Whenever it rains the car retains moisture. This causes electrical issues as well as health issues. I have poured so much money into this car keeping it dry. Now it has mold!!! I have developed upper respiratory infections and other health related illnesses before we found the mold. I don't even know if we successfully controlled it. Ford still hasn't addressed this defect even though there are many complaints and they know it's a design flaw.
This has happened several times since I bought the car new in February, 2005. The tube for draining water behind the firewall gets clogged with leaves and dirt and the water fills the space and drains into the passenger side floorboard. I've had several inches of water in the car before knowing the tube was clogged. It's caused electrical problems, particularly with my radio (static noise when running) and now I think it's killed the BCM and another battery.
Same story as listed in the other complaints for this car: the floor boards in the front passenger side were always getting soaked. We finally uncovered the problem that it was leaking from the cowl area that was clogged with leaves, which led water to seep into the car. Had to spend $1000 to get fixed and detailed, but almost a year later and the car is still musty.
i am a ford man have owned many fords. my grandfather told me when i was young to only drive a ford. he was a very smart man .however the ford motor co. has changed it scope on loyal customers that have kept them in business this long.if ford won;t fix this problem i have already told them i will buy no more fords.my poor grandfather is rolling over in his grave as i type this .for his ford dealer would have fixed this pronto.we will see what happens but it sounds like it is so long ford
- Charles A.,
Doraville, GA, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
I had begun to think the car was smelling a bit moldy, but when I felt the carpets, they seemed to be dry. The one day, while driving in a severe rainstorm, I saw water POURING out from under the dash on the passenger side. By the time I got home, I had easily 1-2 inches of water over the carpet on the pass. side.. At first I thought the drivers side was still dry, but when I removed some trim and checked the padding under the carpet, I found that to be wet also. I removed the seats and lifted the carpet up to dry it. I was able to vacuum at least 3-4 gals of water out of the floor pans, and it took another 3 days to completely dry the carpet and padding. (note: The carpet seems to be synthetic, and never felt very wet to the touch. The padding under the carpet is another story)
While the car was drying/airing out, I went searching for the leak. I found a plugged drain hole in front of the windshield under the cowl. Water couldn't drain properly, and then it backed up into the A/C system through the cabin air filter. The drain hole had been fitted with a rubber grommet that seemed designed to trap debris. I removed the grommet and now this drain hole is about 1"x 2" and I feel this problem is unlikely to repeat. I also had to replace the water soaked and moldy cabin air filter. $20.00. But this leak on the passenger side could not explain the water on the drivers side, and I had not seen water coming down from under the dash on the drivers side. The drain hole on the drivers side of the cowl was not plugged when I looked at it.
But now the the drain holes were clear, and I hoped for the best. As luck would have it, one night while the carpet was still up (and the car closed up) It rained. And I had standing water on the bare floor pans the next morning. More troubleshooting with the hose revealed that both side windows/doors were leaking between the plastic weatherstrip retainer and the roof. This seal was designed to leak, relying solely on a strip of foam sealant applied between the retainer and the roof. Mine was either poorly applied at the factory or had shifted over the 4 years the car had been in service. I also found leaks where the door wiring harness enters the cabin through the A pillar (kick panel) That was a real bitch to get to and seal. A fuse box at the kick panel has suffered water damage and shows some corrosion, but so far, everything still seems to work.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Whenever it rains the car retains moisture. This causes electrical issues as well as health issues. I have poured so much money into this car keeping it dry. Now it has mold!!! I have developed upper respiratory infections and other health related illnesses before we found the mold. I don't even know if we successfully controlled it. Ford still hasn't addressed this defect even though there are many complaints and they know it's a design flaw.
- Laura B., Castalian Springs, TN, US