I have a 2005 STX SCab 4X4 w/ a 4.6. This morning, it was cold again(-11). When first starting the truck, the power steering pump whines pretty good for a while before quieting down. It only does this on very cold days. It's probably no big deal, but has anybody else had this happen and could it be a sign of a future problem? I'd probably whine too if I had to sit out all night in that, and somebody tried to start me up. I just never had a vehicle do it quite so extreme.

 

Hard to tell what your noise is like, but when you use the words "pretty good & so extreme" i'd think your noise is more that normal for a Ford.. That's why you have warranty and hopefully a good dealer.. I love my o4, and have owned many ford trucks, I don't think Ford knows how to make a quite power steering, at least I have never owned one. Ford's are always noisier than Chev./Dodge,etc..( oh heck Fords are louder than any other manufactures) Why - ???????????? nature of the beast????????My 04 makes some noise, I don't find it objectionable, just normal for a Ford...

 

my 4.6l sounds horrable when it frist starts up on cold mornings! Something in there is making a grinding noise that only last a couple mins if that (until the truck is put into drive) I saw a TSB for this (it has something to do with sqeeling belts when started up in cold) I think mine might be the belts, but heck, it could be power steering, I don't know.....I want to take it to the dealer since I know it's not normal, but the only problem is by the time I get to the dealer, the engine is warmed up and they can't hear it! I have to let it sit until it gets cold again and then hopfully start it up with the dealer and have them hear it and fix it!

Ford does have loud engines though..a buddy of mine has a Chevy silverodo, and when his starts up, you can barly hear a thing! I would never own a Chevy, but I do like how quite those engines are in there. He got me mad one day saying my engine sounds like it's 15 years old due to how load Ford makes the engines, and he said if it's already this loud, imagine what it will sound like in another 6 or 7 years! I love my f150 though :-)

 

By then, the noise on the Chevy will be worse. The pistons will be slapping around in no time. Then you can say yours is quieter AND it's lasting longer! :-)

 

I think every Ford I'v owned in the past 30 years has done the same thing. Don't know why, and Ford can't tell me why. Doesn't seem to hurt anything, I'v had a couple of units go over 200k miles and never had a pump failure. Sure does drive you nuts though, especially the first time ya hear it. If you think it's bad now you should hear the damn thing when it's down around 30 below - you'd sware the pump was coming right thru the radiator.