the noise reported by two on FB differs. Is anyone here experiencing a noisy windshield?

No problems with mine. Very quiet around town and on the highway.

 

[FordService]

HI Cory,
Thanks for helping out here. And thanks for your awesome help on the facebook site back in January through March when I took delivery of my 2011 Limited. It is an awesome vehicle. Love it. The A pillars on mine were fixed. Totally quiet now.

Have a great day!
Steven

Absolutely! You’re welcome! I am always happy to lend a hand. I’ve been told by Jamie that you do a good share of helping on Facebook as well!

Cory

 

[vegastime]

Heard a whistling from around my windshield for the first time. I have only had mine for about a week, though.

 

[yourstone]

Absolutely! You’re welcome! I am always happy to lend a hand. I’ve been told by Jamie that you do a good share of helping on Facebook as well!

Cory

Hi Cory,
I like sharing with others what i have learned about the amazing new 2011 Explorer as well as my conviction that Ford builds great vehicles and backs them up too.
Have a great weekend,

Steven

 

[janskim]

FYI

As of today my dealer went to order the gaskets and the one is backordered until 6/30. The others are due in at the end of the month.

 

[gregross]

FYI

As of today my dealer went to order the gaskets and the one is backordered until 6/30. The others are due in at the end of the month.

My dealer claims not to know what parts to order. Can you give us your dealer's name/location so I can have mine contact the service mgr?
Thanks.

 

[GTMD]

My dealer claims not to know what parts to order. Can you give us your dealer's name/location so I can have mine contact the service mgr?
Thanks.

Go to page 8 of this thread,post 144.Yourstone.Steve was one of the first to have his fixed.He list the part numbers.You might want to look at all his post,he gives a good account of the issue and the fix.

 

[Holligl]

I am waiting for parts too. Customer service called again today and is going to expedite part delivery.

I have discovered how to recreate the noise in the shop. Use an air compressor at 120-140 psi and a nozzle. Point it at the inside edge of the rubber pillar gasket at about a 45 degree angle and horizontal to the ground. (About 2 inches from the gasket.) Run it up and down the gasket. Where the gasket is looser, it will start vibrating. My drivers side does it toward the top and at the bottom, the passenger side only does it in the middle. Seeing the mechanics of it, and isolating the weak spots, I do think some well placed double sided tape, or even electrical tape, would serve as a temporary fix if you are waiting on parts and heading out on a windy road trip. Hope this helps those with this problem and have a dealer who won't fix it because they can't recreate the noise.

Parts are in at the dealer, scheduled for Friday. I had a case number assigned and they expedited delivery.