front end howling noise

[jasf]

2012 4x4 Express QC. Have been noticing at steady city speed(25-30mph) a howl in the front end. Sounds like RF area. This is the same sound my Explorer made before it tossed a wheel bearing. If I give a little gas or downshift it goes away.Truck just rolled 3,000 miles. Concerns or normal. I never noticed it until I was driving with the radio off. Now I "think" I hear it all the time in the city.

 

[smiley]

Could also be ujoint, transfer case or gears issue possibly. I am not sure how to eliminate possibilities though. I think wheel bearing you discover by jacking up and seeing if tire wobbles. U joint see if there is any play although that does not guarantee good or bad. Gear lube change could give you a look in the axle.

 

[Ike]

2012 4x4 Express QC. Have been noticing at steady city speed(25-30mph) a howl in the front end. Sounds like RF area. This is the same sound my Explorer made before it tossed a wheel bearing. If I give a little gas or downshift it goes away.Truck just rolled 3,000 miles. Concerns or normal. I never noticed it until I was driving with the radio off. Now I "think" I hear it all the time in the city.

Take it in. its under warranty, if they do nothing and you lose a wheel bearing (or worse) its documented.
Ike

 

[jasf]

Well, she's at the dealer. The "Saturday" staff couldn't do a diagnoses. I get to drive a Town & Country until they get around to looking at it again. Blech!

 

[DisturbedGator]

usually if a wheel bearing is going out you can verify it and which one driving down the road. while driving straight, make a turn left or right and the culprit will get louder as the vehicle shifts its weight onto that wheel. Turn left, weight is on the right and vice versa.

 

[jasf]

Definitely not a wheel bearing. From the driver seat it sounds like it's further RF than it actually is. From the pass seat it's coming from the tunnel. I drove it with a tech then he drove with me as a passenger to verify the noise. My daughter describes the sound as "a coyote wrapped around the rotor". The noise is very low at 25,louder at 40. No noise below or above those ranges. touch the gas,back off,hit the brake or anything else will instantly make it go away.

 

[ReturnToSender]

Maybe what your hearing is the torque converter locking up in ECO mode
Then when it goes back to 8cy the sound is gone
Try running the tow/haul and see if the vib is still there

 

[jasf]

There is no vibration.

 

[Westwind1124a]

Any update?

 

[jasf]

What I was told-They insulated the tranny cooler lines. Problem has been previously submitted to STAR & engineering is working on a fix. Apparently I'm not the 1st one to experience this. Told me the truck was ok to drive,but the noise is still there. Not real happy with the my 1st dealer experience,but at least it's documented.

 

[jasf]

Noise is definitely related to temperature. 50-60 degrees Tuesday & yesterday. 24 today & it's back.

 

[MACH]

I had the same noise in my 2013... I drove me insane.

I found out that it is the velocity of the fluid going through the tranny lines that are held on by a plastic bracket connected to the fan housing. The sound resonates through the fan shroud and gets amplified.

I took the bolt out that holds the two lines down and put a small thing of foam from my dirt bike handlebar pad (old one) behind the bracket.


PROBLEM SOLVED!!! but it still sucks to have it like that but it works.

 

[jasf]

Thanks. I'll try that. The dealer almost had it right just put the foam in the wrong place.

 

[Appauldd]

Mine makes the noise too. I took the bolt out of the holding clamp and ran a zip tie to the AC line above it to hold it relatively steady. I'll report tomorrow if the fix worked.

Paul

 

[Appauldd]

Well...looks like this is the fix to the low rpm howl. I've not heard it since doing the easy little mod.

 

[jasf]

Thanks for the tip. I'll get that done as soon as the 6"of ice on the undercarraige melts off.

 

[20hemi10]

My new 2013 was doing the same thing, so I just took the bolt out completely and installed a piece of foam in between the bracket and fan shroud. The noise is now gone. Here's a picture of mine.

 

[MACH]

My new 2013 was doing the same thing, so I just took the bolt out completely and installed a piece of foam in between the bracket and fan shroud. The noise is now gone. Here's a picture of mine.

I plan on doing that this summer. I just took the bolt out for the time being and put a small thing of foam behind the bracket.

It's to cold to do it now in MN lol

 

[757guy]

I had the same howling noise issue in my 2013 Ram 1500 that I took delivery on 3-20-2013. Took it back to dealer to show them that the bolt being removed solved the noise issue. Dealership said I cannot leave the oil cooler lines unsupported.

Dealer brought in a Chrysler Field Service Rep who confirmed an engineering fix from the factory (Not a TSB yet) that involved putting high density foam over the oil cooler lines where the rubber hose portion of the line connects just prior to the fan shroud housing.

Today Chrysler installed the kit, and IT DOESN"T WORK!!!!

What works is removing the bolt and putting foam behind the bracket. Again, Chrysler is concerned that the transmission lines are not being supported, and by removing the bolt, the warranty would be void.

I'm told Chrysler Engineering is still working on a solution. I'm as close to the factory as you can get on this one so I'll keep everyone posted on the progress.

757Guy

 

[Trupiano]

Man that's a bummer. Common people can fix it no problem, but technical engineer's well educated in the RAM components and operation... cannot. Hopefully they'll figure something out soon that'll work and support the tranny lines.