rasguedo

This is a follow up post to my problem of having a musty smell in my car, it seems that many people are having similar problems with leaking. The exact leaking that is causing my musty smell is also causing many electrical problems with others. I wrote this new post to hopefully reach a wider audience. Everyone should be checking there cars for this problem before it gets out of hand. Like mentioned below your exterior carpet does not have to be wet. Mostpeople feel it under the carpet in the padding (look below at Hyproman's directions)

This is definately a serious problem... When I searched another Forum i came up with these examples:

-Mot250 wrote: found I have a leak today after a heavy rain. Probably coming in around the same area, above the interior fuse box behind the passenger side kick panel. I'll have a closer look as soon as I can. The only electrical glitch was a weird tail light thing. The passenger side center light in the tail light came on and would not turn off. Bright as though braking or signaling. Car off and all light switches off and that light would stay lit. I had to disconnect tha pigtail to keep it from staying lit all day while at work.
If it persists before I can get it checked out, I'll pull the entire assembly and yank that bulb when I get home

-Torch Vert wrote:I went through dealer hell with a similar problem. (same symptoms, electrical system going "berserk" after heavy rain) I found there was water sneaking in above the fuse panel in the passenger side kickpanel. Five trips to the dealership.

-Mark wrote: After a heavy down pour the track re opened but had some standing water in places. It was NOT over 1 inch in depth and it was only lightly raining when my instructor and I did 5 SLOW laps with 15 other cars. The electrical system went biserk and ONLY with my car: The gas gauge showed empty (it was full) oil pressure showed zero, park brake light was on, traction light was on, windows would not come back up, but engine ran normal, no turn signals, no clock on radio

-Wjbiv wrote: Next week my GT will go in for the second time for a severe rain leak into the passenger-side foot-wells. We've had two unseasonably heavy rains in the past couple weeks, and each of them has caused a flood in both the front and rear passenger side foot-wells. This flooding is odd, in that little sign of leaking is visible on the surface of the carpet. The water seems to be coming in from below and saturating the padding beneath the carpetting. In the first trip to service they indicated that they resealed with windshield, cowl, and heater core after discovering some leaking there. If true, I must have additional leaks, 'cause with the last rains it all happened again, just as bad as before.There appears to be something going on in the outboard sidewall in the front foot-well. Behind the plastic trim panel things get noticably wet, especially around the rubber gromet sealing the cabling coming in from the passenger door. Is it possible that water is finding its way inside that area of the body/fender and flowing in through the various bolt-holes and other openings?

67 and 05 ragtops wrote: I have the same water issues. I have even had the door locks and head lights do a freek out when they got wet.

AirForceGeorge- Had electrical problems with tailight

-Hyproman wrote On the passenger-side, there is a square door just to the front of the car door, a few inches up from the floor carpetting. Pull of the door, and you will see a black box, and some wiring/conduits. Reach inside this cavity, and down until you find the carpetting ends. Reach UNDER the carpetting, and you will find the spongey stuff that's laid out under the carpetting. Follow this spongey material (and the metal frame) down to where the frame levels out on the floor.
When I do this, the sponge at the end of my fingers is pretty saturated, even a day or two after a rain storm. I have been to 2 different dealers with no good fixes. I am very interested to see how many other people have this problem, and just don't know it. I've found that this stuff can be wet, even if the carpetting doesn't appear wet.

-I felt my problem on the left(driver) side. I pulled the carpetting back, i had to bend it under the clutch and I ran my hand down to the exact same point and the padding was soaked! No wonder my car smells like mildew.

Thanks to all of those that answered my other post and helped me diagnose my exact problem! Since this is obviously a problem. How can we get Ford to recognize it? My car more than likely has damage that is going to require them to pull out the carpetting, fix the leaks, clean and disinfect any mold that is present and I hope replace the carpet and underpadding. I dont think that they will want to do this but I feel like it is the only thing that will get rid of the mildew smell properly. Since this is a problem that can cause electrical malfunction, rust, corrosion, potentially hazardous mold and mildew spores among other things I beleive something has to be done soon. Are ther any consumer advocacy groups that can deal with these things? What sort of things can we do? Should I get a lawyer and what could they do if anything.

For people interested my original post is under https://mustangforums.com/m_2002646/tm.htm

hammeron

thanks for the heads up....although i have no leaks or musty smell
yet, i will watch closely now

sst06vert

any pics on where the water is coming from?

Black06stang

Were all of these problems on only verts?

Juntech

Very curious to know more about this problem. Is it a recall? Are they only on verts?

stratjakt

It's not a recall or a TSB it's just a handful of anecdotal evidence.

Have you taken it to the dealer and shown them the soaked padding and problems?

I've had no problems, my car lives outside 24/7 and we get monsoonish rains here in maryland. The only time water gets in is when I'm washing (spraying up against the windows), and even then, it's a drop or two.

Remember, most people only go online to bitch. It's a very small percentage of us who come on to talk about how much we love our cars. It sucks your having these problems, but I don't think it's the norm.

*edit* I just reached under the smart junction box as mentioned, and it is very slightly moist there. I wouldn't call it saturated, but it's been dumping rain the last three days. I've noticed no smells. I'd guess this is from driving - wheels flinging water up against there, I know there are holes. I've had no problems yet, but will watch this thread closely.

rasguedo

My car is not a vert and it has the aformentioned problem. As far as only coming online to bi*ch- I love my car and was lucky to be able to afford one when they came out! My musty smell is definately a detractor. Every time i step into my car it stinks. Unfortunately Stratjkt you also see a problem now. Think about this, if there is water in any part of your interior that is sitting there, no matter how much it will definatley eventually cause a problem. My musty smell dwarfs in comparison to those that have electrical problems. Water causes rust, corrosion, mildew and mold wich also causes damage. All of these things should not be in the interior of a new car. Imagine what that same water will do in 5 years. Unless enough of us complain and call Ford i dont think there will be any recalls or TSB's. Our cars are great in fact I wouldnt want any other, but I want to have it awhile. I can see the water causing much more damage than any of us can anticipate in the future. If Stratkt found the same problem I wonder how many others dont even realize it yet.

doodad

i am at work and i dont know if i have any leaks but my car had some electrical issues too..

my gas tank had like 80 miles till Empty but suddenly it beeped and i looks it was saying 13 miles till empty..and gauge was on E. i didnt pay attention to oil gauge but it happened before too.. i had 1/4 tank of gas and i started to car after work, it showed 1 mile till Empty.. this is what is going on with my car.. i should take it to dealer or i should check that fuse box area..

rasguedo

Doodad, I think the gas tank issue is a seperate issue. In fact here is the link for the TSB https://mustangforums.com/recalls-an..._18697/TSB.htm Most of the people that are having leaking issues with electrical problems seem to be with the taillights. Im not sure what is near the fuse box and why it affects the taillights but this seems to be the running theme. You never know though what water damage can affect, water can get in somewhere and then move anywhere else. Thats why this problem can be so harmful.

doodad

ok i clicked on the link but what is that? is that some kind of forum or thats it?

is that a big issue?

by the way, i forgot to mention.. i really appriciate your great write up..