• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Ford Focus Forum and Ford Focus community dedicated to Ford Focus owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Ford Focus Forum today!


2012 Focus Vibration When Accel at High speed

Chaumer

New Member
Messages
2
Likes
0
City
Mosinee
State
WI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2012 Ford Focus
#1
My 2012 Focus has a very noticeable vibration when accelerating or trying to maintain speed going up a grade above 65MPH. Vibration is not present when driving on level road or down grade at any speed. Vibration goes away if you let up on the gas pedal. No vibration at all below that speed, accelerating or not. No known engine issues, smells or strange noises. No codes stored or check engine light.

Any ideas of what I should be looking at would be appreciated.
 

Handy Andy

Well-Liked Member
Premium Account
Messages
1,456
Likes
1,140
City
Grand Rapids
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#2
That's going to take a little investigative work on your end...

Does the "vibration" arrive to you from the steering wheel or felt from the whole car?

Tires are suspect as they are rated for a specific speed rating - since you're going 65 and ABOVE then the issue becomes more of tire safety and unbalanced problems and the damage it can cause or tires with broken (refer to radial wires) tread or belts - you're getting close to the rotation speed these effects tend to take place.

The rubber, otherwise under no load or less loading - would not have been stretched to form this.

Might need someone's help to spot either loose grille parts or a popped trim piece - but it may help to have someone tag along with you watching your car and what is occurring underneath - even filming it - to help demonstrate the events of that shudder or vibration on the exterior as they drive alongside looking viewing details to help you solve this.

But this doesn't discount the other areas of concern like driveline, sound insulation and even heat shield coming off the tailpipe - again goes by sounds and by how the vibration arrives to you - thru the seat or by the wheel or if gentle braking can help localize this to something like a rear wheel bearing and the wheel cylinder (drum brake) of it picking up a shudder from the lobbing from one of the rear hub worn under extra load due to the shift of weight to the rear and affects vehicles center of gravity and control.

Just some examples.

Others would include...and are considered rarer...

Engine mounts - high speed travel places the entire vehicle in a "wind whack" condition - where the driveline has to pull/push the car thru the headwind and the subsequent drag places the driveline in a condition of torque where an older engine mount can start to vibrate due to a harmonic effect of the tire / driveline rotation and the rotation of the engine vibration at that given RPM for a long period of time - an effect called resonance can make engines that would otherwise spin/rotate normally thru the axis - begin to generate another "fundamental" of the rotation as a very low frequency rumble.
  • There was a statement from older owner's manuals of cars from years back, recommended that during the break in process of using the vehicle for short trips and restrict or reduce the use of the car for use on long trips - try to make them shorter trips with more frequent stops. This helps the engine "seat" the seals and allow for better oil control for longer engine life. It was due to issues like Resonance as well as Thermal and Compression issues that can arise from hot-spotting and warpage which can shorten the service life a motor can provide
To get back to the rails...

That is partly due to an older engine mount wearing out - that can also be noticed when you accelerate; that hard the pull of the steering wheel can indicate the weakening of the otherwise pretty stiff mounts shifting the torque and you feel it as a pull in one direction or another in the steering wheel or one wheel breaks traction more often than the other because of this same effect.

Injector and or fuel issues...rarer these days but still possible...

A bad injector or a cracked spark plug insulator - can force an engine mis-fire - but would also set a check engine light due to the mixture change the O2 sensors would notice and you'd feel a lack of power - you didn't describe this so kind of want to mention it but it doesn't mean it's the cause - but poor grades or fuel, leaking vacuum hoses or a plugged air filter also contribute to this condition as making the engine run rough "starving" for air - but you'd smell and hear noises from the engine as it sputters.

Tire pressure or dragging brakes, tend to make the steering wheel reflect the "bad side" by noticing the drag the bad tire or poor suspension issue makes - and follow towards it making you want to correct to keep the vehicle running straight. You didn't mention any sort of pull in driving and lack or loss of control when the vibration occurs - which if the loss or lack of control in keeping the car straight on the road - would indicate suspension issues for it can't keep the sneakers on the floor to run down the track.

Running out of options - but; "This list is incomplete and will be supplemented as necessary." - I found that in some contract somewhere a long time ago, thought it would also apply to this problem...
 
Last edited:
OP
C

Chaumer

New Member
Messages
2
Likes
0
City
Mosinee
State
WI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2012 Ford Focus
Thread Starter #3
Thank you for all the advise and tips. To answer some of your questions.

the vibrations are felt in the whole car, seats, dash and frame areas if you put your hand on any of the interior metal, and no matter how much I drive it I can’t localize where it’s coming from. No feeling of vibration in the steering wheel and making left or right movements of the steering wheel when it’s doing it doesn’t affect the vibration.

If it wouldn’t be for no engine light I was thinking of digging into the vacuum system or spark plugs. Question, if the plugs are slightly fouled for some reason, is there a chance of not getting a full burn but enough that the it’s not tripping the check engine light?

Thanks again, I am definitely going to do the drive down the freeway with a follow vehicle.
 

Handy Andy

Well-Liked Member
Premium Account
Messages
1,456
Likes
1,140
City
Grand Rapids
State
MI
Country
United States
What I Drive
2018 Ford Fiesta SE HB
#4
is there a chance of not getting a full burn but enough that the it’s not tripping the check engine light?
That is possible, but a simple change in fuel from "Regular" to Premium for a tankful can help isolate this condition.

Ok, you gave me more material to work with...

I'm more worried about a water pump or a tensioner ready to fail and take out the serpentine belt - or that the serpentine belt itself is worn and you're getting a "howl" groan from the pump under more demand or the belt slip / vibrate from the weakened state of age it may have on it.

The noise would come from the engine and mostly from the increased speed of power demand - so you'd hear feel it in low-speed conditions.

IF the belt is original - then there may be the "spin" approach as to the bearings in any of the devices - Alternator Tensioner assembly and even the Water pump - those bearings may be causing the belt groan or worn to make a vibration.

But then too, this is speed related, which makes me think it may be on the car or trim of it - even a mud flap or sound insulation or the felt from the rear wheel wells or the plastic trim used in the front wheel well is generating this - even the hood and grille assembly can generate a wind speed vibration that transmits thru the frame into your cabin.
 


Top