Sorry for the delay, somehow I missed this. Per the door sticker - September 2012. I wonder when they started production of the 2013 MY? Sounds like mine might be a very early build... Hoping that you never have to deal with this issue, quite a fiasco to get resolved.

Hope you had a great holiday and New Years!

 

No worries! I'm definitely pleased the fiasco is behind you.

Cheers!

 

Like a lot of people on this forum, my 2013, F150, 5.0, has a terrible tapping noise. I first took it into the dealer at 20k miles. I was told that they could not detect the tapping noise. I took it in a second time and was told the same thing. I then sent the service rep 3 videos in which you can clearly hear the tapping and it was getting louder. This time I was told that the service tech could hear the noise, but that it was normal for the 5.0 and that nothing was wrong with my truck. I took another video in their parking lot before pulling out, in which you can hear the same tapping noise. When I say tapping, my truck sometimes sounds like it has a diesel motor. I asked if the service tech could come out to my truck with me so I could point out the noise and was told he was already busy with another job. I took the truck to a local garage and had them check it out. The mechanic there said the noise was coming from the bottom, passenger side of the motor and he suspected it is a lifter. I then got an e-mail from the Ford dealership's customer relations manager about the possibility that Ford would be sending me a survey about my recent survey appt. I responded to the customer relations manager with my whole story and included videos. I was never rude to the dealership or to the customer relations manager, as a matter of fact, I didn't really say anything when I was at the dealer. I never got a response to my e-mail. I then decided to e-mail the general manager. I got no response from him either.
I am incredibly frustrated with this. I bought this truck new, with the intention of keeping it as long as it would drive. I timed out the payments to be finished by the time my oldest started college and overall I have loved the truck. Now I am scared that whatever this tapping is will cause a catastrophic failure once my warranty has expired. When I told the service rep that at my latest apt, he asked me if I bought the extended warranty, or if I did, then they would fix it if it breaks. That was not the answer I was looking for. Any suggestions??

 

Unfortunately there's a wide disparity between service departments because they're all independent businesses with a Ford franchise agreement. Some are awful, and others are really good. I'd stop smashing your head against the wall with this dealer and head to another.

 

Thank you for the response Tom. I am going to try just that. I planned on calling the service manager at another local Ford dealer today, in hopes to explain my situation to him before taking my truck there. I tried to attach some of my videos (which are the same as everybody else on here) but they are either too large or not the right format.

 

Assuming that you are still in the powertrain warranty, and if you don't get results from the second dealer. You may want to get a Ford extended warranty. You can get powertrain coverage, not that expensive. When I had transmission issues with my former Escape I went this route. The warranty company requires that you pay an inspection fee, either they find the problem, you can then decline the warranty or you have a powertrain warranty. Not perfect but it got me a new transmission.

 

Thank you Sportscape. Yes, I have 40k miles now and 1 year left on powertrain warranty. I don't know if the extended warranty was still an option, I thought it had to be purchased by the end of the bumper to bumper warranty. I contacted another Ford dealer and found out that I actually know one of the lead mechanics and that I can request he look at the truck. I'm hoping for the best. The knocking was terrible last night, I am continuously taking videos of the noise.

 

So I’m noticing that my knocking noise I posted about last week seems to be only after a cold start and it’s done warming up and has come down from high idle. If I drive it for a while the noise disappears. And I never notice any knocking or anything at all in gear or driving. It is only at idle. I’m wondering if it is even rod knock at all? Maybe torque converter noise since the trans is cold?
BTW my build date in my ‘13 is 03/13.

 

That is how mine started, then got worse. Now it makes the loud tapping noise about 70% of the time. I never hear it while driving, only while at idle. If I gently press the throttle, I can hear the tap increase. If I give it too much throttle, the sound of the motor overpowers the tap. My build date is 08/13

 

Mine was exactly the same as yours when it comes to the tapping sound.

Really hoping that all of you are able to resolve under warranty. Keep pushing your dealers/find a new one. Ford's customer "help" line is useless, don't bother wasting your time. I've found that videos help. Also, taking a ride with the tech to replicate the sound. I had to leave my truck overnight so they were able to hear exactly what I was hearing (most defined on a cold start).

 

Thanks for posting the build dates guys; both of you have build dates past Feb. My thought of the problem only being in early 2013 is apparently not accurate. I hope you get it solved quickly.

 

Hi Crystal, my 5.0 engine is making the loud knock/ticking noise. My ESP just expired. This engine has had full synthetic since new and only changed at dealership. Any thoughts?

 

Crystal ain't been here in quite a spell.................

 

It's always struck me as odd how hit and miss this problem is. I know of 3 other guys with 5.0 trucks like mine, from model years 2011-2013, with mileage from 80,000 to 226,000 on them, and none of us have knocking or ticking as severe as what I see in some of these videos.

What engine oil are you guys using? Try 5W30 Motorcraft oil for a while and see if your noises clear up. These engines don't like certain oils. For example, many guys including myself have tried the 5W20 Mobil 1 and had issues with it. Use a quality oil, slightly "thicker" than the watery 5W20. It's worth a shot.

 

MC synthetic blend 5W-20 as the manual recommends. Oil and MC filter every 5k. The issue is a manufacturing defect in the block so a thicker oil might band aid it for a bit bit won't fix the problem.

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