Recently purchased this F150 Eco Boost, 2012 model. Shortly after driving it, I can feel a slight knock through the steering wheel, that feels or sounds like something loose in the front end. I notice it more while on nice flat roads.
Brought it into the dealer and they said "everything is tight". So they rotated the tires!!! WHAT???
I said this isn't a rumble that would be associated with tires, it is a distinct knock. Got nowhere...
However, it is going back in for the vibration upon acceleration issue. I mentioned this at the same time, and they said parts had to be ordered for a TSB related issue. A deflector plate needs to be installed. Now, I have read the other posts about this and asked the service writer, "what will the deflector do"? Their response was "um, deflect".
I now will be looking into my State's Lemon Law...

Truck has 3000 miles.

 

How many miles were on truck when you purchased?

Do you think the vibration/knock is engine related or other drivetrain/suspension? There is a TSB for driveshaft slip yoke on your truck . . . This TSB is very very recent 7/30/12

This tsb pertains to any F150 built from 2009 thru 7/30/2012 It could be either acceleration or deceleration.

 

I purchased the truck new, 15 miles on it.

Would the driveshaft slip yoke cause a knock felt through the steering wheel?
Feels like when a vehicle has a bad ball joint. You can feel it on smooth roads.

 

The knocking you feel in the EPAS is somewhat common on both 2011 and 2012 models, and it is also in my truck. It started doing that around 2,000 miles on it (currently 9,000). The problem is poor QA at assembly and changing vendors with QA problems there as well. AFAIK, there is no real fix for it.

Guesses for the problem are: Electrical, mechanical, or both. On my truck and many others the sensation comes and goes. Typically, when it is knocking (usually felt and not heard), the steering can also be overly sensitive; and it will often stay in an over boosted mode at highway speeds. There will be other times it will tighten up and actually stop the knocking and stop the over boosting. Also when my truck is in the over boosted and knocking state the wind correction does not work; when the steering tightens up like it should the wind correction technology works great in even 40-50 MPH cross winds. All this leads one to believe much of the problem is electrical and the computers electrical control of the mechanical steering parts.

AFAIK, with all those reporting this same problem; Ford still does not seem able to address the problem, nor even understands it.

 

Is your truck a 4x2 or 4x4?
Can you describe better exactly when it makes the noise? When you say on smooth roads is this with wheels straight or while turning, neutral speed or accelerating or decelerating?

Ford recently found out a lot of clunk types felt in truck were coming from a dry front slip yoke.

Are you only feeling it in steering wheel?

There is a TSB for steering issue, but it is mostly for concerns while turning left like on a freeway cloverleaf etc

 

Truck is a 2012 F150 EB 4X4. You can feel it most noticeably at speeds 25-40 on flat roadways traveling straight. It does occur at highway speeds as well. It is a slight knock/rattle that you feel through the steering wheel. You don't have to be hitting any bumps to feel this.
Also, another noise that I noticed recently is a clunk from the drivetrain upon hard acceleration on the highway, and sometimes while backing. Not all the time though.
How can I find the TSB's that apply to my vehicle? Is it public info that Ford provides?

 

I am not sure if I could post the TSB's here but would be happy to provide you with it if you send me an email.

I would think the knock/rattle you are experiencing should be a easy find. I have seen a couple lower A arms that have come loose. Check the bolts for tightness on all suspension: Lower A arms front and rear bolts, upper and lower ball joint nuts, upper A arm bolts and also the upper shock/strut bolts and the lower shock bolt (that one is a WHOPPING 405 ft lbs) I would also check the steering rack bolts and the tie rod bolts along with tie rod adjusters to make sure everything is tight. Absolutely no doubt that I would find the problem & do not understand why the dealer is not doing as such. If something is not found doing above then they need to get serious in checking ball joint movement etc. The TSB for front driveshaft yoke can give a lot of feedback. I would also have that done/checked. Also I would check the 3bolts that hold the left engine mount to frame, the 2 bolts that hold the right engine mount to frame along with the 2 thru bolts that hold engine mount to frame mount and also check the 4 bolts that hold the engine mount to engine, That is about all that is up there other than caliper or hub/spindle bolts. There are also tests for the Electronic Assist Steering. It is such a simple and easy to work on system it should not be an issue. Absolutely no reason you should be going thru what you have been. I can supply you with what you need to do it yourself if the dealer does not care. I worked in a Ford dealer 27yrs ago and when Issue's like this arose I never gave up even if FORD did not have a fix and it was a known problem. In the end I always figured them out. A lot of times even though I knew what fix was needed Fomoco would not fix.

I Almost forgot about the sway bar link bolts upper and lower and also the sway bar frame bolts. Now that I think of it that would be the first thing I looked at just because of the design on how they go together! (when you attempt to tighten them because of locknut the entire thing turns and there is really not much of a place to grab to torque) (both top and bottom of swaybar link has a nyloc nut) Swaybar frame mount has a plate with 2 studs that go down then nyloc nuts, just check everything yourself so nothing gets missed.

 

my brain was on 4x2 even though you said 4x4. My 1st guess is still the front sway bar but everything in the 4x4 (front) will need to be checked also.

 

Update: After three attempts to have the dealer locate the problem, I contacted Ford Corporate. They requested the dealer make another attempt to repair the concern. This time Corporate said to change the tie rods. When the dealer did this, they said there was noticeable wear.
Still has problem...
Corporate is sending out the Brass to take a look.

 

Have your tie rods checked. My new truck has had a front end knock, and they replaced defective tie rods. I bought the truck new and currently has 6000 miles.

 

Merging threads.

 

Could you email me this TSB as well? Thx

 

My 2012 FX4 is doing the same thing. I felt it the day I drove it off the lot, only has 1500 miles on it. I feel it more if I hold the wheel at the bottom instead of top.

 

OP...Has your problem been resolved?

 

No, I can still feel it. After they replaced the tie rods, it felt a bit better. However I can still feel it and they say that the steering is electronic and a knock feeling is normal. However this occurs while going straight, not turning the wheel.
I feel that they have no idea what the problem is, and are giving me the run-around.