Weird Noise When Opening Doors

[alblundo]

I took delivery of my Edge ST in late April. The build date was 2/13/19. Right from the beginning whenever I opened any door after the vehicle was sitting for a long time I would hear a weird grating noise coming from under the rear. Not always but particularly after sitting over night. Sometimes I would hear it just unlocking the door even before actually opening it. I took it to the dealer to have them see if they could find the cause. I left it for a few hours. When I picked it up, the dearer said they had gone out to the lot and open the doors on two other ST's. Same noise. They guessed that it was probably just a relay or actuator causing the noise. Has anyone here experienced the same thing. Don't know if it's related to all Edges.

As an aside,  I love this vehicle. Doesn't deserve all the bad press. Going to the Edge ST performance event in Utah in October.

[bobyellow]

Normal. Always happens on mine.

[Doomstang]

Yes, mine does that all the time too and I've never figured out what is going on under there! I really hope someone has an explanation because it bugs me to not know what is moving.

[handfiler]

Nautilus does it too. It sounds like a faint metallic clank. Does it at odd intervals. Walking near the vehicle triggers it sometimes.

You'd think the dealer would be more up to speed on their product and would be able to offer a better explanation on what it is and what it does. 

[akirby]

Its the fuel pump priming.  Most newer Ford’s do it now including my F150.

[alblundo]

11 hours ago, akirby said:

Its the fuel pump priming.  Most newer Ford’s do it now including my F150.

 

Thanks for clearing this up. However, don't you think Ford can find a better fuel pump that is not so noisy? Never heard it on any other non-Ford products.

[omar302]

17 minutes ago, alblundo said:

 

Thanks for clearing this up. However, don't you think Ford can find a better fuel pump that is not so noisy? Never heard it on any other non-Ford products.

 

Most of the time, the fuel pump primes when the ignition is turned on, hence people wouldn't notice it. But on recent Ford models the priming is done when the door is opened, I assume that is to make engine starting faster after you turn on the ignition.

[akirby]

On 8/10/2019 at 9:10 AM, alblundo said:

 

Thanks for clearing this up. However, don't you think Ford can find a better fuel pump that is not so noisy? Never heard it on any other non-Ford products.

 

Ecoboost engines require higher fuel pressure because of direct injection.  Plus you don’t normally hear the fuel pump while the engine is off.

[alblundo]

Not entirely true. The're have been a few times where I would just walk past the vehicle and the pump would prime

 Also when washing I can hear the pump activate. So as long as its not a safety issue I guess I will live with it. No other choice

 

 

 

[akirby]

I meant that other vehicles don’t necessarily prime the pump before you start it so you wouldn’t have heard it without the engine running.

[alblundo]

Got it. Thanx

[commbubba19]

not the fuel pump.  it's the actuator testing the disengagement of the rear axle.  

[handfiler]

32 minutes ago, commbubba19 said:

not the fuel pump.  it's the actuator testing the disengagement of the rear axle.  

Okay that sounds more plausible than the fuel pump priming based on the sound I'm hearing. It's a light metallic clanking sound. What I want to know is why it's so random. It occasionally does it when I exit the car, enter the car or when I'm near the car, when I walk into the garage, etc.

[Rimcrim]

Yep, mine does this too, and the timing seems random as stated above. I have no idea what it is, but am curious to find out.

 

It does sound like something metal is disengaging or clicking into place.

[benk016]

Its definitely not the fuel pump. Mine does it if I open any door, or even just unlock the vehicle and not open a door. It is definitely something physically moving, like a gear engaging or solenoid engaging. I figured from the start it had to do with the AWD system that disconnects the rear drive train. 

[jamie1073]

3 hours ago, benk016 said:

Its definitely not the fuel pump. Mine does it if I open any door, or even just unlock the vehicle and not open a door. It is definitely something physically moving, like a gear engaging or solenoid engaging. I figured from the start it had to do with the AWD system that disconnects the rear drive train. 

 

It is the fuel pump priming.  It will only do it if the key is on you.  Open a door without your key on you and it does nothing, if unlocked of course. 

[handfiler]

9 hours ago, jamie1073 said:

 

It is the fuel pump priming.  It will only do it if the key is on you.  Open a door without your key on you and it does nothing, if unlocked of course. 

 

It does it even when the key fob is in the house in my case.  It's a light clank noise  and doesn't sound like a pump pressurizing to me but I could be wrong.

Edited August 15, 2019 by handfiler
premature response correction

[commbubba19]

On 8/14/2019 at 4:16 PM, jamie1073 said:

 

It is the fuel pump priming.  It will only do it if the key is on you.  Open a door without your key on you and it does nothing, if unlocked of course. 

 

i don't think you know what a fuel pump priming sounds like.

