Left front wheel grinding 15-35mph

[Benster24]

Hello,

I have a 2015 Ford Explorer 2WD with 76k miles. The car for the last 2k miles when driving between 15-35 mph driver's front wheel has a randon grinding noise. The grinding or gear like activating noise doesn't happen all the time even when I drive down the same curvey roads or turns. I have already changed the wheel speed sensors in which the original sensors were clean with no debris.

There are no check engine or other diagnostic lights, but running bluedriver diagnostic stated code U0415. The ASR light sometimes comes on when the car front drivers wheel had a grinding noise or the wheel is re-positioning itself for a second but it can be a repetitive noise back to back. Almost feels like the tire is disengaged itself. Almost like the front wheel stops turning and the the passage wheel keeps going with a slight jerk on the grinding wheel/drivers side wheel.

Please help since I did have the ford dealership try to locate the problem for 2 weeks with no definite answer ranging from transmission to ABS control module issues.

Any help would be greatful since it's been 4 months of this issue.

Thank you,

Ruben

 

[mguy13sport]

Some possibilities to check:

Wheel bearings - Jack up front end and check for play

Axle shafts - Check for leaks / boot rips

Transmission - I believe you have the 2.3L engine so Ford will tell you the transmission is non serviceable / lifetime fluid which is notorious for having overheating issues.

Does it happen while coasting or if you put into neutral does it go away?

 

[Benster24]

Some possibilities to check:

Wheel bearings - Jack up front end and check for play

Axle shafts - Check for leaks / boot rips

Transmission - I believe you have the 2.3L engine so Ford will tell you the transmission is non serviceable / lifetime fluid which is notorious for having overheating issues.

Does it happen while coasting or if you put into neutral does it go away?

Yes, 2.3L engine with every oil change I drain transmission fluid with 4 quarts of transmission fluid come out and replace with 4 quarts again.

There is not enough time when the drivers tire grind since it's less than 1 second long. The grinding occurs when gas pedal is pressed which the car is accelerating.

I will check again again for any shafts leaks/boots this weekend

Again, thank you for your input. If you have any more ideas please let me know.

Ruben

 

[Benster24]

Yes, 2.3L engine with every oil change I drain transmission fluid with 4 quarts of transmission fluid come out and replace with 4 quarts again.

There is not enough time when the drivers tire grind since it's less than 1 second long. The grinding occurs when gas pedal is pressed which the car is accelerating.

I will check again again for any shafts leaks/boots this weekend

Again, thank you for your input. If you have any more ideas please let me know.

Ruben

The drivers front wheel almost feels like it disingages from anti skid reduction. I asked the dealership if IDE could be bent. The ford dealer informed me that with 2wd the IDE doesn't engage but what gets the ASR to turn the wheel when the tire slips. I feel like it's one very specific spot when the tire is turned. Hopefully this sparks any ideas? Thanks for your time trying to assist me.

Ruben

 

[peterk9]

The drivers front wheel almost feels like it disingages from anti skid reduction. I asked the dealership if IDE could be bent. The ford dealer informed me that with 2wd the IDE doesn't engage but what gets the ASR to turn the wheel when the tire slips. I feel like it's one very specific spot when the tire is turned. Hopefully this sparks any ideas? Thanks for your time trying to assist me.

Ruben

Welcome to the Forum.
I would have thought wheel bearing when I first saw the post. But that seems to not be the case in reading subsequent posts. Unable to comment further as I have no idea what the acronyms mean.

Peter

 

[Benster24]

Welcome to the Forum.
I would have thought wheel bearing when I first saw the post. But that seems to not be the case in reading subsequent posts. Unable to comment further as I have no idea what the acronyms mean.

Peter

Peter,

Ty for your quick response. For the uninitiated, Ford's Integrated Wheel End (IWE) system is what locks and unlocks the front hubs when you change back and forth from 2WD and 4WD. ASR

 

[Benster24]

Peter,

Ty for your quick response. For the uninitiated, Ford's Integrated Wheel End (IWE) system is what locks and unlocks the front hubs when you change back and forth from 2WD and 4WD. ASR

Peter,

Thank you for your quick response. For the uninitiated, Ford's Integrated Wheel End (IWE) system is what locks and unlocks the front hubs when you change back and forth from 2WD and 4WD. ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is to prevent slippage of the drive wheels and improve traction during acceleration.
Any knowledge I have in wheel bearings the wear is indicated by a noise occurring when there is squeaking or growling noise. This grinding noise is really strange the longer I'm using the vehicle because it's not consistently happening and varies in time from a fraction to half a second in which sometimes it happens several grinding noises back to back or the grinding may only happen one time during the drive.

The drivers wheel almost feels like it stops rotation while passenger side continues to move. The drivers front tire has a grinding noise as if something metal is trying to lock in place to rotate the tire.

I hope this provides more clarity on describing the odd issue I'm having.
Again thanks for your time and effort.
Ruben

 

[J_C]

I'd check the simpler things first, jack it up, take driver's side wheel off, inspect everything, especially for sticking brake pads, rust on the slider rails... and compare the condition of the brake rotor and pad wear versus the right side.

 

[Benster24]

I'd check the simpler things first, jack it up, take driver's side wheel off, inspect everything, especially for sticking brake pads, rust on the slider rails... and compare the condition of the brake rotor and pad wear versus the right side.

