incessant front end rattle 2025 Expedition

[Whuff]

Purchased a 2025 Expedition Active edition 4 weeks ago. Have a rattle under the front end. Located (what the dealer called) a plastic under shield over the front 4 wheel drive differential. It is not secured and can be easily bounced by hand creating the rattle. The service manager checked 3 more 2025 Expeditions on the lot and they all were equipped the same way. He advised there was not recall or repair information from FMC. I reported it to the hotline and have not heard back yet. I love the vehicle but there really needs to be a solution soon...I have a $75k model and it rattled leaving the showroom.

Suggest new owners get under the driver's side with the wheels turned to the right and reach under the middle of the front end and you can reach and bounce the under shield and make it cause a pronounced rattle. I think FMC will want to do something about it if enough folks have this problem. But we need to hurry.

Thank you.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Purchased a 2025 Expedition Active edition 4 weeks ago. Have a rattle under the front end. Located (what the dealer called) a plastic under shield over the front 4 wheel drive differential. It is not secured and can be easily bounced by hand creating the rattle. The service manager checked 3 more 2025 Expeditions on the lot and they all were equipped the same way. He advised there was not recall or repair information from FMC. I reported it to the hotline and have not heard back yet. I love the vehicle but there really needs to be a solution soon...I have a $75k model and it rattled leaving the showroom.

Suggest new owners get under the driver's side with the wheels turned to the right and reach under the middle of the front end and you can reach and bounce the under shield and make it cause a pronounced rattle. I think FMC will want to do something about it if enough folks have this problem. But we need to hurry.

Thank you.

I’m surprised your dealer wasn’t able to figure out a temporary repair to hold the shield from making noise, such as heavy duty plastic zip ties?

I recall reading articles about the launch of the 2025 Expedition models and how so much attention was paid to quality.

 

[Fastcar]

Purchased a 2025 Expedition Active edition 4 weeks ago. Have a rattle under the front end. Located (what the dealer called) a plastic under shield over the front 4 wheel drive differential. It is not secured and can be easily bounced by hand creating the rattle. The service manager checked 3 more 2025 Expeditions on the lot and they all were equipped the same way. He advised there was not recall or repair information from FMC. I reported it to the hotline and have not heard back yet. I love the vehicle but there really needs to be a solution soon...I have a $75k model and it rattled leaving the showroom.

Suggest new owners get under the driver's side with the wheels turned to the right and reach under the middle of the front end and you can reach and bounce the under shield and make it cause a pronounced rattle. I think FMC will want to do something about it if enough folks have this problem. But we need to hurry.

Thank you.

Suggest to your dealer to anchor it with a wire tie or some other method to secure it while you wait for fmc to come up with a permanent fix

 

[Whuff]

I am going back to the dealership for them to try to work out something. They said they really didn't know what to do...haven't talked to management yet. Thanks for the feedback worried about others having this problem and not hearing it...

 

[HazBeen]

The 2025 Expedition Workshop Manual provides these illustrations of front drive axle/differential underbody shields...










Good luck!

 

[Fastcar]

Nice pictures! Maybe a couple off rubber washer's between the shield and whatever it mounts to as a temp. fix? What is it shielding? Or is it some sort of aero thing

 

[87mj]

That doesn't make any sense to me. My car doesnt rattle anywhere. I have a car lift. I have been under it a few times since I bought it.

It just occurred to me. I wonder if they cross threaded one of those bolts.... Now it rattles.

 

[Whuff]

If it was metal I would call it a skid plate. It seems to be between the axle and oil pan. View attachment 84937

 

[Whuff]

Tried to upload a video but haven't had any luck. The questioned area is along the blue line. Haven't had time to get back to the dealer. The service manager tried three other 2025 Expeditions, and they all rattled at the same location. Just want everyone to check before they start hearing something in a few more miles...also maybe FMC will notice and mitigate the issue. Thanks to everyone for the replies.

 

[Fastcar]

I'd either cushion it or remove it. I sure as hell wouldn't be listening to it, but I have no tolerance for that dealer bs. They should think out of the box a bit

 

[Moeman]

I've heard the "we checked other vehicles and they all do it" BS. My dealer tries that for half the warranty issues I bring them. I always make them walk out to a new vehicle on their lot and show me. They've had to backpedal on their words more than once. If they haven't demonstrated it to you on another vehicle, I suggest you start there. Next, back when I worked in engineering at Ford, we had an engineer at each plant who's job it was to act as a middle-man between the dealers and the on-site engineering teams at the plants. Maybe it's all hotlines now, but your dealer should be able to get in touch with this guy and have a nearly direct link to the engineering team to find at least a temporary solution. At least this was the case at the Ford I used to work for.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I've heard the "we checked other vehicles and they all do it" BS. My dealer tries that for half the warranty issues I bring them. I always make them walk out to a new vehicle on their lot and show me. They've had to backpedal on their words more than once. If they haven't demonstrated it to you on another vehicle, I suggest you start there. Next, back when I worked in engineering at Ford, we had an engineer at each plant who's job it was to act as a middle-man between the dealers and the on-site engineering teams at the plants. Maybe it's all hotlines now, but your dealer should be able to get in touch with this guy and have a nearly direct link to the engineering team to find at least a temporary solution. At least this was the case at the Ford I used to work for.

Ford used to brag that “Quality is Job 1”

Not any more.

 

[Whuff]

Agreed and thank you for the information. Will update after I meet with the dealer again.

 

[Moeman]

Ford used to brag that “Quality is Job 1”

Not any more.

Ha, what's funny about that is that very few people outside of Ford know what it means. "Job 1" is the first vehicle that comes off the line after a model change. That's after you've run your small pre-production builds, after you've gone through integrated build (mix of old model and new being produced). Job #1 means you've started running 100% new model. We used to joke about marketing coming up with a slogan that no one actually understood. Sounded good at least

 

[Joenomad]

Quality is no longer job 1 at Ford, it's bean counting. It irritates me every time I find another missing option or shortcut on my 2024.

 

[Whuff]

Went back to the dealership and discussed the rattle with the service manager. They now have the vehicle and will be contacting a Ford Engineer to get guidance. I have a vehicle curtesy of the dealer. Stay tuned.

 

[Whuff]

The dealer kept my Expedition for 10 days. The manager advised me that they had tightened some plate underneath the front axle and that added some stability to the plastic part. This seems to have resolved the issue temporarily. They did contact FMC about the issue and currently not a recall for this issue. I reemphasis the need for new owners of 2025 Expeditions to see they have the same issue before it becomes a warranty issue. Thanks everyone for your interest.

 

[Whuff]

UPDATE: I called the 1-800 number and talked with the nice lady about the incessant front end rattle, she suggested to take it back to the dealer and have them call their reach-back engineer. On July 25th I returned it to the dealer and they kept for three days. The shop manager advised they had placed some foam adhesive that may hold the shield in place. He also advised he had contacted FMC and is awaiting further instructions. The foam has helped a little bit, but the shield is still rattling good roads. The shop manager advised that he had checked several other Exp and they were equipped the same. I urge new owners of 2025 Expeditions to have someone check this shield under the front differential for noise. Thanks everyone.

 

[jtsinger]

Is it an audible rattle or a rattling sensation in the steering wheel? I came from a 2024 Tundra and compared to that, I get a rattling feeling in the steering wheel. I had a 2013 F-150 that felt similar so I assumed it was just Ford being Ford.

 

[Whuff]

it is a noise kinda like a lose grill. if you will share your email i will send you a video of the part and the noise. mine is [email protected]
I can only post photos on this site. May be my lack of knowledge. The attached photo is of the part....shop called it an under shield...