2018 Explorer - Front passenger side creaking sounds when accelerating from stop

[SteveTh]

Hello everyone. About 6 months after I bought my 2018 Explorer in Oct of 2018, I started noticing a creaking/squeaking noise from the right front passenger side when accelerating from a dead stop or when backing out from my driveway, turning the wheel to the right and going over the bump at the foot of the driveway. Sometimes you can hear it when stopping as well. Hope this makes sense. I've gone back and forth with Ford since around April of 2019 trying to get this diagnosed and repaired. I had it at the dealership several times last year first trying to get them to hear it. They finally heard it during a ride along confirming that I wasn't crazy. They kept my Explorer for about 2 weeks and sent it to a body shop. They told me there was an unfinished weld behind the front firewall which they welded. They had even paid my car payment for one month for all the hassle I had gone through. I get the Explorer back and about one weeks later, it starts up again. I took it back in for another ride along and the said, well...."cars squeak and creak. Bring it back when it's louder." That wasn't what I wanted to hear. Now a few months later, the squeaking is louder. The manager of the service department is now ignoring me and not returning my calls or emails and when I go up there he's always in a meeting. There is no squaking or creaking when driving long distances. Only when accelerating from a stop or when I back out of my driveway. Sometimes I might even hear it when going over a large bump or dip in the road. Has anyone else experienced anything similar or might possibly know what it is? I tend to think it's mechanical rather than body related. It's becoming extremely frustrating. There's even a rattling noise now coming from around the back seat area when I first start driving. It goes away after about 5 minutes and is totally unrelated to the front noise. I bought this SUV brand new but I feel like I got a lemon.

 

[Michael Lopour]

I still have this exact issue, driver door only. Door was misaligned - I had a constant squeak along with the acceleration creak you describe. The misaligned door was rubbing on panels that were replaced under warranty. The creak disappeared but was back within a few days. Since it briefly disappeared I’m pretty confident the door alignment is still the issue. Ford was not good at diagnosing this it took 3 tries.

 

[SteveTh]

Thanks for the quick reply Michael. Here I was thinking I would probably be the only one with this issue. My Ford dealership can't even accurately diagnose what is wrong so now they're doing whatever they can to avoid me. I always thought that it sounded like it was coming from around the lower door area. I guess I will keep struggling with them to see what can be done. I was also thinking maybe the struts or shocks or something underneath might be a bad part but I have no clue. I try to open and shake the door, then shake the Explorer when it's sitting still but I can't replicate the squeaking until it's moving. It's like a momentum noise from the weight of vehicle. Drives me nuts.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Steve.
If it does it consistently when backing out of the driveway or accelerating, why not try it with each door unlatched to see if that eliminates the issue. If it doesn't then it isn't the door(s). Also, there is nothing preventing you from going to another Ford/Lincoln dealer to get their opinion.

Peter

 

[SteveTh]

Thanks Peter. I will try and give this a shot. That's a good idea. Ford was telling me that they could hear it from the outside when they had the door open, but I wasn't there and never actually heard it when they checked it that way. The other closest Ford is pretty far away and makes it difficult to drop it off if needed.

 

[verhaalenr]

Hello, wondering if you found a resolution to this? My 2018 Platinum just started doing almost exactly the same thing, and Ford so far has no ideas..