Problem with new Focus

Smoke Pursuit · 13-09-2005, 11:29 AM

Hey guys i was just wondering if any of you have had the following problem.

When going on angles up bumps etc our new focus makes a creaking sound, like theres movement in the chassis, is this normal??

Our BAs dont seem to do it but they are probarly more rigid, it just annoys me...

Otherwise its going great.

py:

Forest Bear · 13-09-2005, 11:52 AM

Torsional twisting of the body. This is normal for most cars. If they don't creak they will eventually develope it over time as the chassis or shell is weakened by being subjected to rough roads and to the twisting forces regularly. Best just to avoid subjecting the car to it and not go in at an angle.

Smoke Pursuit · 13-09-2005, 12:04 PM

Does yours do it Forest Bear??

I just have never noticed it in a car as bad as the new focus, i hope ours isnt a one off lemon... Its starting to look that way.

zetec · 13-09-2005, 12:13 PM

Damn doesn't sound healthy. Mine does it more since it was lowered, more stress on the chassis.

Smoke Pursuit · 13-09-2005, 12:18 PM

Well the cars done 600 kms, Zetec have u noticed anything like this on any sedans?

Would it be cause the car has 17 inch rims? *factory Rims*

Forest Bear · 13-09-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Does yours do it Forest Bear??

I just have never noticed it in a car as bad as the new focus, i hope ours isnt a one off lemon... Its starting to look that way.

My driveway is angled with a big dip. My Astra didn't have the creak initially but eventually did. Going in and out of my driveway daily and putting it through torsional stress made the body weaker over time. The car now has permanent creaks whenever I go over crap roads though very insignificant. Its just metal fatigue.

When I test drove the Zetec (it had 130km odo) I took it home and drove it into the driveway and it did creak when I when up and in.

Anyways. My driveway has been rectified with a big metal plate so when I eventually get my car it won't be twisted. I'm certainly more conscientious about subjecting my car to twisting driveways now because it will weaken the body over time.

WASP · 13-09-2005, 01:38 PM

Hey mate,

No creaking from our Zetec here but Ive only done 500km and we don't have a steap driveway. The damn flip panel under the centre temperature control creaks however when going over bumps. It's the only unusual noise the car makes so it bugs the crap out of me. :(

lincoln · 13-09-2005, 01:54 PM

My Focus doesn't creak at all. Have you checked door seals? They can often creak and squeek... my Mark IV Golf used to do that quite a bit.

owens · 13-09-2005, 02:07 PM

No noises like that here, however I get a different noise.

When travelling at 100 or more km/hr, I can hear a wind gushing sound in the right hand rear window... it sounds like the window is down about 5mm, but I've made sure it's not. Anyone experience something similar or is it the design of the car?

Cheers,
Owen.

lincoln · 13-09-2005, 04:50 PM

Owen, same stuff I've read in magazines, re: the new Focus.

Smoke Pursuit · 13-09-2005, 05:51 PM

Mine does that to OWEN, right left hand window!

Same FRIGING PROBLEM!

b2tf · 13-09-2005, 06:30 PM

Mine creaks but its an LR. Sounds awful but Ive had it looked at and they reckon there's no problem.

Teki04 · 13-09-2005, 06:54 PM

Mine creaks as well.... I doesnt occur in my parents sloppy chassis cars... i think its that the car IS so stiff and the INTERIOR buckles.... just maybe....

owens · 13-09-2005, 07:44 PM

Glad to know it's not just mine then guys. It's a bit annoying but nothing that can't be overcome by turning the music up

On a side note and sorry for putting this in this thread, I had my car booked in to get a replacement seatbelt as there was no button on mine to stop the clip from falling down, they ordered the wrong colour seatbelt. While the car was at ford today somehow they broke the visor too, I took off and noticed it wasn't sitting right. It was like the spring was broken, they just took one off a new car and replaced it. Also, there are paint drips in the boot crevice where the paint is really thin. Mechanically the car is beautiful, it drives really well there are just a few minor things on the exterior that bug me a bit.

chevaps · 13-09-2005, 11:55 PM

Yeh, my LR has a slight creak, very very feint, as in you can hear it with no music and fan switched off. But its not due to the lowered springs i put in, coz it was happening before. Some new sway bars and a strut brace up front should hopefully fix the problem.

With the torsional forces bit, avoiding going on angles and stuff, you cant really go up onto driveways nose straight up, it would just scrape everytime. I was also thinking, that you would subject the car the these torsional forces even when jacking the car up for a wheel change. With everyday things, they just cant be avoided i think....

Tom

chevaps · 14-09-2005, 12:24 AM

Oh, i forgot to mention, with new sway bars id be replacing the bushes too, which could be the problem associated with the noise you hear. I very much doubt this would be the case in a brand spanker, but for all us with the LR's, who drive em hard into corners and are starting to hear squeaks and creaks, the bushes would be worth looking at.

Tom