tribaltek

Not really (thankfully).

tribaltek

This issue is not resolved in the 2008 model, so I would still make an effort to take a look in this area every once in a while.

samckernan

I concur...

I had the same problem. I finally got it taken care of last March.


http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=464919

vpats

I'm new, just joined specifically for this water leak issue. I bought the wife a 2006 GT. She has been ill and doesn't drive much anymore, last year she managed to put just shy of 5000 miles on this thing.

Last Thrusday I took her to the doctor's office and it was raining hard, very hard, as I accelerated from a traffic light water just came pouring out from under the dash, I mean it looked like a water hose. When we got home I checked the smell of the water to be sure it wasn't from the cooling system and mopped up what I could. Then I went to the computer to see if any others had this issue. Well, to my amazement .. hundreds have.

I finally found this thread and "tribaltek's" response. Thank you sir, you saved my sanity, things like this just drive me nuts. I want it fixed and 10 minutes ago is too slow. The car sat until Saturday, at which time armed with your pictures I went to the car and popped the hood. Within 15 minutes I had the drain plug cleared and all was right with the world once again.

Again my thanks.

RCSignals

This is a matter of routine maintenance for any vehicle that is parked outside, driven in the rain, used as a car. Check and clear all drains.

It really isn't a design flaw.

cave diver

While everyone is checking the cowl drains don't forget to check the drains in the bottom of the doors. There are 2 black plastic drain covers on the bottom edge of both doors, snap them out and you'll proably find they have crap built up in them and are holding in water. I removed mine and just left them out as they really don't serve a purpose except as a trim to cover the drains. If your Mustang is a long-term keeper you don't want to have a potential rust issue in the door bottoms from holding water.

classj

I just followed the TSB to fix mine. I pulled the wipers and the plastic cowling. The plastic clip inserts with the little foam gaskets were my cause. You can see water in the channel right under the clip. I pulled all the clips, applied seam sealer, reinstalled the clips, sealed a few more areas that needed attention, and reinstalled the cowling. I made sure the drains were clear while I was in there and threw in a new cabin filter.

Repair has worked all summer thus far.

tribaltek

Glad I could help!

05YellowGT

Well I finally got the leak and this thread was a big help , thanks ... I replaced the cabin filter a year or so ago and I didn't completely remove the plastic cowl. I left the outside end in place and just move it so I could get to the filter. So this past weekend when I removed cowl piece completely the outside mount came out with it. So it probably wasn't sealed because of the way I had changed the filter and this may have been part of my problem. So following the TSB I put it back with a little sealer and made sure it was flat and appeared to be sealed. However if the holes that these mounts are supposed to seal drain directly into the cabin , then that is a very poor design. They're very flimsy and could easily not form a water tight seal , so I would hope they don't. Next I looked at the rubber grommet below and that too was clogged and I would guess that this is the real culprit. I did have sealer in the seam there , but if water ponds in there , even a slight hole in the sealer could eventually leak. I cleaned out the grommet and put back and this is just going to have to be a maintenance item once a year or so. I would however add , I don't think I would leave the grommet out as some have suggested. I assume the opening there drains down into another compartment which also has a hole for the water to drain out of and the grommet keeps most of the stuff from getting into there. If this is the case and that hole gets clogged up because of leaving the grommet out , then there would be no easy way to clear it ...

2K05GT

There is a Lawyer in California working on a Class Action suite in federal court who is looking for people who have had safety issues with this leak (i.e. Smart Junction Box Failures while driving, Car cutting out, Lights going wacky Ext.)

Ken Lipton
Law Offices of Kenneth M. Lipton
5900 Sepulveda Blvd, #400
Van Nuys, CA 91411-2511
1 (818) 780-3562
kenlipton998431@aol.com

ford4v429

as far as a class action, its maintenance in my opinion- Ive had cars rotted out due to pine needles/leaves, like my downspouts at home, its not the gutter makers fault if they clog up with crap. some lawyer though will surely make a ton of money off it as they always do.

I couldnt see the pics in the original post, but took some when I painted my hood and could easily see down in there, in case anyone hasnt seen the cabin filter area yet:

Katfish

Anyone have a link to this TSB? Is he talking about sealing the area where the cowling snaps in? This would make it h*ll getting it out the next time?

NJ3

Unfortunately mine and a lot of others are not such an easy fix.

Here is the link. http://www.stangnet.com/images/stori...s/08-26-07.pdf

Katfish

Thanks, NJ3!

sarnold58

I have water in the floor board as others have said they had. I will check my cabin filter tomorrow and see if I can see the drain as well. Leaves have definitely come in to play for where I park at home and work.
I also have another water problem.....my seat belt is wet coing out of the retractor.

sarnold58

If you change your cabin filter it should take care of those smells and because of where its at I see why people dont go to the trouble. Mine is 2005 and has over 175,000 mi and it looks like it has never been changed.

ford4v429

there are TWO. if you have a V8, reach under the 'shelf' just behind the valvecovers- hard to see, easy to grab ahold of and just pop out...getting them back in is fun, but only takes a minute...I was popping mine out every yr, but last time, just left them out- could be chance of critters or fumes getting in, but kinda doubtful. the drivers side clogs slower than passenger side, but still clogs up- but water will slosh to the filter side and drain if its being driven, leaving little on higher drivers side.

the 'bad design' part is the stamped hole has no relief, so the water has to get deeper than the rubber thickness to run out- so theres always 1/8" of water around the grommet.

last time I pulled mine, grommet was dry, but a little water still ran out of the cowl- so just left them out. feeling up in the hole, its stayed clean so far, been a few yrs- my 06 sits outside yearround(lots of garage, but lots more 'junk' filling them up) and for me leaving them out worked best...just a opinion

Donald Di Bari

2010 GT. After epic rain storm passenger floor boards were soaked. Mostly in rear. I found that the cowl drain was completely clogged. It is located behind the fire wall by the cabin filter. I youtubed" how to replace cabin filter", to easily remove windshield (cowl) molding.
Soaked up water with wetvac. I then used a hair dryer and sprayed with lysol.
I cant imagine that this WASNT the problem.

Paris MkVI

Two filters??? Any chance you can post a pic of what we should be looking for?

ford4v429

only one filter, but two drains...you cant see the drivers side from the top, gotta pop it out from outside- I just pulled mine out a couple yrs ago, looked in about a yr ago it was pretty clean- sure stuff still gets in, but no longer has the rubber grommet lips to start a backup.

only worries-
1) mice? dont think so as they would need to jump up into the hole...had them in my engine airboxes on 3 cars several times though. NEVER use a all paper air filter- had I been running a cheap filter without the aluminum mes, it woulda sucked the nest stuff into the motor
2) carbon monoxide entry if you ever get a exhaust leak? guessing this might be why ford put the self closing drains in...

I *think* ALL this crap is entering where the wiper arms go thru. next time my cowl panel is off I'm gonna make some 'nylon fender washers' to go around the shafts to cover the gaps- the gaps on mine are full of leaves/pine needles every time I wash it.

here is a pic of the drivers side drain- it can plug without flooding the floor, long as the passenger side is open, but water will slosh around till it spills over to the passenger side...or rusts thru just pull down/sideways they pop right out- but are 'fun' to snap back in...expect a fight for at least a few minutes to get it back in/properly seated... I'd be sure not to accidentally push it clear inside the cowl, retrieving it could be 'real fun'...