This is definitely a vacuum leak. My '04 XLT 4X4 Scab with 12K miles will do it at 57-58 mph holding a steady thottle on level surface. Depending on load/throttle combo, it will do it at other speeds to. Sound does seem to be coming from center of dash. Heater control positions don't seem to affect the noise. It also did not do it before cold weather set in.

 

WOW!!... count me in too boys! I can't believe these posts are here as mine is making this noise

It's freakin' me out... started about 1 1/2 weeks ago. It's a noise hard to describe.... best I can describe it is a bad bearing in a chop saw ( if you have ever had one go bad) half whistle, half sqeel.
Sometimes really loud, sometimes faint.
Mine ALWAYS follows the RPM's as the truck shifts up a gear....the sound fades as the RPM's drop.

I can't take it to the dealer because it doesn't do it all the time....

I'm getting a tape recorder and I'm going to record while I drive... hopefully she'll let out an ear buster when I'm recording.

 

Mine does it too when the temp is below about 0 or so. It goes away as sone as I let off the gas, so I assumed it was some kind of intake noise.

 

I'm trying to keep this tread going. Has anyone found a fix for this high pitch noise yet for it is driving me crazy.

 

I just got my FX4 back from the dealer. it was in for a stalling problem and also this high pitched whistle. They ended up replacing the throttle body for the stalling problem, but in doing so they found a broken bolt. The bolt is for attaching the throttle body to the manifold. They drilled out the broken bolt and replaced it as well. Since then my whistle has been gone. I am thinking that maybe the seal between the throttle body and the manifold wasn't good because of the broken bolt which caused an airleak. I believe this air leak was the source of my whistle (sqeal). This all just happened within the last couple of days. Hope this helps. Thanks JP

One other thing. I was looking at my service ticket and it appears they also changed the gasket between the throttle body and the manifold. Maybe a faulty gasket is to blame.

 

I also have a whistling sound coming from the center of my dash. I popped the center cover off, that is on the top of the dash and the noise sounds like it is coming from the center of dash near the windshield. Here is the weird part: The noise only happens when the engine is between 2000 and 2400 RPM, whether parked or driving, AC/heat on or off. And I can not hear the noise from the outside with the hood open. The noise is not loud. The best way I can describe it is the sound a tea kettle makes when it is just starting to whistle.

I'm thinking there must be a small hole or crack between the engine compartment and the cabin that when a certain velocity of air is passed through it, makes a whistling noise. I'm assuming that since it is fairly consistent at certain RPMs that it is from the engine compartment.

It just started a few days ago. I've had my truck, a 2001 Supercrew Harley Davidson for over a year now and this is the first time I've heard this noise. Weather is not a factor.

 

Are there any updates or additional information for this thread? My 2004 F150 FX4 Supercab is at the dealer as I type this, for the exact high pitched whistle described within this thread. Syptoms - Outside air temperature below 32 degrees, any steady speed where the RPMs are between 1500 and 2000. Let off the throttle whistle fades away, increase the throttle the whistle fades away. The colder it is outside the more frequent and pronounced the whistle is. Very annoying to say the least. Any help or direction that I could relay to the tech would be greatly appreciated. One of the service memos that the tech was going to call Ford Engineering about was SSM 18632 - 2004-2005 F-150 Generator Hoot/Whistle Noise In Extreme Cold. Do any of the Ford techs that are on this forum have any input or information about this SSM?

 

Has anyone had a successful fix for this yet?
Been to the dealer twice already. First time they tried stop leak in the radiator per TSB, in the event it was a cooling system leak, to no avail. To say the least I was not happy with them adding the stop leak. Second visit, the temperature outside did not cooperate for them to troubleshoot further so they checked the engine wire routing and vacuum lines for proper connections. Problem still exists today (26 degrees outside). Kicker is, the mechanic working on my truck has the same problem with his 2005 but hasn't had time to diagnose the cause. Third visit to the dealer will be scheduled as soon as a string of consecutive frigid days are forecasted.

 

I've got the same whistle. The only thing with mine is that it does it in warmer weather, I'm in FL and had it happen when the temp is in the 80's. This thing has been driving me crazy for the last couple of months.

 

I took a test drive in a new 2005 f150 screw a few days ago. It too had this whine. No one else could hear it but me in the cab.

Ballzo
Sacramento, CA

 

I had a similar noise, when it got cold out (-10 C) the whine was there regardless of speed or rpm. Mine was like running your finger around the top of a wine glass. It didn’t matter how warm the truck got or how long you drove, if it was -10 the whine was there. I went to the dealer and we tried similar attempt to fix it. They thought it was wind in the fog lights, around the windshield yada yada yada ….

They finally decided to replace the alternator as a shot in the dark and the noise is gone. I didn’t think this would have any effect, but I haven’t had the noise since. My fuel mileage has also increased and the truck has more power. I don’t know why the sound came from the dash but the alternator seamed to due the trick.

 

Thanks for the update Canuck. The dealer found SSM 18632 - 2004-2005 F-150 Generator Hoot/Whistle Noise In Extreme Cold awhile back, on their bulletin board one day and the next it was gone. They couldn't find anymore information on it.
We have the same weather patterns as you do, being in the burbs of Buffalo, NY. Unfortunately it has been so warm lately (above 32 degrees) that attempts for the dealer to isolate the cause has been to no avail. The high pitch whistle only occurs with outside temps below 32 degrees. It is driving me crazy not to mention giving me a headache. I will print a copy of your response and show it to the dealer. That will be the next fix I have them try.

 

Any news on this, did it help? The squeel is driving me nuts!

Duke

 

Just had my truck back at the dealer two weeks ago. 10 degrees F today and still no high pitched whistle. They replaced the alternator and I have not heard a single instance of the high pitched whistle since. I just took a copy of Ford "SSM 18632 - 2004-2005 F-150 Generator Hoot/Whistle Noise In Extreme Cold" back to the dealer service advisor (which the dealer had found on their service board one day and gone the next) and presented the information that Canuck had stated in his post and they replaced the alternator. Looks like this may be the fix.

 

Temperatures here are around the -20 on average this time of the year and I have been having trouble with the squealing noise the same as the rest of you. I have a 2005, F-150 FX-4

In talking with the Ford Dealership in my area, they tell me it is the alternator and that they have replaced several in the past few months due to this noise. I am not totally convinced that this is the problem but also have not followed up with anyone that has had the alternator change.

Looks like I will be doing the alternator change and will post back when done.