GEN 2 IWE issues (I think)

[614Rap]

I believe my truck is having some issues with the IWE after doing some research here. 2020 with 58k miles.

The truck is making a grinding/humming sound when slowing down around 15mph or so until you stop. When I go into 4A it goes away and comes back shortly after switching back to 2H.

The issue is I cannot find a dealer that will replace the unit for me. The truck has now been in twice for this issue and all of the related parts except the unit itself have been swapped. The issue will go away for 3-5 days then come back. The dealers say when they hook it up the vacuum is working and won’t replace the unit under warranty. I’m kind of at a stand still right now even though the issue keeps coming back.

Does anyone know any ways to force the replacement? Or anything else that may be the cause? Only have 2k miles of warranty left so kind of want this to get covered before it runs out.

 

[FordTechOne]

There is no “unit” to replace, it’s a basic vacuum system consisting of a few components. Dealerships cannot throw parts at the customer’s request, that’s how they get a chargeback. They have to verify the concern and perform applicable diagnostics before replacing anything.

Do you have a lift installed? It’s common for the vacuum lines to get damaged during the installation process. Once the lines are damaged they leak down vacuum and you get partial engagement, causing damage to the IWEs.

 

[nikhsub1]

It's probably just the IWE check valve... It's a $20 part and takes 2 mins to swap.

 

[smgilles]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Lift the front of the truck up so the wheels are off the ground. Put 25 of vacuum to each actuator (one at a time) and turn the tire by hand, if you don’t hear any noise then you you know the actuator is disengaging at the hub, if you hear the “grinding” then it’s probably the actuator.

You can check vacuum at the solenoids and check valve too, in case you have an intermittent leak, assuming the actuators hold vacuum and disengage properly

2. Needle bearings within the hub housing maybe need repacked with grease, especially if you are hearing the noise in 2wd. This is a common issue amongst F150’s. Just google it.

 

[Aleriionn]

Just had the same issue. I first tried the check valve and solenoid, but that didn’t fix it for more than two days. After vacuum testing it with successful results, I decided to replace the IWE actuators. When I pulled them, they were loose and rattling, which solidified my decision to replace them. After replacing them, the issue is gone and has been for about one month.