Bradman123 Report post Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) Whenever I turn from a stop sign and the front wheels lose traction I hear a grinding gears sound. It won't make the sound if I gas it to break traction going straight and AWD seems to be working perfectly. I did hear it one time when I was leaving a stop on a hill covered in a sheet of ice and snow. We have had 4 or 5 days of sub zero temperatures. I don't know if that could make a difference. It doesn't matter if I'm turning left or right and the sound is coming from the front end. Does anyone know what this is? 2007 Ford Edge Edited December 9, 2013 by Bradman123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Report post Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) Had the same experience yesterday, on ice/snow and only while turning. Have not heard it on slippery, rain-slicked roads. Maybe the sound is being reflected better on snow/ice, or hearing the surface being cracked/crunched as the weight/wheel force shifts? Edited December 9, 2013 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
omar302 Report post Posted December 9, 2013 Isn't it the sound of the AdvanceTrac/Traction Control engaging? It will use the ABS pump (brakes) to stop the wheels from spinning. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Report post Posted December 9, 2013 (edited) So this could be the ABS tone ring in action? I did not feel any pulsation in the brakes, just heard the "scritching" noise. I was driving downhill, starting at a light, turning very slowly (btwn 5-10 mph). Edited December 9, 2013 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waldo Report post Posted December 9, 2013 That's stability control. It's telling you to slow down. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bradman123 Report post Posted December 9, 2013 I was thinking it could be the stability control. Its just an unpleasant sound. Not really the same sound it makes when braking on ice and the ABS kicks in. If I turn off the stability control then it it shouldn't make the sound right? Would this be a good way to test it? I had a ford focus before this and all the traction control did in that car was kill engine power when the wheels started spinning unless I shut off the button. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waldo Report post Posted December 10, 2013 I was thinking it could be the stability control. Its just an unpleasant sound. Not really the same sound it makes when braking on ice and the ABS kicks in. If I turn off the stability control then it it shouldn't make the sound right? Would this be a good way to test it? I had a ford focus before this and all the traction control did in that car was kill engine power when the wheels started spinning unless I shut off the button. Wrong, the button only turns off the traction control, not the stability control. ABS and stability control use the same sensors and solenoids, but ABS is releasing brake pressure while stability control is applying brake pressure. That's why they sound a bit different. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carbonedge+ Report post Posted December 11, 2013 I was thinking it could be the stability control. Its just an unpleasant sound. Not really the same sound it makes when braking on ice and the ABS kicks in. If I turn off the stability control then it it shouldn't make the sound right? Would this be a good way to test it? I had a ford focus before this and all the traction control did in that car was kill engine power when the wheels started spinning unless I shut off the button. Yes, you can turn it off and try it and I bet you don't hear it...but once you confirm that, turn it back on as I did that once on a wet road...there is a reason it's called 'traction control' and defaults to ON... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
c_bova Report post Posted December 11, 2013 could be snow built up in wheel wells and the tires are hitting it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyrangers1022 Report post Posted December 21, 2013 Just happened to me for the first time yesterday in my 2010 Edge limited. I parked on side of the road, where some snow was present. I definitely hit the accelerator to hard, ,making the wheels slip, therfore made a grinding noise. Is this the stability control? or is it transfering power to the other wheels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wojo Report post Posted January 27, 2014 The traction control works by applying the brake to the wheel that the computer senses is spinning faster than the other wheels. You then feel a loss of power, well, because its applying the brakes while you are trying to accelerate. So I would expect to hear some type of noise when this happens. The "old school" 4wd that is on my 2000 navigator has the traditional "posi" rear end with a clutch in the transfer case that engages when it senses rear wheel slippage. It's a great system and I have no Idea how the MKX awd works but I assume it has open differentials front and rear and applies braking to the wheels that are spinning faster than the others......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youri631 Report post Posted January 27, 2014 Are you talking about the crunching noise that snow make when driven over in cold temperature? When it get really cold here in Canada, I can practically hear people drive in my driveway just by the crunching noise that the snow make. Like it was mentioned before, snow build up in the wheel wells will also make noise if it frozen solid and it by the turning wheels Assuming that you are experiencing a mechanical noise. The best thing to do would be to find an empty parking lot with slippery conditions (ice, snow) and force your vehicle to slip and engage the traction control to characterize the noise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
