Just wanted to say a big thank you! I have an 05 GT convertible with only 23,000 miles that started the passenger side leak. Thanks to your video the repair was very easy and effective.
Good to see someone else solve this same problem. My '06 developed some really back water entry and I finally had to fix it in 2014. A lot of people know about the cowl drain grommets, and those are definitely an issue, but the leak came back and my drains were clear. The main point of this comment is to confirm that the source of the major and persistent leak for my car were the holes for the cowl-cover clips. Obviously there's a defect within the body, but that's out of our hands. I traced the water leak problem myself which was tedious and there was no question it was those clip holes. I opted to use a weatherstrip adhesive on my clips. RTV would probably work well along with other sealers. I know the original gaskets on the clips for my '06 were not applied with heat, and I wish you luck that your repair continues to last. The way I did it, it's held up for almost seven years, so I'm happy about that, but I'm afraid my junction box needs changing soon due to the damage.
About a year ago I bought 10 of those retainers via the website you used for about $6/each. I was thinking maybe I should get a spare set for future use and just discovered that they are now $39 EACH!! So either they were priced incorrectly when I bought them (and I got a lucky deal) - or they have increased over 6x what they previously cost. Now a set of 10 is neary $400! I paid just over $60. That seems crazy for little plastic tabs!
Best vid hands down with well thought out with precise explanations. Thank you for taking the time out to film each step in fixing a very serious problem. I have a 2011 Gt that leaked on the drivers side, cleaned out the firewall drain grommets and now I will tackle this with added confidence, thanks to your contribution. I hope this fixes my leak and it won't be a window seal, in that regard did sealing the grommets fix your leak?
Very good Video for replacing the heat shrink part....However while you had the cowls off you should have changed the cabin air filter & cleaned out the two drainage holes under the cowls on both sides
Excellent video. I have two 2006 mustangs and they both have this water issue. Each cowl grille retainer clip grommet costs $50. Just to do one car would cost $500.
Great video. I have the same problem. I did the job one time but didn't hear seal properly because I used a hair dryer instead of a heat gun. My bad. I just redid the job. Looks like the heat seal still worked. I also used a windshield sealant on the edges to solidify the job. Hope it works this time.
did my cowl clip inserts 3 yrs ago with 'automotive goop' adhesive, that stuff lasts forever, and flows out as it dries to a smooth fillet, that way water/debris wont tend to dam up along the top edge. the other issue, a-pillar trim gaskets deteriorate about 5 yrs if sitting out in the weather...i think expansion/contraction of the black plastic in the sun may be the cause- but the gaskets walk and fall apart...replaced the originals once at 6 yrs old, by 4 more years had leaks again. this time, removed the trim(easier if interior panel are out- i was replacing carpet so interior was gutted) cleaned everything, treated/touched up rust in roof pinch welds that will be there if the gaskets let even a little water in, put 1/4" 'fineline' masking tape around the desired 'edge' at roofline/behind trim minus 1/4", then inside that, 3m electrical tape on the painted part under the trim(two stripes, side by side to cover 1 1/2" wide) . put a bead of 3m 'windoweld' adhesive on the trim, pressed into place, screwed down(work quickly) pull the 1/4" tape out/away from under the trim... any 'stringy' residue that pulls out can be wiped away with a gasoline soaked cloth(yes, be careful around gas! but its about the only solvent i know of that dont seem to harm factory baked paint/most plastics) leaving the 'edge' recessed 1/8" or so beneath the trim so it cant be seen without a flashlight, looking directly in the gap(can see the factory gaskets that way too- quick way to see if they have crept out of place)and its done...the windoweld adhesive is permanent- my hopes are the black tape can be pulled away should it ever need repainted or such(windoweld will never ever 'peel' off), yet the tape being bonded to the windoweld wont be able to squirm out of place like the factory gaskets did- while being stretchy enough not to pull away...do expect removing the trim next time will destroy it, but hopefully that day will be way past my days :) time will tell
Awsome detailed video bro!!!! Should have seen this way before I took apart seats,rug,window moldings,weather door strips!!! Almost took car apart finding wear leaks were coming from. Lol But now problemed solved thanks to you...💣💣
Thanks Bro, I will do this since I already fixed Fords other mistake by removing the clogged cowl drain fails, but I'm still getting water. Hopefully this fixes it. I was always a big fan of I work in America I support American workers, but man Ford really doesn't give a crap about us ! First engineering this crap design then knowingly let it continue without fixing it and ultimately not admitting to it, and fixing their F-up shows what Ford thinks about us basically "Screw you, we got your money" what they fail to see is that people buy multiple cars in their lifetime , so I will never buy another Ford for me or my wife and I will never let any of my daughters buy one in my lifetime ! They saved a few hundred today, and lost tens of thousands tomorrow... let me know how that works out for you Ford ?
