Explorer A-Pillar Rattle/Noise

[LWAGNER519]

"Mine is okay once the interior warms up so I don't think the dealer will be able to duplicate it since he is 25 miles away"



I had to leave the car at the dealership overnight and drive there and show them first thing in the morning because the couldn't duplicate the concern. I was really pissed because it does it every morning and sure enough it did it when I showed them. Don't know why they couldn't duplicate the concern. I am still waiting for the parts for mine to come in.

Were you able to get your cubby fixed? The past couple of months, I've had to just leave mine open...I'd much rather keep it closed to keep the dust out. ;-)

 

[bluelion]

Everyones' is happening at high speed. Mine is happening when I drive over certain rough areas of road, like cracks, crosswalks, gravel, etc.

You can also hear it when a song's bass is very loud. If boom boom pow were on, it would sound like "rattle rattle pow"....

It's annoying. Some days its there, and some days it vanishes. When the road is wet, it isnt there, yet sometimes it is. The passenger hears it in the center console, but the driver hears it in the passenger a-pillar

The dealer couldn't locate the sound, or hear it at all for that matter. I'm gonna need to take one of them on a drive and point it out and ask about the tsb.

I am just confused at why mine happens when I said, but not at highway speeds like everyone else's?!

-HELP!

i had the same rattle in my sunglass holder. took it to the dealer and i told them that it rattles when you drive, but it also does it with a bassy song when the volume is turned up a little bit (1/4-1/2 volume). they were able to hear it, and said they had to tighten some clips up there.... so far, no sunglass holder rattle since......

 

[LeFurg]

Hey Cory,

I'm assuming they do, but would just like to make sure. Do the 2013 Ex's have these new thicker A-Pillar components?

 

[cnsheets]

Hey Cory,

I'm assuming they do, but would just like to make sure. Do the 2013 Ex's have these new thicker A-Pillar components?

Gosh, that would just be too easy and not fair to all of us who HAVE experienced the problem. I think Ford should make 2013 owners suffer the same as we have.

 

[Johnny Neat]

Cory or whomever can assist me,

I'm currently frustrated with my beautiful Explorer EX having to go to the dealer back to back. I've had to take it in for the front passenger side humming windshield noise issue and over heating, front passenger side humming windshield noise issue again and radio issues and now the front passenger side humming windshield noise issue once again and AC blowing hot air.

I get the run around we fixed it or we couldn't reproduce the sound regarding the front passenger side humming windshield noise issue and days of waiting for the car at the dealer to fix the other issues.

Only great news is that the issues that have been addressed haven't come back, except the AC blowing hot air which is still pending, as the car sits at the dealer going on day 3, so we haven't been able to see if their latest claims of addressing the front passenger side humming windshield noise issue are true.

So after all this ranting, what can I do to have them truly address my front passenger side humming windshield noise issue? I'm just frustrated with the way the issues are handled. If it's going to take X amount of days just say it. Don't claim to be able to fix or address something in a matter of hours that actually takes days because parts are needed or claim to have addressed issues when they haven't.

Sorry for my mood but I'm just frustrated and burned out by these experiences. I just want to enjoy my Explorer.

Thank you in advance for your time,

Johnny

 

[BruceF]

A Pillars changed today

I had my a pillars changed today. Seems they only replaced the black plastic.

Are they supposed to change the rubber that is next and behind the a pillars?

 

[cnsheets]

Mineis in as we speak for the a-pillar fix. I'll know in about an hour, but I thought the rubber was part of the a-pillar assembly.

 

[one chance]

why are you having them replaced. inside or outside

 

[BruceF]

I brought the car to the shop for the brake squeal TSB 11-10-29. They were to replace the pads, rotors, and caliper bolts. They said on the invoice that they replaced the bolts but they really did not, as when I removed the wheel today to inspect, the green marking on the bolt and caliper from the factory were not in line. If they replaced the bolts there would not be any green marking on the hex head bolt.