J.C.

Oh good idea, I did just change the front brakes but I didn't compare the old brake pads. I'll check this weekend. Thank you for your suggestion.

Ruben

 

[peterk9]

Peter,

Thank you for your quick response. For the uninitiated, Ford's Integrated Wheel End (IWE) system is what locks and unlocks the front hubs when you change back and forth from 2WD and 4WD. ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) is to prevent slippage of the drive wheels and improve traction during acceleration.
.............................................................

Thanks, Ruben. So I take it that ASR is similar to Traction Control.

Peter

 

[Odrapnew]

To add to what J_C said, see if there's any debris in there.
I had a small rock get wedged in the caliper that made an awful sound. A quick check and found the issue and was able to pop it out with a screwdriver.

 

[Benster24]

Thanks, Ruben. So I take it that ASR is similar to Traction Control.

Peter

Yes, Ford version or name of the cars' traction control.

 

[Benster24]

J.C.

Oh good idea, I did just change the front brakes but I didn't compare the old brake pads. I'll check this weekend. Thank you for your suggestion.

Ruben

J.C. ,

Sorry for the late report but I finally found out the problem with my explorer. The driver's side front rotor was warped. It took a year later for the problem to occur so much that finally decided to get new brakes and rotors replaced even though i replaced the brakes 1 year ago. Now that the brakes and rotors changed no grinding and no ASR lights.

If anyone wants more info please feel free to ask.

Ruben

 

[Benster24]

J.C. ,

Sorry for the late report but I finally found out the problem with my explorer. The driver's side front rotor was warped. It took a year later for the problem to occur so much that finally decided to get new brakes and rotors replaced even though i replaced the brakes 1 year ago. Now that the brakes and rotors changed no grinding and no ASR lights.

If anyone wants more info please feel free to ask.

Ruben

J.C.

You were right about the driver's side rotor being bad. Wish I would have replaced the rotors sooner. The car started dragging I guess meaning the left wheel I felt more pull which the speed of the car wasn't right just driving normal conditions. Now the car feels like new!

Thanks for all your suggestions J.C. and all others on the forum as well.

I will post any updates if things change.

Ruben

 

[J_C]

Glad it's finally sorted out, though it's hard to accept that the Ford dealership shop couldn't find this. I think I'd find a different shop.

 

[Benster24]

I thought the same thing but when I took it to the ford dealership a year ago brakes were replaced and the issues was just randomly happening. I told them i replaced the brakes and wheel speed sensors already. This issues was not occurring all the time. Even the same roads I would take the issue wouldn't always replicate. But the dealer said they didn't want to just start replacing parts till they actually knew the real issue and they didn't charge me anything as well.

Ruben

 

[J_C]

A shop worth their salt can measure runout on a rotor, or visually observe if it has hard spots, another situation some people call warping but that usually causes pedal pulsation stopping, more so than extra drag. At least they didn't charge you, worst thing is "we can't find the problem now pay us".

 

[Benster24]

I thought the same thing but when I took it to the ford dealership a year ago brakes were replaced and the issues was just randomly happening. I told them i replaced the brakes and wheel speed sensors already. This issues was not occurring all the time. Even the same roads I would take the issue wouldn't always replicate. But the dealer said they didn't want to just start replacing parts till they actually knew the real issue and they didn't charge me anything as well.

Ruben

J.C.

UPDATE: the abs light still comes but for a nanosecond. Also, the drivers brake seems to have a noise but not all the time almost sounds like the brake is sticking. I wonder if there is air in the brake line?

Ruben

 

[J_C]

Air in the brake line will cause minimal braking power and mushy pedal, but won't cause noise or sticking sounds.

You might be able to pick up something on a scan tool capable of live data, if a code is being set when the ABS light flickers on, or see if it shows something like wheel speed or steering vector something or other that's not right. Is it really an ABS light or a traction control light coming on?

I would take it all apart, that left wheel, make sure the caliper slider pin is well lubed, make sure the slider rails are free of rust including under any stainless shims if present, and look for uneven wear patterns. It could even be something went wrong during the prior work like the caliper bolts are loose. Some specify to use loctite because they have a tendency to lossen, or else to be re-torqued after something like 100 mi.

Regardless you could bleed the line if you want to. If you're still on the original brake fluid, if it's never been replaced in the life of the vehicle, now is a good time to replace the fluid in all lines but this is just preventative maintenance, not something I'd expect to resolve the problem.

 

[Benster24]

Air in the brake line will cause minimal braking power and mushy pedal, but won't cause noise or sticking sounds.

You might be able to pick up something on a scan tool capable of live data, if a code is being set or you have something like wheel speed or steering vector something or other that's not right. Is it really an ABS light or a traction control light coming on?

J.C.

Traction control light but before the brakes and rotors change the car shook when backing, left wheel would make the grinding or slight stopped the wheel rotating. Sometimes when I brake a hear a quick like grinding or metal rubbing.

Previous codes from BlueDriver were U0415 and C1B00. The codes were not always the same. Sometime just one of the codes would come on. Once the "Service Advanced Trac" and antiskid light came on since the car was acting so bad but a few minutes later the lights turned off.

I just don't know

Ruben