Leaky Focus

[fireflybrite]

I have a 2002 Ford Focus that I bought last December. It is a Lemon. It has a water leak that comes in through the outside window that comes through on a rainy day and floods my floor on the front seat passenger side. I have taken it in for repair 6 times with no success. On my last visit I was told that this was a Factory Defect that most likely could never be fixed because plastic expands and shrinks and water manages to get by their fixes. I have filed a Lemon Claim. I was told this problem that has showed up in the 2002 Ford Focus. Beware buying this year.

[Mendari]

Thanks for the Heads-Up, it is greatly appreciated.

[z33guy]

hasnt happened to mine yet, let us know how the lemoning goes

[ruffgeezer]

This is bullshit, the fix is a simple one, 9 times out of 10 it is the scuttle panel above the pollen filter that causes the leak, to check this, lift your wipers out of the way and look down the screen towards the bonnet. Is there a gap between the plastic panel and the screen?
If yes you'll need to remove the panel and inspect the clips underneath. Usually they get broken during a rushed service.
If this is the case a new scuttle panel is required. It is because this panel is directly above the pollen filter which filters the cabin air. Unfortunatly as you now know it is not waterproof. To remedy this, we use a strip of butyl along the back of the scuttle panel along with refitting the clips to cure the water leak.

Hope that helps!

TimL

[fireflybrite]

I have done some research and the Ford Focus, 2002 has a history of leaks coming in from front window to front passengers side floor. You can find it in Service Reports, under Ford Focus. My car presently smells and exhibits all signs of mold growth. I am in the process of having a Mold Inspector examine my car for health reasons. This is also happening in the 2001-2003 Taurus and Mercury Sable. There is a Silent Recall going on now for repair. You have to contact them and request this repair. They do not contact you. Plug in Ford Taurus Cowl leak on the internet. This may result in mold, electrical problems, etc.

[savannah_C]

well dont feel alone. i recently purchased an 03 focus and the drivers side floor board has been soaking wet here recently. we noticed it almost a month ago and havent figured out whats going on yet. if you have found anything new out on your situation let me know and maybe it will cure my problem too!

[ruffgeezer]

Bzzzt! if you read my post above, i actually work for ford and this is the fix, christ i offer it to you on a plate and your still struggling!

[wildhorses]

Had the exact problem with a 2002 ZTS. Took it to the dealer 4 times. Once with over 2" of water on passenger side to prove it was leaking. (Before I had used shopvac to suck up the water) Dealer service guy said they had gotten a service bulletin on the problem. Previous attempts to fix the problem consisted of copious amounts of black goo to seal between the windshield on the passenger side and the plastic (scupper?) at the base of the windshield.

The fix was to replace that part. It looked to me like they had a bunch of them that were distorted or did not conform to the windshield curve. You could run a garden hose and it was like pouring water directly into the car.

Don't accept any talk like it is a design problem and can't be fixed. There is an implied warranty that an automobile will keep water out while just sitting.

[jevhuk]

Had leaking to the front passenger footwell on my 2003 focus. Garage determined it to be air conditioning condensate leaking through a cracked heater casing and then through vents in to foot well. No problems since casing replaced.

[kmohr3]

I have a 2001 LX model. I found that the water vapor barrier inside the rt front door panel was leaking and water was running into the rt front floorboard area. Resealed with tape and silicone sealer.

[monsoonavic]

Originally Posted by fireflybrite

I have done some research and the Ford Focus, 2002 has a history of leaks coming in from front window to front passengers side floor. You can find it in Service Reports, under Ford Focus. My car presently smells and exhibits all signs of mold growth. I am in the process of having a Mold Inspector examine my car for health reasons. This is also happening in the 2001-2003 Taurus and Mercury Sable. There is a Silent Recall going on now for repair. You have to contact them and request this repair. They do not contact you. Plug in Ford Taurus Cowl leak on the internet. This may result in mold, electrical problems, etc.

exactly who do i contact with reguards to this silent recall i've had this leaking problem since last december and nobody has been able to fix it

[mr_tw]

I know we are not supposed to post in old threads but i have some questions about this, are there any conditions for the repair (getting it done at a ford dealer) like km limits etc. how much of the cost do they cover, and what will I end up paying? If i attempt this myself do i only need the plastic piece for the front and the associated clips, or is there something else i should be replacing, remembering that i don't want to use goop to seal it (Cabin air filter is under there so i would like that to be accessible) also is there any change on the new part that fixes this issue or am i going to be replacing this every few years? Thanks in advance for your help!