I know you made this video 2 years ago, but folks should know that 05-06 have a totally different grommet style and only have 2 big ones. the fix for them is mainly just pull the entire grommet out and let it flow straight through where it was, as they clog, back up, and go in through the cabin filter mostly. love your vids, but this difference does exist on 05-06
Get 1-3mm thick Waterhatch boat window neoprene 19mm band.They come in handy even for the upper door side panel seal that is junk too and needs to be replaced also.
Hi Daniel listen I had the same stupid problem but my solution it’s straight to we’re the problem really is you see that gap that you have between the air cabin filter follow that straight down to were you feel a piece of rubber hanging that whole area gets full of water once you take those rubber pieces of you will never have a leak problem the reason why you have a water leak is because it gets full of water instead of doing that whole process just take off those rubber pieces off there’s one right next to the side of each side of the engine and it’s FREE no more water leak that process your doing it’s not necessary you don’t have to take nothing off just to make sure the rubber pieces that you need to take off it’s right behind each header or near it. Work smart not harder 👍🏽👊🏽👍🏽
I have a 2006 and my car actually had both sources of leaks. The rubber drain grommets do get clogged with debris every few years or so and do need to be cleaned. But I was still getting bad water leaks after a while and the drains were clear. It was the holes for the cowl-cover clips which I traced myself. But in his case, I think going through that process was the right call since I know those holes and the poor gaskets on the clips caused the problem for me.
If it is leaking from these grommets on the driver side where could you feel the water coming in on the inside? My whole driver side floor front an back is soaked.
after a rainstorm I used to have water sloshed out underneath the glove compartment. I don't know why Ford designed it this way. All the water that runs down your windshield can fill that compartment with water quickly especially if there's debris in the drain plugs. You probably have leaves and debris at the bottom of that well . That compartment he just opened has just open the door has drain plugs one on each side that fill up with the debris. I remove them completely and I haven't had water in the interior compartment ever since.
@@JoseAlvarez-cw5qn the water isn't coming in from those drains, I had that problem before but I'm not sure if this much water would come through these grommets.
Can you tell me where you purchased the 10 grommet retainers? I was able to view the part number in the video, but unable to see if a ford part or aftermarket. Please advise.
I tried this repair along with making sure the drains are clear. Still getting water running down where the wiring harness goes into the passenger door. May try replacing the seal around the passenger door before I decide if I want to permanently take out the carpeting to allow easier cleanup.
These are all obvious places took me many months but finally found it. It's under the towel cover where the main joint along the top is and the metal is spot welded and covered with caulking which cracks and let's in water
@@peterg5474 I replaced all the clips under the windshield cowl along with using sealant. I also resealed the seam in that area. Doing those things along with previously clearing out those drains has not kept the water from coming in. I believe it is still coming in somewhere around the corner of the windshield and the front corner of the passenger window. If I hold a hose on that area, I see water running down the inside where the wiring harness enters the passenger door. I may end up replacing the window gasket to see if that helps.
Amazing DIY!! I have an 06 and need to do this ASAP cause I'm in Seattle. Do you think the cover arms going into the garments could also be faulty as they are made of rubber?
It's certainly worth looking at. Mine were not leaking there and since I've done this repair I still have no leaks so, it doesn't seem like those have been an issue.
