Ford Focus leak

WK28

Good morning

I wonder if anyone out there is able to give some advice regarding a current issue my wife and I have with one of our cars?

We purchased a Ford Focus 62 plate (manufactured in 2013) from Lifestyle Ford in April 2016.

Six months or so ago the rear passenger side electric window stopped working followed by issues locking and unlocking the door. This was intermittent to begin with until eventually both permanently stopped working.

About 4 months ago we had a puncture and when changing the tyre I discovered that the compartment where the spare tyre is kept was completely flooded. I emptied the water out thinking it was probably a leak in the boot that we would need to have looked at in the future.

2 weeks ago we found that the carpet and foot mats in the front and and rear passenger foot wells were now also completely flooded. When trying to find where the water was coming from we found the rear passenger seat under my sons car seat to be wet and after lifting the whole rear seat found water underneath there too. A few weeks on and the inside of the car is now damp all over and we're starting to see mould on the seats so its becoming a health hazard too.

We have had a mechanic friend look at this for us and on removal of the seats and door panel he found the connectors for the wiring loom to be heavily corroded from the water hence the lock and window not working. He also found that seal membrane in the door had previously been removed and re-installed incorrectly. It sounds like this could be quite an expensive repair.

In my opinion, a 6 year old car should not be leaking like this. We intend to contact the Ford dealership where we bought the car however I expect, given that we've had the car 3 years and that another mechanic has looked at it, that they won't be interested in helping us.

My questions are:

- The car is outside of manufactures warranty but is there any law regarding 'fair use' that we could quote to try and receive some support from Ford?
- Has anyone had any experience/success taking faulty cars back to the manufacturer outside of warranty?
- Is there anything else we can say to Ford to help build our case?

Appreciate any feedback or advice anyone can give - we're not sure which way to go with this at the moment.

Many thanks

Will

foxy-stoat

You have owned it for 5 years and its over 6 years old. You need to get a quote to fix and pay for it.

Very much doubt Ford's warranty will pay out for any of it as by the sounds of it this isn't a manufacturing fault, its the seal that wasn't refitted correctly at some point. Odd though if the spare wheel well was that filled up with water I would of expected all your windows to be heavily misted up every morning.

motorguy

Ford's warranty only covers leaks for the first year from when the car was new.

Out of curiosity, have you checked the spare wheel well in the boot? It is very very common for that year of focus to leak in to the boot and then it run forward.

The big tell tale is if the wheel well has water in it.

WK28

Thank you both for your replies.
Not that it makes a difference but we've owned the car for 3.5 years.

It was the wheel well that was flooded earlier this year when I changed the tyre but the windows haven't been heavily misted up each morning until recently.

motorguy

WK28 wrote: »

Good morning

I wonder if anyone out there is able to give some advice regarding a current issue my wife and I have with one of our cars?

We purchased a Ford Focus 62 plate (manufactured in 2013) from Lifestyle Ford in April 2016.

Six months or so ago the rear passenger side electric window stopped working followed by issues locking and unlocking the door. This was intermittent to begin with until eventually both permanently stopped working.

About 4 months ago we had a puncture and when changing the tyre I discovered that the compartment where the spare tyre is kept was completely flooded. I emptied the water out thinking it was probably a leak in the boot that we would need to have looked at in the future.

2 weeks ago we found that the carpet and foot mats in the front and and rear passenger foot wells were now also completely flooded. When trying to find where the water was coming from we found the rear passenger seat under my sons car seat to be wet and after lifting the whole rear seat found water underneath there too. A few weeks on and the inside of the car is now damp all over and we're starting to see mould on the seats so its becoming a health hazard too.

We have had a mechanic friend look at this for us and on removal of the seats and door panel he found the connectors for the wiring loom to be heavily corroded from the water hence the lock and window not working. He also found that seal membrane in the door had previously been removed and re-installed incorrectly. It sounds like this could be quite an expensive repair.

In my opinion, a 6 year old car should not be leaking like this. We intend to contact the Ford dealership where we bought the car however I expect, given that we've had the car 3 years and that another mechanic has looked at it, that they won't be interested in helping us.

My questions are:

- The car is outside of manufactures warranty but is there any law regarding 'fair use' that we could quote to try and receive some support from Ford?
- Has anyone had any experience/success taking faulty cars back to the manufacturer outside of warranty?
- Is there anything else we can say to Ford to help build our case?

Appreciate any feedback or advice anyone can give - we're not sure which way to go with this at the moment.