 

the system check occurs anytime the vehicle thinks you might be getting in to drive away.  there's likely other timers involved as well.

[jamie1073]

56 minutes ago, commbubba19 said:

 

i don't think you know what a fuel pump priming sounds like.

 

the system check occurs anytime the vehicle thinks you might be getting in to drive away.  there's likely other timers involved as well.

 

Well I wonder who is right and what it is then?  Half the people in the thread say pump priming prepping for a start.  Mine does not make any sounds if I do not have the key on me, locked or unlocked.  I grab the handle locked and nothing without the key.  I open the doors when unlocked without the key and nothing.  I grab a handle with it and I hear the sound right in front of the drivers side read wheel area or the wheel area itself.  Not sure what else needs to prepare other than the low pressure side getting ready to feed the HPFP.  But whatever.  I really don't care, it makes a sound and it seems no one knows what it is but you know what it is not.  ?

 

[akirby]

sounds like it could be the fuel pump, the AWD disconnect or both.   In my F150 it’s definitely the fuel pump since it’s RWD and it only happens when you open the driver door.

[Dingle]

It is not the fuel pump priming. The sound is from the RDU (rear drive unit) doing a self test. From SSM 48007,

 

Quote

SSM 48007 - 2019 Edge/Nautilus - Clicking Noise From RDU When Door(s) Opened, Key On, And/Or Engine Running – Built On 22-Jan-2019 And Through 03-Mar-2019

2019 Edge and Nautilus vehicles, equipped with AWD and built on 22-Jan-2019 and through 03-Mar-2019, exhibit a noise from the rear of the vehicle when a door is opened or after KOEO/KOER. The rear drive unit (RDU) in these vehicles uses a brushless DC motor to vary the amount of torque to the rear axle, and during functional verification, it produces a noticeable noise that is a normal function of the RDU. If the noise appears abnormally loud, it is recommended to compare the noise from the customer’s vehicle with a 2019 AWD Edge or Nautilus built before 22-Jan-2019 or after 03- Mar-2019, in a similar environment (i.e. both outside). If the noise in the customer’s vehicle is determined to be significantly louder than a similar vehicle built outside the build dates, do not disassemble the RDU for further diagnosis, an updated RDU assembly is available.

 

[Doomstang]

Sooo there's a new part that is quieter, hmm

[alblundo]

3 hours ago, jamie1073 said:

 

Well I wonder who is right and what it is then?  Half the people in the thread say pump priming prepping for a start.  Mine does not make any sounds if I do not have the key on me, locked or unlocked.  I grab the handle locked and nothing without the key.  I open the doors when unlocked without the key and nothing.  I grab a handle with it and I hear the sound right in front of the drivers side read wheel area or the wheel area itself.  Not sure what else needs to prepare other than the low pressure side getting ready to feed the HPFP.  But whatever.  I really don't care, it makes a sound and it seems no one knows what it is but you know what it is not.  ?

 

 

As  suggested above, I left my keys in the kitchen and went into the garage after the vehicle sat all night. As soon as I opened the back left side door I heard the clank. After following this thread, I'm thinking that it is more of a gear or actuator engaging or disengaging. I don't think that a fuel pump priming will create this type of sound. Now to be fair it is possible that the fuel pump is priming as well but it may be silent. So to me a faulty RDU seems to be the likely culprit. Especially since mine was built Feb 13 right in the middle of the build dates noted above. Will check in with the dearler.

[Dingle]

I'm on my second Edge ST now, the first one was bought back with less than 700 miles on it. Both car's have November build dates. I felt the noise from the RDU on both of them was pretty loud, can't imagine what it's like on cars in the range called out by the SSM.

[jamie1073]

11 hours ago, alblundo said:

 

As  suggested above, I left my keys in the kitchen and went into the garage after the vehicle sat all night. As soon as I opened the back left side door I heard the clank. After following this thread, I'm thinking that it is more of a gear or actuator engaging or disengaging. I don't think that a fuel pump priming will create this type of sound. Now to be fair it is possible that the fuel pump is priming as well but it may be silent. So to me a faulty RDU seems to be the likely culprit. Especially since mine was built Feb 13 right in the middle of the build dates noted above. Will check in with the dearler.

 

That makes sense.  Mine is not that loud but is a light engaging like clunking sound, like an electronic actuator of sorts.  At first I thought it had something to do with the door locks or hatch locking mechanism but dismissed that as a 'why would it do that' thing.  As for the RDU, yeah it sound like that is it, but I am still wondering why it would do a test every time you open the door.  Seems like a waste in all honesty of both power and wear and tear on an item.  Especially without the keys on you.  But whatever they want to do to save time. Not sure why it could not self test when you push the starter button since it is not like you can quickly start and throw this thing in gear that would not allow time for the test or whatever.  Oh well.  Problem solved.  ?