At the same time the car was to have the a pillars replaced but were on back order.

When I got the car back they said that the a pillars came in and they replaced them.

When I looked at the rubber it had some road grime on both a pillars like my windshield when I originally brought it in.

The service advisor said that the TSB only replaces the black plastic, not the rubber.

 

[chimoman]

They lied

 

[bluelion]

today must be 'A' pillar day....i also had mine done today.and it looks like they changed the actual black plastic 'A' pillar...check my thread that i accidentally posted in the MFT section.

 

[cnsheets]

Looks like they did both plastic and rubber on mine. Have not had a chance to get up to freeway speeds yet to test it. These are the parts they said they put on:

BB5Z7803136BA
BB5Z7803137BA
BB5Z7803136AB
BB5Z7803137AB


I thought the TSB said something about them having to clean an existing part with a cleaner and then peel and stick part of the new to the old. Anyone know what this part is? Is it something underneath not visible from the outside or something that should be seen on the outside? Only reason I ask is that at the base of the A-pillar where it meets below the windshield, there is a gap in the rubber where the a-pillar rubber overlaps the other rubber. Is everyone who has had a successfully TSB fix the same? Just seems like an area to allow air into the a-pillar interior structure and cause noise.

 

[cnsheets]

Just got back from having mine done. Have not had a chance to get up to freeway speeds yet to test it. These are the parts they said they put on:

BB5Z7803136BA
BB5Z7803137BA
BB5Z7803136AB
BB5Z7803137AB


The TSB says: " Wipe the lower rubber gasket with a damp rag (no chemicals) to clean the butyl contacting surface.
The lower rubber gasket is located on the windshield side of the bracket.
Remove protective film from the butyl tape on the new applique."


Anyone know what this part is? Is it something underneath not visible from the outside or something that should be seen on the outside? Only reason I ask is that at the base of the A-pillar where it meets below the windshield, there is a gap in the rubber where the a-pillar rubber overlaps the other rubber. My old a-pillars had the same gap. Is everyone who has had a successfully TSB fix the same? Just seems like an area to allow air into the a-pillar interior structure and cause noise.

 

[cnsheets]

Here are the pictures, this is the new A-Pillar on the passenger side:

 

[cnsheets]

Here are the pictures, this is the new A-Pillar on the passenger side:

 

[chimoman]

Had mine replaced and after a couple of weeks its back. Ohhhhh well. Nice try Ford.

 

[LeFurg]

Gosh, that would just be too easy and not fair to all of us who HAVE experienced the problem. I think Ford should make 2013 owners suffer the same as we have.

The MY 2013 owner may very well have the issue... From what I've seen this evening, there are some members who have had the A-Pillar TSB fix, but to no avail. For them, the A-pillar buzz/rattle persists.
It seems the rubber seal along side of the windshield could simply be elongated which alone would cover the gap (shown in your photos), assuming the gap is the culprit.

or...

I don't know much about home architecture components, but maybe a window foam (the kind one would use for house windows [namely glass block] mounted to wooden studs - to fill the gap) could be shot up in there. You shoot it in and it expands, helps to lock everything down & it would help absorb the road noise... IDK.:scratch: Maybe I'm just over-analyzing it.

Like you said, CNSheets - you have experienced the issue. You would know more than I would..

 

[BruceF]

Thanks for the feedback and pictures.

I will ssend a PM to Cory to find out it the rubber and the plastic are to be replaced as for me they just replaced the plastic.

 

[Johnny Neat]

So LeFurg

You're saying this A-pillar issue can't be fixed as it is being handled now?

 

[Johnny Neat]

Update*

So AC has been claimed repaired and the moldings for the A-Pillar, I believe, have been ordered.

I'll pick up my baby today and hope the AC is a-ok again and will update when I do the next step. Fingers are crossed.

Seems like I have gone down the check list of known issues with the new Explorers and I hope this will be the end of the headaches and the restart of a wonderful driving experience.