Many thanks

Will

OK - i know what your problem is and its not expensive to fix.

This is a very common problem with Ford Focus of this era - i've just had the same problem myself with my 2013 Focus ST.

Basically there is a vent either side of the car behind the back bumper. These vents are designed to be one way vents and are there so that when you close the door or boot, the air pressure gets out.

Water runs off the roof, down behind the rear indicators, down and over these vents and out and on to the road.

BUT Ford didnt seal the vents. They're just cheap plastic. The water gets behind the vents, in to a compartment beside the boot, which fills up and runs in the boot wheel well. From there it sloshes forward in to the rest of the car.

Its just a matter of taking the vents out, cleaning them, then siliconing them back in.

Heres the link that explains it -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hapb7A6dlsc

Heres how to take the back bumper off -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf5jU8ttX58

My car when in the process -







Its not difficult to do - probably half a days effort and removing about 12 easily accessed bolts, but any body shop / mechanic could do it for you.

The biggest issue is drying the car out. I opted for sponge the water all out, then use a dehumidifier. Might be worth getting that quoted for too. Its more comprehensive to remove the seats and carpet.

motorguy

WK28 wrote: »

Thank you both for your replies.
Not that it makes a difference but we've owned the car for 3.5 years.

It was the wheel well that was flooded earlier this year when I changed the tyre but the windows haven't been heavily misted up each morning until recently.

Its because the water has started to move forward in to the cabin. Its warming up and evaporating in the warm cabin and thus steaming the windows.

In the wheel well its trapped and cold.

Watch the first video i linked to there and it'll explain it all.

AdrianC

WK28 wrote: »

Not that it makes a difference but we've owned the car for 3.5 years.

It was the wheel well that was flooded earlier this year when I changed the tyre but the windows haven't been heavily misted up each morning until recently.

That in and of itself says all you need to know about your chances of any comeback from the vendor. The fault clearly hasn't been there since you acquired the car.

You have no contract with Ford themselves - because you didn't buy it from them. All your consumer rights are against the dealer who supplied it to you.

It's just a bit of basic routine maintenance with an ageing car.

WK28

Thank you very much for sharing this information and the videos.
It's very likely that we have leaking into the boot as shown in the first video.

I am wondering if we have a second issue though as the mechanic who stripped the back seats and rear passenger door mentioned that the membrane was reinstalled incorrectly (is this the black seal that goes around the edge?) and that the connectors on the wiring loom were corroded. It seems unlikely that the water would get from the boot into the rear of the car and then into the door to affect the window and central locking.

I understand that to replace the wiring looms can be very expensive? Hence why I'm here asking the questions to see if we can limit our exposure or reduce the cost.

Thanks again for the information provided already.

motorguy

WK28 wrote: »

Thank you very much for sharing this information and the videos.
It's very likely that we have leaking into the boot as shown in the first video.

I am wondering if we have a second issue though as the mechanic who stripped the back seats and rear passenger door mentioned that the membrane was reinstalled incorrectly (is this the black seal that goes around the edge?) and that the connectors on the wiring loom were corroded. It seems unlikely that the water would get from the boot into the rear of the car and then into the door to affect the window and central locking.

I understand that to replace the wiring looms can be very expensive? Hence why I'm here asking the questions to see if we can limit our exposure or reduce the cost.

Thanks again for the information provided already.

Central locking does stop working on older cars. It may well be that you do have a secondary leak in the door area.

The connectors may just need cleaning of corrosion. What evidence have you that the entire wiring loom needs replaced?

I'd be finding and resolving the leaks, and taking it from there - i genuinely dont think you've any comeback with the supplying dealer or Ford after all this time.

WK28

Thanks again for your reply.
Support from Ford was more hope than expectation as we were advised to expect a bill of £1k+, anything to keep the cost down really.

Sounds like we just need to send it to a local garage and cross our fingers

motorguy

WK28 wrote: »

Thanks again for your reply.
Support from Ford was more hope than expectation as we were advised to expect a bill of £1k+, anything to keep the cost down really.

Sounds like we just need to send it to a local garage and cross our fingers

Who was quoting £1,000? :eek:

That primary boot leak is probably 1/2 days work. Drying the car out - if it involves removing the carpet then maybe another 1/2 day to 1 day.

Getting the central locking fixed is probably the unknown but i cant forsee it being a big job.

Have you a trusted, local garage? I'd be inclined to talk them through what you need done and show them the links and whats believed to be the issue. If they're not happy to take it on - which some mechanics wouldnt be - then try a local small body shop.