My Focus drips rain water below the dash on the passenger side. Though the car is a 2002 year it has had this problem since I bought it in 2004. Does anybody know if these cars tend to have a manufacturing flaw that causes this kind of leak?
Thanks. Bill S.
No, they have an issue with poor maintenance which causes it.
The pollen filter is under a plastic cover at the base of the screen on the passenger side. If not replaced correctly it *will* leak.
The original design had three screws securing the cover, hidden by plastic bungs. Later ones just have a single screw. Remove the bung(s) and screw(s). Prise up the cover to remove.
If the filter looks dirty, replace it. (If it blocks, it will cause the fan speed resistor pack to burn out.)
Get all the mating surfaces clinically clean. Apply a bead of the correct sealant, available from dealers, to the cover along the upper edge where the cover contacts the screen. Replace the cover, making sure it clips in to place correctly. There should be no visible gaps where the cover meets the screen.
Refit screw(s) and plug(s).
Voila! Your passenger will no longer need waterproof footwear in the car!
Chris
In message , bilsch wrote
It's the pollen filter cover. The pollen filter cover forms part of the windscreen seal on the passenger side. It often leaks if the cover has been removed to change the filter.
Picture of cover at:
In message , Chris Whelan wrote
Ford only fitted filter elements to the higher end models. To save a few pence/cents they just left out the filter element on lesser models. However, this doesn't stop the cover from leaking
That's only true in America. All European cars have a filter as standard.
Chris
:>On Sun, 16 May 2010 12:58:58 -0700, bilsch wrote: :>
:>> My Focus drips rain water below the dash on the passenger side. Though :>> the car is a 2002 year it has had this problem since I bought it in :>> 2004. Does anybody know if these cars tend to have a manufacturing flaw :>> that causes this kind of leak? :>> :>> Thanks. Bill S. :>
:>No, they have an issue with poor maintenance which causes it. :>
:>The pollen filter is under a plastic cover at the base of the screen on :>the passenger side. If not replaced correctly it *will* leak. :>
:>The original design had three screws securing the cover, hidden by :>plastic bungs. Later ones just have a single screw. Remove the bung(s) :>and screw(s). Prise up the cover to remove. :>
:>If the filter looks dirty, replace it. (If it blocks, it will cause the :>fan speed resistor pack to burn out.) :>
:>Get all the mating surfaces clinically clean. Apply a bead of the correct :>sealant, available from dealers, to the cover along the upper edge where :>the cover contacts the screen. Replace the cover, making sure it clips in :>to place correctly. There should be no visible gaps where the cover meets :>the screen. :>
:>Refit screw(s) and plug(s). :>
:>Voila! Your passenger will no longer need waterproof footwear in the car! :>
:>Chris I live in the Phoenix, AZ area also known as the "rock chip capitol of the world". I recently had the windshield replaced on my US '04 SVT Focus. The new windshield has a molded strip attached to the bottom edge of the glass that mates up perfectly with the pollen filter cover. There is no need for using any sealant. I had the guy that did the install give it a high pressure water test right after the install and there were no leaks.
I don't know if Ford ever started using that design from the factory or not. The replacement windshield was made by PPG.
me/2
There is a mental flaw in someone who buys a car in warranty with a water leak and doesn't take it back to the dealer. Even if the car was not in warranty, letting it go about 6 years is not smart.
The water leak can be coming from anywhere, like the sun roof, around the windows or doors, relating to the way water drains from in front of the windshield.
I'd call Car Talk and ask Tom and Ray (and hear how much they laugh at you for leaving this go 6 years).
Jeff
Thanks for the info. I also have a blown fan speed control (haven't fixed that yet). I can't figure how a clogged filter would cause the resistor pack to burn out. I notice the schematic shows a small fuse in series with the fan speed resistors.
Do you suppose I can fix the leak by removing the filter (not replace) and just seal the cover back with some silicone sealant?
Bill S.
If you remove the filter, you will leave a large opening that leaves etc can enter.
No. The problem is the seal, not the filter. The clogged filter makes the fan work harder, requiring more current, which burns out the resister.
Jeff
The resistors are mounted inside the ducting, so are cooled by the air flow. Filter blocked = low air flow = resistors overheating.
The "small fuse" is actually a thermal fuse designed to prevent overheating resistors turning your car into a flaming inferno. If you are able to source a replacement of the correct thermal rating, and have the skills to fit it, try that first. It's usually what fails.
A complete resistor pack from a dealer is not expensive, at least in the UK, so check out prices first.
The presence or otherwise of the filter has no bearing in whether you can get a proper seal onto the screen. The proper sealant strip, which is the only one I have found to work, can be obtained online complete with a new filter, at least in the UK. Again, not too expensive from a dealer.
Running with no filter will mean that the A/C evaporator will eventually block, (assuming you have A/C), so it's much better to put the car together the way the manufacturer intended!
HTH
Chris
In message , bilsch wrote
It could be the leak that has caused the problem
Details on "Fan repair"
In message , bilsch wrote
The filter itself is not part of the problem. The problem is the filter cover and possibly a broken plastic clip preventing the cover making a tight seal with the (passenger side) of the windscreen.
I "bodged" a broken clip with a stainless steel self tapping screw and a small amount of black windscreen sealant and haven't had a water problem.
>
Our 2003 Focus has a large gap between the black plastic cover and the screen glass, but it doesn't leak. I bought the double-sided sticky foam strip from the dealer to seal the gap, but in the year we have had the car, it has never leaked into the cabin so I have yet to fit it. I have also occasionly checked the filter for signs of water damage or contamination as I was concerned that rain, or when washing the car, water might get in damage the filter. Have you checked the drainage in area of the filter for obstructions, as it is raised up from the bottom of the 'floor' of area ?
HTH David
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Well i guess it got broke so you must have to take to the workshop for repairing it..
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