Loud noise while accelerating

[TJ Toronto]

Hello Everyone,

For the last number of months, as I accelerate, there is a loud noise coming from what sounds like the driver side front wheel. It may or may not be from the wheel, but that is where it appears to be coming from. It almost sounds like when you would put a playing card in your bicycle spokes as a kid. It’s a rapid ticking sound if that makes sense. Almost like a plastic gear not working properly. I have attached a video, but you can also hear the window in the video, as I am holding my phone out the window as I drive along trying to capture the noise. In the video, you can hear a ticking that goes away just before the end of the video.
This happens when accelerating and stops on its own after a few seconds OR I take my foot off the gas.
Every time I take to a mechanic, they can’t find the issue or they can’t hear it because it doesn’t do it for them.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank You

 

[TJ Toronto]

It won’t let me post the video

 

[Yupster Dog]

It won’t let me post the video

You will have to post your video elsewhere and then you can put the link in your post.

https://www.expeditionforum.com/forums/ford-expedition-forum-how-tos.164/

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Hello Everyone,

For the last number of months, as I accelerate, there is a loud noise coming from what sounds like the driver side front wheel. It may or may not be from the wheel, but that is where it appears to be coming from. It almost sounds like when you would put a playing card in your bicycle spokes as a kid. It’s a rapid ticking sound if that makes sense. Almost like a plastic gear not working properly. I have attached a video, but you can also hear the window in the video, as I am holding my phone out the window as I drive along trying to capture the noise. In the video, you can hear a ticking that goes away just before the end of the video.
This happens when accelerating and stops on its own after a few seconds OR I take my foot off the gas.
Every time I take to a mechanic, they can’t find the issue or they can’t hear it because it doesn’t do it for them.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank You

It would be helpful to post the year, make, model and drive type (2WD or 4WD), and what drive mode you are driving in.

If 4WD - you probably have a leak in the vacuum system for the independent wheel engagement (IWE) system, causing the front IWE to not fully engage or disengage.

 

[TJ Toronto]

Thank You. It is a 2008 Expedition Max Limited with 4x4

 

[TJ Toronto]

It’s in 2WD all the time

 

[TJ Toronto]

Thank you again for your info. It’s greatly appreciated

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Thank you again for your info. It’s greatly appreciated

There have been issues with the IWE check valve leaking, and also with the IWE vacuum solenoid leaking. There are posts on this forum about the leaks and how they cause the front IWE to clack when they don’t fully engage or disengage while in 2WD (as the engine vacuum drops while driving). It is also possible to have a leak in the black plastic vacuum line(s) that go to the front IWE hubs.

I had the issue with my 2015 Expedition Limited 4x4 and the issue was caused by a defective vacuum check valve.

 

[Dustin Gebhardt]

Highly likely this is the IWEs making noise when they try to engage under partial vacuum. They are supposed to engage when vacuum is removed and disengage with vacuum applied (2WD mode). During acceleration, engine vacuum drops. This causes the IWEs to partially engage. The teeth don’t quite mesh causing the brrrrr sound.

The system is easy to troubleshoot with a hand vacuum pump.

Confirm that the vacuum reservoir holds vacuum.

Confirm that the check valve works one way and not both ways.

Apply vacuum to the IWE line and confirm that it holds without much loss in vacuum.

Check the vacuum coming from the engine at idle. Check the vacuum on the solenoid output. Switch from 2WD to 4WD mode and confirm that the vacuum is sent through the solenoid while in 2WD but not in 4WD.

 

[TJ Toronto]

Thank you very much for the info!!
It’s much appreciated.

 

[TJ Toronto]

Here is a link to a video of the noise it’s making.

October 16, 2025

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Thank you for listening!

Taylor