Cold Weather Alternator Whining TSB???

[Thomas Rogers]

Does anyone have a TSB #, date of issue, or anything that would narrow down a TSB for the the problem of a whining alternator upon startup during extreme cold temperatures.



It's been single digits the past few mornings, and mine whines like a tea-kettle at about 1800rpms until warm.



My dealer couldn't find a TSB. By the time I get the vehicle to them it is warm, and I don't trust that if I leave it over night that they will actually reproduce the problem anyway, regardless the temp tomorrow (I have already tried to get them to fix it).



Today they claimed they couldn't even find a TSB reporting the problem.



Any help?



P.S. I looked at a couple of online TSB databases and didn't find anything.



Thanks,



TJR

 

[Wayne Fajkus]

any chance it could be the clutch fan?

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Underdog,



Maybe...I'll take any advice. I have been told in the past here it is the alternator.



TJR

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Update!



I found the following online:

2003 Ford Explorer sport trac

Bulletin #: 17280

Sequence #: 10004924

Date: 10/01/2003

Component Name: 112000 electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator

Make: Ford

Model: Explorer sport trac

Year: 2003

Summary: Generator whistle/hoot noise in cold ambient temperatures. *tt

But my service manager said that #17280 is not a "Ford TSB".



Anyone?



TJR

 

[Chris Taylor]

I searched for the post I put up when I had the same problem and I had the TSB listed but I could not find the post. It was in early 2004, but when I search, I can find pre-2004 and post 2004 posts. Seems the 2004 archives might be missing??



I had it replaced under warranty.

 

[Tom Schindler]

TJR,



Where did you find it?





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Caymen, I found them at the link below, though I recognize that isn't a true Ford source:

 

[Matt Mc]

My 07 has the same whine on cold mornings. Usually around 20f until it warms up.

 

[Tom Schindler]

You need to surf through the NHTSA.gov website to get a list of the TSB.



That will be the number you need.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Caymen,



I get the same numbers and info from the site I went to and the NHTSA.gov site, yet my Ford dealer says that the TSB number I gave his is "not a Ford TSB number."



TJR

 

[EddieS'04]

Is this it,,,

SERVICE BULLETIN:17544 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER:10008115



MFG Bulletin Date: 20040201



Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE



Bulletin Summary: GENERATOR NOISE IN COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *MJ



Date added to datbase: 20040722

 

[Thomas Rogers]

I can try that one, Fast Eddie, but I kind of doubt they will like that any better than the rest.



Ford sucks!



This is clearly a problem that has been around for years, but rather than fix it and save everyone headaches they simply try to save a buck and have customers that demand quality like myself jump through hoops to get it.



TJR

 

[Chris Taylor]

As I remember, Coastiejoe also had the probelm at the same time I did.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I did...



Got mine swapped out what would be 2 years ago now. I no longer own the Trac, but til the day I traded it in, the whine was gone...