wolfey2k

Hello all!
I spent the better part of today at my favorite dealer where I have made friends with some of the mech's and service manager as we all like to tell old autoshop war stories.

I had gone in a few weeks ago to have my new Ford posi-trac' differential installed on my V6 Pony. While they were at it I went ahead and let them install my new dual exhaust system from Pypes.

While I was hanging out with the guys, the service manager asked me how it's going with the clunking problem. I told him it's still there and I was about to come see him about it so we can get hold of Ford's engineering dept. and see if they are aware of it.

He has to log on to their exclusive dealer only assistance hotline. Waited for him to jump through all the hoops to get to the section where he fills out a form that asks specific questions regaring customer vehicle complaints.

Here's a typed copy of the Q&A. Enjoy and rejoice my friends! Help is on the way! Finally!

**************************

REQUEST FOR DETAILS:
DISCRIPTION OF VEHICLE CONCERN:
clunking noise over small road deflections at low speeds.

DIAGNOSIS PERFORMED:
visual inspection of all suspension components.

PARTS REPLACED:
front strut assemblies at earlier service visit.

QUESTION: WERE YOU ABLE TO VERIFY THE CONCERN?
ANSWER: Yes

QUESTION: Is there an appropriate pinpoint test in the WSM for this concern?
ANSWER: No

QUESTION: Was the pinpoint test followed?
ANSWER

TECH'S QUESTION:
information to assist in better diagnnosis of concern

HOTLINE RECOMENDATION
get off your fat enginering asses and come up with a fix for this friggin problem! < just kidding, I added that ;-).
(note, at this point the service manager clicks on send, waits a few seconds and Ford spits out a phone number for him to call. Evidently the number is for the specific person or team addressing this problem at Ford engineering.)
Then he's sent a LOG of the call and a summary of their conversation as written below.

CALL LOG:

CALLS TO HOTLINE FOR THIS VEHICLE (he entered my VIN and some other data at the beginning of the hoops)

1/16/07 12:15 PM - TECH SAID:
NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEED. THE STRUTS HAVE BEEN ISOLATED TO NOISE, COMPARES TO OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED IN THE PAST.

1/16/07 12:15 PM - HOTLINE RECOMENDED:
ADVISED DEALER THAT THE ISSUE IS BEING LOOKED INTO AT THE ENGINEERING LEVEL. CONVERTABLE MUSTANGS HAVE ALL THE SAME PARTS BUT DO NOT EXHIBIT THE NOISE, SO THEY ARE EVALUATING THE SUBFRAME CONNECTORS AS A POSSIBLE FIX AS WELL AS THE STRUT MOUNTS.

THESE ISSUES HAVE TO BE EVALUATED FOR ROBUST FIX AND CRASH TESTED, SO THE REPAIR MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE, BUT THE FIX IS COMING IN THE FORM OF A TSB OR SSM. THE ISSUE IS NOT STRUCTURAL AND IS ONLY COSMETIC AND IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. WAIT FORM MESSAGE TO MAKE REPAIRS.
THANK YOU!
END OF MESSAGE.

Now I talked with the service manager a bit more analysing what they were saying regarding it only being a cosmetic issue?
He said that they consider it so because it's nothing that is dangerous. It is a cosmetic issue because it is only an annoyance issue.

Service Manage Note:
Convertable Mustangs have the same exact suspension system part for part yet they don't make the clunking noise. The convertables are fitted with an additional stiffining support between the subframe to body connectors.

Well that makes sense to me as much as I hate to admit it but they are right.
He showed me a blueprint of the subframe to body connections. They are bolts with hard rubber bushings around them with a metal shaft up the middle as with most frame to body bushings on any vehicle. They are small ones, not the huge ones you see on other vehicles.

My theory is that the subframe is flexing to the degree that it allows a tiny bit of side play (normal as that's what the bushings are there for), but the side play is sufficient enough to be a concern or possible cause. The strut bearings are an obvious issue. No need for analyzation. If there is any end play in the bearing i.e. up and down play, it's going to thunk!

That's the story folks. Problem solved....almost!
Anyway, I'm happy that Ford is on top of it and we will soon see a TSB out on the issue with the correct and permanent fix!

Look forward to it I'd guess within the next few weeks to few months!
Wolfey2k

nonstopred

I had a clunking that was annoying. so I brought it to the dealer and they said it was a loose endlink...meaning the ends of the swaybars were loose and it was clanking

wolfey2k

That would cause a rattle or clank but the Thunking noise is caused when the car goes over small bumps in the road at slow to moderate speeds, not at higher speeds.
If you have lose sway bar end link, that would be a chronic problem/noise at any speed.
The thunking problem is well known by Ford and is being addressed as a fix for all stangs.
It will be a TSB most likely so keep an eye out for it.

rls82959

Thanks Wolfey,
Ijust went over 600 miles. I'm listening for it and checking for wet carpet on the passenger side as well.

