# 2018 Ford F-150 - Rattles in cold

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford\
**Created:** [July 6, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549 "2023-07-06T23:25:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Psul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de0a6/32.png) [@Psul](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Psul)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549/1 "2023-07-06T23:25:24Z")

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Cold 5l has rattle when starting in cold weather  
Ford changed baffle near exhaust $20 bucks  
Not fixed (80k btw)  
Warmer weather rattle starts after a bit goes for longer time  
No noise after 10 min  
Thank you

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549/2 "2023-07-07T02:51:48Z")

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> [@Psul](#):
>
> Cold 5l has rattle when starting in cold weather

Welcome to the forum…

What does _ **Cold 5l** _ mean???

A rattle can be one of the hardest things to find on a vehicle when you are working on it much less over the internet…

Where is the noise coming from, the engine area, the middle of the truck or the rear of the truck and left or right side or middle???  
Does it make noise only while being driven or only sitting at idle not moving or either or???  
If only while being driven, does it only make noise going over bumps or???

Need a little more details…

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**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549/3 "2023-07-07T16:56:02Z")

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Call various independent shops, ask if they have “Chassis Ears”. Chassis Ears help locate sources of rattles. Expect to pay for the diagnosis.  
BTW, usually **any** shop , including dealerships, charge for diagnosis. I find it unusual the dealer replaced “baffle” without doing a diagnosis, heat shield is a more likely culprit.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2023, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549/4 "2023-07-07T23:46:53Z")

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> [@Purebred](#):
>
> I find it unusual the dealer replaced “baffle” without doing a diagnosis, heat shield is a more likely culprit.

I expect it was a heat shield. A heat shield might also be called a baffle. A baffle is anything that regulates the flow of something, heat, sound, etc. A muffler could be called a baffle as well, another theory for what was replaced the first time, although seems less likely. Rattles from the exhaust system not an uncommon thing in trucks. My Ford truck’s exhaust system rattles at certain times. In my truck’s case the exhaust system’s hangers have worked themselves a little loose. Somehow I just live with it … lol ..

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-ford-f-150-rattles-in-cold/191549/5 "2023-07-08T12:55:52Z")

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> [@davesmopar](#):
>
> What does _ **Cold 5l** _ mean???

I suspect that he means it’s cold and he has a 5 liter engine in his F150.