Steering Wheel Whine / Groan

[njweatherman]

Yes, that's it. Maybe just a tad louder.
And I can also feel it through the steering wheel. I feel a very, very slight vibration (for lack of a better word) in my fingers that's in perfect sync with the groan, and which I don't feel when it doesn't groan.

Hmm. I don't feel anything rubbing. What strikes me odd is when they have it on the lift with no stress on it, there is no noise. Once they put some stress on it, it makes the noise.

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[mustangpegasus51]

Hmm. I don't feel anything rubbing. What strikes me odd is when they have it on the lift with no stress on it, there is no noise. Once they put some stress on it, it makes the noise.

Same for me! On colder days if I just get out of the car the sound does seem to get better, which is why I kept thinking it was the suspension, until the stethoscope narrowed it down. However on a hot day the weight distribution doesn't seem to affect anything.

Also it is interesting, I think all of us have MY 2020s.

Also my thoughts on it being the subframe, or I guess the steering column itself being misaligned, this is what I was thinking visually; on cold times/days there's no rubbing/noise because it just eeks out within the opening. Then when things warm up and parts expand, the misalignment is revealed. Then again, this doesn't really explain why it only happens turning right. That's still the most bizarre part of this to me.

 

[njweatherman]

Ed,
Excellent analysis. Yes, I have a 2020 GT, California Special edition, automatic.
The reason the dealership replaced my EPS was I was also getting a clicking noise everytime I turned the steering wheel (hot or cold). They said it was coming from the EPS. When I picked the car up after it was replaced, I was surprised that the moan, whine, groan was still present. I also had to bring it back twice because the mechanic did not put one of the bolts in correctly in the subframe and the steering wheel was off-center by a few degrees. What a hassle! I contacted FORD customer service over the whole ordeal. They paid for my rent-a-car, one month car loan, and gave me a 5-year extended warranty. After all of this, I gave up fighting it.

Are you going to bring it in? May be the mechanic by you may have some insight. I already had it at three separate dealerships:(

 

[mustangpegasus51]

Ah, I believe I know the steering wheel click you were talking about haha. Mine sounds a little like this Youtube video:


Also I remember you mentioned an entirely different clicking from near the front end; did that click sound like a playing card through a bicycle wheel? It seems to only happen during low speed acceleration for me, and at first it only happened with the wheel at a certain angle -- now it happens pretty much all the time.

 

[njweatherman]

Yes, it did sound like a playing card through a bicycle wheel. The clicking noise I heard was audible from outside the vehicle with the windows down. I traced it to the left and right front tire area. When I made a slow turn in a parking lot, you would hear it from both sides: click, click, click. The clicking noise was what made the mechanic use a stethoscope to narrow down the noise to the EPS.

 

[njweatherman]

Ed,

After I had my EPS replaced and the steering wheel moan, groan, and whine was still present, I brought it in again. See attached for what the mechanic said. After this explanation, I gave up and accepted it. The car is my daily driver. I could not take anymore time off from work.

 

[mustangpegasus51]

Huh, my bicycle wheel clicking seems to come from the same place you mentioned, but doesn't really depend on turning -- i.e. if I turn but don't have my foot on the gas pedal, I don't hear any clicking. (Although as stated I hear the whine/groan regardless.)

Thank you for sharing the service write up. I wonder if there's any truth to the idea of the Ford tech and I both being correct. As in, yeah, there could be more strain on the EPS motor depending on suspension load, but shouldn't the suspension be loaded in such a way that it doesn't moan like that in one direction? My 2019 never had this issue and I don't think I've gained enough weight since that time to throw off a suspension. My 2020's wheels also don't look like they line up all that well. My left front wheel is less flush with the fender that my right front, and my right rear wheel is closer to the fender than my left rear wheel by about a half inch.

I guess this all leads me back to suspecting the suspension wasn't squared up all that well during production of 2020MY vehicles, even for Ford's rather generous standards for this model.

Also my mustang is my daily as well, so I feel you. One of the (many) reasons I've given up on dealers to resolve this. I actually brought it to a dealer once for this squeak, and the service writer told me I was making it happen on purpose -- I guess he only takes left turns?

 

[Vlad Soare]

See attached for what the mechanic said.

What a load of bullshit.
If it's "normal" noise caused by the load of the suspension/steering, then how come it only occurs on hot days, and only after a few thousand miles? Is the car lighter on cold days? Were you driving with the car "unloaded" for the first 4500 miles, and then it suddenly became "loaded"?
The thousands of other Mustangs that don't make this hideous noise, are they all "unloaded"?
I never cease marvelling at how stupid these mechanics think we are.

 

[njweatherman]

What a load of bullshit.
If it's "normal" noise caused by the load of the suspension/steering, then how come it only occurs on hot days, and only after a few thousand miles? Is the car lighter on cold days? Were you driving with the car "unloaded" for the first 4500 miles, and then it suddenly became "loaded"?
The thousands of other Mustangs that don't make this hideous noise, are they all "unloaded"?
I never cease marvelling at how stupid these mechanics think we are.

The only good thing about this is I have it documented in writing and in their system, so if anything goes wrong down the road, it is on them.

 

[njweatherman]

Huh, my bicycle wheel clicking seems to come from the same place you mentioned, but doesn't really depend on turning -- i.e. if I turn but don't have my foot on the gas pedal, I don't hear any clicking. (Although as stated I hear the whine/groan regardless.)

Thank you for sharing the service write up. I wonder if there's any truth to the idea of the Ford tech and I both being correct. As in, yeah, there could be more strain on the EPS motor depending on suspension load, but shouldn't the suspension be loaded in such a way that it doesn't moan like that in one direction? My 2019 never had this issue and I don't think I've gained enough weight since that time to throw off a suspension. My 2020's wheels also don't look like they line up all that well. My left front wheel is less flush with the fender that my right front, and my right rear wheel is closer to the fender than my left rear wheel by about a half inch.

I guess this all leads me back to suspecting the suspension wasn't squared up all that well during production of 2020MY vehicles, even for Ford's rather generous standards for this model.

Also my mustang is my daily as well, so I feel you. One of the (many) reasons I've given up on dealers to resolve this. I actually brought it to a dealer once for this squeak, and the service writer told me I was making it happen on purpose -- I guess he only takes left turns?

Ed,

If you can, stand outside and have someone drive your car in the parking lot and make a slow tight turn. See if you hear the clicking noise from the front tires. Mine was audible.

 

[MattMPA]

My former '18 SHO developed a "clicking" noise when turning the wheel in one direction. In fact, we were able to find a sweet spot where we could turn the steering wheel back and forth to replicate the noise. Happened when stopped and turning the steering wheel, or when moving and turning the wheel.

Turned out to be a wheel bearing.

 

[james cole]

Hello Guys any update one the rubbing noise my Mach 1 has it as well…

 

[njweatherman]

Hello Guys any update one the rubbing noise my Mach 1 has it as well…

I sent you a private message.

 

[mustangpegasus51]

@njweatherman @james cole did you ever figure out a fix for the groan? I remember nj getting some info from the dealer about the noise but was curious if there were any new discoveries. Thanks!

 

[james cole]

Hey, no... since everyone else's car was doing it I decided to let it be...

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