SureTrack Community Fix: Escape The Noise

Noises that only happen while driving can be hard to track down. And when they seem like they’re coming from an obvious place you might replace parts that aren’t causing it. SureTrack community member tomsmobilerepair had a Ford Escape in the shop that had an apparent wheel bearing noise but that didn’t fix it. They posed their question to the community, and with the help of fellow community members DAG1365, 1234mark and others, they were able to resolve the issue quickly.

The following Community Fix summarizes the interaction between members of the community that led to the solution.

Vehicle
2013 Ford Escape SEL 2.0L

Title
Wheel bearing noise from right front, replaced motor mount.

Complaint
Customer complains of noise from right front of vehicle when first driving cold.

Diagnostic Steps Performed/Parts Replaced
Test drove vehicle after sitting overnight. At cold start when rolling there is a harsh bearing noise coming from the right front wheel. When warmed up, the noise goes away but will return when you make a hard right turn. Replaced right front bearing but noise is still there and cannot duplicate when warm or on the rack. Anyone have any similar experiences or maybe another thought? Don’t see a bearing on the output shaft of the transmission.

Best Answer from Community Member 1234mark
If you have a chassis ear I would attach it to all 4 corners and try to locate it that way so wheels are loaded. You could also raise on rack and see if noise can be heard with stethoscope.

Cause
Top motor mount was vibrating on the frame when it was in gear but not in neutral.

Correction
Replaced defective motor mount. Test drove vehicle and noise is gone.