Testing for this leak, did you remove the firewall insulation? Could you actively see water dripping in near your pedals using a hose? I’m about to do this, my car sat for a month outside without being used and destroyed my interior, rust was everywhere 😢
Yes, some of it. Primarily on the driver side because it was dripping on top of my feet. I did test with a hose. Since the 2 drains under the cowl panel were not clogged, it could only have been the clips. My car did not have any significant rust. You may have a leak because of deterioration.
Idk if that's the problem, I work on windshields and deal with cowlings all the time, your main issue is the space under the cowling filling up with water and leaking through the air filter, just pull out the rubber piece that gets clogged and your cowling area wont fill with water anymore no more leak
only just found this video myself and i did that "fix" and my drivers side seems to still be leaking even after pulling out the tapering grommet, going to check to see if the seals are bad like in this video and hope that finally fixes these stupid leaks. I love how the car is designed to flood through the glove box/firewall when that space gets too much water >_>
I have an '06 and can confirm that my car had BOTH sources of leaks into the car. The cowl drains do clog and the water enters the car that way. That only solved my problem for a short while and I traced the problem to the holes for the cowl-cover clips just like he shows in the video. I used an adhesive sealer for my clips and haven't had that leak again, but I did have to clear the drains again a few years back.
Wish I saw this before i changed the upper door frame gasket. Eh- it was probably bad too. What a stupid design by Ford- hold a piece of plastic- lets cut holes thru into the car cabin TEN places and depend on goofy gaskets.
Attempting to correct water condition in my car and just order the retaining clips you replaced in this video. If not for your video I would not know to heat the clips to seal them. How did you become aware of this step? Do you know if the factory clip are/were supposed to be heated upon manufacturing of the vehicle?
It said on the website that I purchased the new clips from that they were heat seal activated. I had also seen videos on other make/model vehicles that had the same issues repaired and the repair video showed them using a heat gun which I also conveniently owned.
Thanks again for the great video. We had been trying to figure out the source of water intrusion into my sons car for a few months. After following your video step by step, including ordering the clips from the same supplier it appears as though we have stopped the water. Thank you.
Great video. I'm sure I need to change my grommets as well but maybe for another reason. In the past 3 years I've had to replace my wiper motor. The last time I noticed water dripping out of it. Not sure how its getting into the motor. Bad grommets or the cowl may be not uptight against the windshield near where the motor is. Do I silicone their? Should I use a heat gun and try to get a better seal against the windshield in that area? Any suggestions anyone? Has anyone else experienced this?
Right after I got my 07 gt the wiper fluid wouldn't work so had to replace the motor to it. Not sure why it stopped working but it's been fine since and now I'm going on round 2 of waterfall in the passenger side floorboard😢 3 mths ago I cleaned out the rubber gaskets that were clogged and that stopped the waterfall but here I am again hard rain today so I'm hoping they're just clogged again idk 🤷♂️ I've had one other issue in last few mths my tire air pressure lights up after it rains and will only go off after I add air but the tires don't need air so this is getting old quick I'm wondering if the electrics got wet after waterfall the first time going to the dashboard light and causing it to light up unnecessarily. Any ideas on that? I sure miss my 03 v6 I never had a single one of these issues but I guess this is the price you pay for more Mustang power sadly??
You do not have to remove wipers, just have them in the up position when you unscrew valence. There is then plenty of clearance to move valence and reach down and remove grommet. Takes 3 minutes tops.
Any ideas where to just find or make the actual gasket material for the retainers? The clips on my 2006 are in great condition, it's the foam gasket material around it that's worn out. I don't have $100 to throw at all these clips just yet. Thanks in advance.
I might be a little difficult to try and make your own out of some kind of gasket kit/material, but you could try that with some silicone adhesive. You could also silicone over the old ones. Seal the heck out of them and hope for the best. That might at least give you a temporary seal. If it ends up not working then you've just wasted a lot of time but it could be a remedy until you can get the right parts.
I ended up cutting some out of a roll of double sided automotive molding tape. We just had some bad storms roll through here and no water in the floor board. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. 👍 My clips were good but the foam was worn pretty bad, but I wasn't about to pay for clips if I didn't need them.
random question, were you able to access the wiper motor from what you had done? i have to replace mine and i can't find any good videos telling me how to get to it.
