I have this annoying clicking noise in the steering column. My truck is a 2005 F-150 4.6l with 39,000 miles. The sound is similar to what the coins makes when they are in the coin tray when you hit a bump. Anyone familiar with this? Is this something mechanical or is this just a loose part and should I not worry about it?

 

It's hard to diagnose a noise when we don't know when it happens. Is it there when you turn the wheel? When you hit a bump? We need more info. Do you have a bunch of keys on the key ring? Take the ignition key off of the ring and drive with it alone. I have often found that a bunch of keys will make noise as they swing around.

 

When I hit bumps, the clicking noise occurs. It's definitely not keys or coins.

 

My 05 clicks over bumps too and sounds like from the coulom also.

 

Yes and it occurs when i am turning left going over bumps more times then when I am going straight or going right.

 

Same issue here. I have had the steering column trim pieces off and the clicking is in the internals (ie spring, retainer clip, I think). My rattle occurs when traveling over the smallest of bumps in the road, not while turning the wheel like a clock spring issue. But its reaaaaalllllllyyyyyyy annoying ......

I pulled the air bag (yes I did disconnect the battery and waited 10 minutes) but still cannot get at it. My next move will be to pull the steering wheel, this should allow me to get closer to the "noise". That leads me to my next question, sorry for hi jacking the thread, I bought a 2 jaw puller to remove the wheel but the OD of the threaded shaft on the puller is smaller than the ID of the hole in the steering shaft, of course after the steering wheel bolt is removed. I think the bolt that secures the wheel is an M8 or M10 and the OD of shaft on the 2 jaw puller in 3/8". Don't want to damage the threads on the steering shaft since they are internal threads. Any ideas? If I can get the wheel off this should expose the pieces/parts rattling around.

 

Put a dowel pin or other chunk of rod into the hole for the puller to push on instead of the internal thread. That or buy a set screw that matches the threads and screw it into the hole first.

 

Now that I recall, I remember Ford replacing "clock spring" previously and it got rid of the noise. Since that was done on warranty, and now that my warranty has expired, will they still honor that warranty repair?

 

The new parts they installed may have a warranty of their own, 12 months maybe.

 

Does that usually include the labor as well? It's truly unfair to us end users to have an out of pocket labor expense due to a faulty warranted part.

 

Ford parts have a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty which began when the part was installed. If that installation was done within that time frame the part should be covered, otherwise not.

 

Thanks for this post. My 04 Excursion has been doing the same for a while. Sounds like a bunch of work and probably something I won't try on my own if I have to remove the airbag.

 

My 02 has the same noise and it's coming from the clockspring area as well.

 

There is a TSB on this issue. I stumbled across it and remembered seeing this thread.

TSB 05-15-1