Explorer A-Pillar Rattle/Noise

[LeFurg]

So LeFurg

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

All I'm saying is that Explorer owners have had the outer plastic and the rubber gaskets underneath replaced with newer thicker parts. Some owners have no A-Pillar rattle/buzz issues at all after that replacement…

Other owners have no issues for a few weeks, but for these "other" owners, after a few weeks the rattling and buzzing return.

 

[Birdhunt1]

I just had the A pillar fix completed today. Drove home on the interstate with a 20 mph cross head wind. No noise or rattle at all. As long as everything stays nice and tight I believe the problem has been fixed. The Tech followed the instructions in the TSB and replaced the parts listed. The next trip to the dealership will be to get the black decal replaced on the drivers door when the parts are in. They had to send a photo to Ford to get the OK to repair.

 

[LeFurg]

Update:

So far, windshield noise is pretty much gone. I now hear more road noise from the drivers door/window. This noise was probably there before, but just couldn't hear it because of the windshield noise. Now that that noise is gone, I hear drivers door. I think this is normal road noise however. I think a combination of the a-pillar TSB fix and the little piece of foam I added has taken care of the windshield area.

Really great to know.. Keep us informed.

 

[LeFurg]

@ cnsheets:

This "dense black weatherstrip foam" for your A-Pillars.. Where did you get it?

 

[cnsheets]

From work. Some foam strip used to seal server cabinets to make them airtight for proper airflow and cooling.

 

[cnsheets]

The next trip to the dealership will be to get the black decal replaced on the drivers door when the parts are in. They had to send a photo to Ford to get the OK to repair.

They did this on mine as well. 98% better than before. Just one or two small bubbles right next to the mirror on the passenger side. But much much better than before.

 

[pprice]

A pillar/ windshield buzzing noise

To any of you who may have suffered, as I did, for almost a year, with the incessant buzzing noise in the A pillar. Be assured, the recent repair with the new A pillar mouldings does fix the issue. My 2011 already has 45,000 miles on it, so I am in it enough to know when the repair works.
Contact Ford Customer Service if your dealer is not helping. Customer Service came through for me.
The new TSB and new mouldings solve the issue.
Now all I have to fix next is the grinding brakes/wheel bearing on hard stops.

Thanks

 

[dutchman71]

I supposedly had my a-Pillars replaced this past week. To my surprise, when I picked up the vehicle, the electrical tape I had ran all along from the windshield to the original moulding was still there!! I couldn't really tell any new parts..

My question to you is, the thicker new moulding that is supposed to be used in the new TSB, is that the moulding that goes against the windshield? If that is the case, my mouldings were never replaced. Maybe I'm just mistaken and the new moulding everyone is discussing is not visible and is under the a-pillar covers..

 

[cnsheets]

Check out my pictures of the new A-pillars that were changed per the TSB, rubber that meets the windshield was part of it.....

http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345409

Here is a direct link to the pictures.....

http://s1140.photobucket.com/albums/n567/cnsheets/New A pillars/

 

[757driver]

The next trip to the dealership will be to get the black decal replaced on the drivers door when the parts are in. They had to send a photo to Ford to get the OK to repair.

Would you mind expanding on this one? Not sure what this is?

Thanks

 

[757driver]

Duplicate post, deleted

 

[peterk9]

Would you mind expanding on this one? Not sure what this is?

Thanks

I believe what Birdhunt1 is talking about is that black strip along the edge of the door that runs from the mirror to the top of the driver's side window (see that rather crude white arrow). That is actually plastic and some owners have had bubbling under it.

Peter

 

[Birdhunt1]

That is correct the decal on the drivers door has bubbles near the mirror. The tech told me that Ford is now requiring photos be sent in before they OK the repair. He said they now have to do it for the A-pillars also, but my parts had been ordered before the requirement came out. The a-pillar parts had been on back order ever since the TSP concerning them came out.