Of course. I actually ended up removing both rubber boots from the drains as those were the pieces that get clogged and make the water backup. They didn't seem like they were necessary to keep in place since they were causing part of the issue.
Unfortunately it's per clip. About a year ago I bought 10 of those retainers via the provided website for about $6/each. I was thinking maybe I should get a spare set for future use and just discovered that they are now $39 EACH!! So either they were priced incorrectly when I bought them (and I got a lucky deal) - or they have increased over 6x what they previously cost. Now a set of 10 is neary $400! I paid just over $60. That seems crazy for little plastic tabs!
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iFapgCIsWwI.html here is a video that shows exactly where the drains are the video is pretty dark but you should get the point
There are 2 drains on both the driver and passenger side. The passenger side is right below the air filter and was clean of debri. That can cause leaks also though and certainly check that before going through this whole process.
@@taker52 Yup, I have those grommets also and they do get clogged up. Even with both of them clear I had leaking issues. It wasn't until I did the steps in this video that the leaking stopped. Mines not a convertible but it is the base v6 coupe. Not GT. Lol thank God for that too, my insurance would be through the roof if it was.
Oh man this didn’t stop the problem did it lmao this problem is a overflow not a leak. There are two debris catchers under the cowl panel that are striaght shit and don’t work, clog up no matter how many times you clean it pull them out and boom overflow into your footwell fixed. Probably a 2 min job instead of this lol Thought this was the common heater hose fix idky lmao 🤦🏽♂️
Nope. Both of those drains were open and clear. You're talking about the easy fix and hopefully that is all that most people will have to do. But, this was way beyond that, as I was well aware of those two drains. This happened when the drain were clear and water was still coming into the floor of the cab.
@@MikePhalin It's not clear to me exactly how they leak. Does the water get under the edges of the grommets, or does it flow in through the holes that the cowl supports poke through?
I was thinking about getting one of these but this shit is unacceptable. I guess a lot of people are used to it and consider this no big deal, but it really is. I've driven Japanese cars my whole life and with those you put gas and oil in it. That's it. No water leaks, alternators randomly dying, door panels falling off, gas gauges not working. They're fast, and the engine and transmission are solid, but why deal with a car that's literally falling apart on the inside? Fuck that. I'm going with a 370Z and not looking back.
I was thinking the same thing (after just acquiring my first muscle car😭 I actually want the 350 z since it’s be around long enough to find the faults in that model. Did you get your 270 yet? If so, any “common” issues found yet?
The cowl panel attaches to each one. On the panel there are small retaining arms that extend out. Each arm goes into each clip to hold the panels in place...dumb design if you ask me lol.
I have the same problem on my 05 . One day I was at the car wash and water poured out under the glove box. Now my radio & both windows don't work. Any solution???
If it came from under the glove box you might want to check and make sure the 2 drains under the cowl panel aren't clogged with something. The overflow would spill right out from under the glove box if they were. It would be right in front of the AC filter. If things got wet it could be causing electrical malfunctions.
Raphael, am having a similar issue - after a leak my windows don't work. What was the fix? I have tried drying out the fuse box and now locks work but windows still wont work. Thanks
@@user-jd5sj8jx7r when those panels are out, look straight down, in both sides are a rubber drains, these get clogged, when they do that hollow area fills up with water. Also you can turn wipers on and turn ignition off and stop the wipers on their upper stroke so you do not have to remove. Also there is a cabin filter in there that should be changed.
This is unnecessary. There’s a drain piece in the reservoir under the plastic filter grill on the passenger side that gets clogged up. You can remove this piece and spend zero dollars.
You are correct! In fact there are two drains, one on each side of the car and they do and can get clogged very easily, however even with both drains cleared this leak occurs. The next cause of the leak is what I explain in the video.
Incorrect! The drain holes do NOT drain the water that comes through the cowl clips (if they are no longer properly sealed). These are two seperate areas of potential leakage. Terrible design by Ford!
