[GDSQDCR]

Help …

I am at a loss here 2015 FX4, 126K miles, stock.

A couple of days ago in my commute home I heard some metal on metal scraping sounds while driving home. It sounded like I had lost my brakes pads in a split second and that the caliper was now digging into the brake rotor. By the time I got to the shoulder, no noise. I drove home the rest of the way, after checking a few things, no noise. It happened a day or two later, on a different section of road. Then it happened again …

I have checked the heat shields, I had rock/debris stuck there some excursions.

Yesterday i had to Reno (about 200 miles) And the noise came back a couple of time.

Transmission never got hot.
Front pads have 7 mm on them. Rear are brand new.
Noise sometimes changes when you turn the steering wheel, sometimes not.
The noise is rotational, and the truck must be moving for the noise to occur. So not engine related.
Brakes are solid.
Wheel bearings pass the shake test.
No leaks under the vehicle.
The noise is still there while the vehicle is in motion, but in neutral=.
The noise has occurred at 70mph and at 5mph

One thing to note, I put the truck in 4A yesterday while coming over Donner Pass, lots of ice and blowing snow. Since then, I have not heard the noise once. Not sure if that is a coincidence or something more relevant.

Any thoughts on what this noise can be?

 

[snakebitten]

Your late comment regarding 4A introduced another potential source that now should be considered. Although the debris in the brake shields matched the description of the noise better.

You might remove vacuum from your IWE's for a few days, rather than necessarily driving in 4A full-time, but either method would confirm whether the noise is related?

 

[Boatwaco]

Sounds like the IWE issues.
There’s good information in this sub-forum: F150 Ecoboost IWE

 

[HaulsRS]

When I had IWE issues I would hear a metal on metal grinding sound only under light acceleration. Replaced check valve and my problem went away. Very easy fix
You can verify it’s IWE issues by turning 4hi on next time you hear the noise, the grinding should stop immediately.

 

[Justinjs]

It's IWE season down on the forum.

 

[GDSQDCR]

The last time the IWE failed it was more a deep grinding sound. I did not even consider that though … I will need to check those.

So question, if I am in 4A, is the IWE engaged, hence why I have not heard the sound?

 

[snakebitten]

Yes, 4A releases vacuum from the IWE vacuum loop and the hub engages.

 

[GDSQDCR]

So after another 400 miles while in 4A, not one scraping sound, tomorrow I will be at the shop though.

With that said, at time it felt jerky while accelerating up hill, like it slipped a sprocket on a gear. It did not do it while accelerating on flat land. Transmission never got hot. Fluids are 10k old and still pink. Question, could thi be related or do I have something else going on?

i though Ujoint, but I would expect it to be consistent regardless of hill/flat. i Will crawl under in the morning before I head to the shop (just finished a 300 mile drive today and a bit beat).

 

[snakebitten]

If no grinding/scraping noise in 4A, that supports the front hubs/IWE as the potential source.

The "jerky" on an incline might be the transfer case clutch? I've experienced a single jerk if I switch from 2H to 4A at the bottom of a steep incline that leads up into my barn. It is gravel and it's as if the same instant one of the rear wheels loses traction (slight spin), the transfer case slips momentarily while adjusting to the necessary torque transfer to the front differential. It only happens once for the climb. And it doesn't happen everytime. It never happens if I switched to 4A before I get to the incline.

 

[mass-hole]

FYI the new fix for the IWE's is to just delete them. If you bring it into the dealer that may be what happens.

 

[Boatwaco]

FYI the new fix for the IWE's is to just delete them. If you bring it into the dealer that may be what happens.

Ford TSB 22-2219 IWE Delete for Lariat +

Well they finally called for it? Ford officially recommends removing vacuum for 4A trucks?

www.f150ecoboost.net

 

[GDSQDCR]

So I got lucky ... very very lucky.

I took it to a local shop instead of the dealer and all that was broken was the actual IWE - no other damage. I took it in because I wanted to understand if I had done any other damage and since they had to open it up, they might as well replace the IWE.

The truck goes into the dealer next week because my door locks are freezing up even though they did the TSB fix. So while they are doing the second TSB fix on the door locks, I will chat with them about deleting them under the TSB 22-2219.

 

[GDSQDCR]

So yeah, the update. Just completed a 300 mile drive, attempted it 2wd as the IWE was fixed, but apparently the noise still showed up again. It was not as loud this time and was very inconsistent. Again, once thrown in 4A, the noise went away. I noticed this time that the noise did change in pitch when I turned the steering wheel ever so slightly, and even went away a couple of times.

Guess it is back to the shop that replaced the IWE to follow up.

 

[snakebitten]

You are definitely a candidate for the IWE delete, in my opinion.
Perform the recently released TSB regarding your IWE's and your truck will be exactly like my 2022. Lol

 

[Boatwaco]

You may want to look at the IWE sub-forum, and the sticky "Links to other IWE threads" which links again to the Delete IWE TSB...

F150 Ecoboost IWE | F150 Ecoboost Forum

 

[Justinjs]

There's a good chance they installed them wrong. I broke two or three by not compressing them prior to bolting them in... immediately broken, compressed one to install and I'm 30k out and no issues.

 

[snakebitten]

@Justinjs IS our resident IWE expert.
He earned that austerity too!

 

[Tom-Dirt]

There's a good chance they installed them wrong. I broke two or three by not compressing them prior to bolting them in... immediately broken, compressed one to install and I'm 30k out and no issues.

Last time I replaced them I immediately checked them with a hand-held Mityvac tool.... and I smiled when the little blotches both worked as designed ☺