Jays Mustang

Hi, I'm on the forum trying to figure out this noise too. It's really annoying. I live in Ct. which has really bumpy roads. My dealer hasn't been helpful at all. Only saying "normal charteristic of car". I've heard everything from bad Upper Bearing Assembly to bad struts. But they won't cover it on the warrenty.I'm looking for help too.

wolfey2k

Have you read this yet? It's alreadyan included post but perhaps you didn't see it.
The fix is on the way!

Hey!
Here’s something that may offer you some comfort.
That thunking noise bugs me too.
I just talked to the service manager today (2-9-07) at my dealer today and he is checking up on the engineer’s progress thus far. Supposedly they have fixed the problem and are running federally mandated crash and safety tests before releasing the fix as a TSB.
About a month and a half ago while I was hanging out with the guys in the shop, the service manager asked me how it's going with the clunking problem. I told him it's still there and I was about to come see him about it so we can get hold of Ford's engineering dept. and see if they are aware of it.

He has to log on to their exclusive dealer only assistance hotline. Waited for him to jump through all the hoops to get to the section where he fills out a form that asks specific questions regarding customer vehicle complaints.

Here's a typed copy of the Q&A. Enjoy and rejoice my friends! Help is on the way! Finally!

**************************

REQUEST FOR DETAILS:
DISCRIPTION OF VEHICLE CONCERN:
clunking noise over small road deflections at low speeds.

DIAGNOSIS PERFORMED:
visual inspection of all suspension components.

PARTS REPLACED:
front strut assemblies at earlier service visit.

QUESTION: WERE YOU ABLE TO VERIFY THE CONCERN?
ANSWER: Yes

QUESTION: Is there an appropriate pinpoint test in the WSM for this concern?
ANSWER: No

QUESTION: Was the pinpoint test followed?
ANSWER

TECH'S QUESTION:
information to assist in better diagnosis of concern

HOTLINE RECOMENDATION
get off your fat engineering asses and come up with a fix for this friggin problem! < just kidding, I added that ;-).
(note, at this point the service manager clicks on send, waits a few seconds and Ford spits out a phone number for him to call. Evidently the number is for the specific person or team addressing this problem at Ford engineering.)
Then he's sent a LOG of the call and a summary of their conversation as written below.

CALL LOG:

CALLS TO HOTLINE FOR THIS VEHICLE (he entered my VIN and some other data at the beginning of the hoops)

1/16/07 12:15 PM - TECH SAID:
NOISE IN RIGHT FRONT OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEED. THE STRUTS HAVE BEEN ISOLATED TO NOISE, COMPARES TO OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTED IN THE PAST.

1/16/07 12:15 PM - HOTLINE RECOMENDED:
ADVISED DEALER THAT THE ISSUE IS BEING LOOKED INTO AT THE ENGINEERING LEVEL. CONVERTABLE MUSTANGS HAVE ALL THE SAME PARTS BUT DO NOT EXHIBIT THE NOISE, SO THEY ARE EVALUATING THE SUBFRAME CONNECTORS AS A POSSIBLE FIX AS WELL AS THE STRUT MOUNTS.
THESE ISSUES HAVE TO BE EVALUATED FOR ROBUST FIX AND CRASH TESTED, SO THE REPAIR MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE, BUT THE FIX IS COMING IN THE FORM OF A TSB OR SSM. THE ISSUE IS NOT STRUCTURAL AND IS ONLY COSMETIC AND IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. WAIT FORM MESSAGE TO MAKE REPAIRS.
THANK YOU!
END OF MESSAGE.

Now I talked with the service manager a bit more analyzing what they were saying regarding it only being a cosmetic issue?
He said that they consider it so because it's nothing that is dangerous. It is a cosmetic issue because it is only an annoyance issue.

Well that makes sense to me as much as I hate to admit it but they are right.
He showed me a blueprint of the sub frame to body connections. They are bolts with hard rubber bushings around them with a metal shaft up the middle as with most frame to body bushings on any vehicle. They are small ones, not the huge ones you see on other vehicles.

My theory is that the sub frame is flexing to the degree that it allows a tiny bit of side play (normal as that's what the bushings are there for), but the side to side and vertical play of the bushings is sufficient enough to be a concern or possible cause. The strut bearings are an obvious issue. No need for analyzation. If there is any end play in the bearing i.e. up and down play, it's going to thunk!

That's the story folks. Problem solved.... almost!
Anyway, I'm happy that Ford is on top of it and we will soon see a TSB out on the issue with the correct and permanent fix!

Look forward to it I'd guess within the next few weeks to as late as this spring!
Wolfey2k