 

[lmello]

A pillar buzz and Windshield whistle both fixed

Thanks to Cory I was put in contact with the service manager at my dealership. The service manager was contacted by customer service and myself by conference call.
The service manager was aware of and understood the problems and fixed both issues without all the hassle by previous service advisors.
I had fixed the A pillars myself at first by tucking the foam weather stripping under the rubber gaskets of both A pillars so I was no longer getting the buzzing sound. However, a couple of weeks ago I started getting the whistle sound on the upper passanger side. So with this new problem I decided to also have the A pillars fixed per the TSB with new parts.

1) A pillars - I left the foam in there when I took it to the dealer. When the service manager saw what I did he said Wow! That is the same fix that Ford has put on the new gaskets. When I picked up the Ex the rubber on the windshield looked the same but when I raised it off the glass I could see the foam that is now attached to the gasket and making a tight fit so that air cannot get under to the A pillars. Have taken it out on the freeway twice now with strong cross-winds and there is no buzz. This new fix is every bit as good as my weather stripping was.

2) Windshield Whistle - After they fixed the A pillars and did their test drive still heard the air whistle from the windshield. They fixed this problem by contracting out to an auto glass company that removed and re-sealed the windshield. All is now quite - What a blessing

So there you have it, Ford can fix these problems and I am no longer an annoyed Ex owner.
In fact, I am now a very happy owner of my 2012 Explorer Limited. Have not really had any big issues with MFT but eagerly await the new update.
Thanks again to Cory for helping getting these issues resolved.

 

[VinceL]

Congratulations! Glad everything worked out.

 

[sangiovese]

I supposedly had my a-Pillars replaced this past week. To my surprise, when I picked up the vehicle, the electrical tape I had ran all along from the windshield to the original moulding was still there!! I couldn't really tell any new parts..

My question to you is, the thicker new moulding that is supposed to be used in the new TSB, is that the moulding that goes against the windshield? If that is the case, my mouldings were never replaced. Maybe I'm just mistaken and the new moulding everyone is discussing is not visible and is under the a-pillar covers..

I just had the repair done yesterday. (Thanks Cory!) The two plastic A-Pillar covers were replaced but the rubber moulding was NOT replaced. How do I know this? I discretly marked all 4 pieces. After the repairs, the marks were still on the moundlings but not on the plastic pieces.

I also discovered, via marking the tires, that they did not rotate my tires as part of the oil change package. This is despite assurances when dropping off the vehicle that it was included in the package. Dealer is very sorry and will take care of it. I wonder how many people just assume their tires are rotated but never check.

As I understand the TSB, they are only supposed to replace the plastic pieces. If aybody is getting new mouldings, then it's a bonus. Too soon to know if it fixed the problem. Winds are light today and my commute did not include highway speeds. Based on others' experiences with the TSB fix, I'm optimistic.

 

[lmello]

Just had mine done last week and got new plastic and rubber mouldings - the new mouldings have foam type material under them to keep the air from getting under the plastic. You can see it if you lift the moulding from the windshield

 

[cnsheets]

Just had mine done last week and got new plastic and rubber mouldings - the new mouldings have foam type material under them to keep the air from getting under the plastic. You can see it if you lift the moulding from the windshield

Can you post pics of this "foam"? I know for a fact that they replaced both pillar and rubber on mine, but looking under the rubber, I see no foam.

 

[lmello]

It will be obvious the foam is not as black as the rubber - I would call it gray - you will not be able to see the edge of the windshield or the A pillar under there, if you do you don't have the most recent TSB fix. When was yours done?

 

[cnsheets]

14 days ago....... Read this thread

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345409


Can someone else who has had the TSB fix check for this foam? Perhaps your foam was a dealer xtra that they figured they would throw in there and try since they had it apart. I can see the edge of the windshield when I lift the rubber and I see no foam. I'll take pictures under the foam tomorrow.