Ford Kuga

 Service Manual

Noise, Vibration and Harshness
Road Test

A gear-driven unit will produce a certain amount of noise. Some noise is acceptable and may be audible at certain speeds or under various driving conditions, as on a newly paved asphalt road. The slight noise is in no way detrimental and must be considered normal.

The road test and customer interview (if available) provide information needed to identify the condition and give direction to the correct starting point for diagnosis.

1. Make notes throughout the diagnosis routine.

Make sure to write down even the smallest bit of information, because it may turn out to be the most important.

2. Do not touch anything until a road test and a thorough visual inspection of the vehicle have been carried out. Leave the tire pressures and vehicle load just where they were when the condition was first observed. Adjusting tire pressures, vehicle load or making other adjustments may reduce the condition(s) intensity to a point where it cannot be identified clearly. It may also inject something new into the system, preventing correct diagnosis.

3. Make a visual inspection as part of the preliminary diagnosis routine, writing down anything that does not look right. Note tire pressures, but do not adjust them yet. Note leaking fluids, loose nuts and bolts, or bright spots where components may be rubbing against each other. Check the load space for unusual loads.

4. Road test the vehicle and define the condition by reproducing it several times during the road test.

5. Carry out the Road Test Quick Checks as soon as the condition is reproduced. This will identify the correct diagnostic procedure. Carry out the Road Test Quick Checks more than once to verify they are providing a valid result.

Remember, the Road Test Quick Checks may not tell where the concern is, but they will tell where it is not.

Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH)

Road Test

Road Test Quick Checks

Noise Diagnostic Procedure

Road Conditions

Power Steering Conditions

Power Steering Operation Noise Check

Symptom Chart

Pinpoint Tests