WARNING 2022 Exposed electrical: uncovered wires and plug under drivers side, DO NOT pressure wash directly!

[JAIME-st]

I was looking under my 2022 Explorer St the other day and I saw that there is a plug and wires under the drivers side, right behind the front wheel that is uncovered. It looks almost like the cowling was supposed to cover the plug but at some point (maybe after production) it had to be cut and now a plug and wires is exposed to the elements. I talked to my sales man at Ford and he said they are all like that and sent me a picture of one on the lot.
This seems like a really bad oversight. As someone who likes to make sure my undercarriage is regularly sprayed down when I wash my vehicle (especially in the winter with salt, sand, etc), there is a high risk that the exposed plug and wires will get damaged when pressure washing. If I didn’t notice this opening before I first washed my new ST, I could have been spraying directly on this plug. It wouldn’t be hard to do accidentally as if you were to bend over a bit and spray under the vehicle there is a direct open path to the plug and wires.
I have a couple questions and would really appreciate if some could answer:

1. I’m wondering if this is something specific to the 2022’s or if this has been like this since the remodel?
2. Does anyone else out there have a similar opening with a plug and wire exposed?
3. If so has anyone attempted to cover it somehow? It looks like there is actually the end of a bolt there that used to have another fastener for the cowling but because the cowling was cut for some reason that part of the cowling can no longer be fastened there??

 

[TwolIter]

22 built in June and mine is the same way. Do we know what this plug is for? Looks like there should be a access cover that is missing. I will probably fabricate something to cover that exposed opening.

 

[F=MA]

My 8-2020 build has the same open hole. Has never caused an issue. Now I know why the racoon has been humping that area of my ST.

 

[TwolIter]

My wife's November 22 is the same..

 

[UNBROKEN]

My 8-2020 build has the same open hole. Has never caused an issue.

Right? People worry about the weirdest things.

 

[JAIME-st]

22 built in June and mine is the same way. Do we know what this plug is for? Looks like there should be a access cover that is missing. I will probably fabricate something to cover that exposed opening.

I agree there looks like there is a cover that is missing that would fasten to that bolt that is right there

 

[JAIME-st]

My wife's November 22 is the same.. View attachment 17048

Right? People worry about the weirdest things.

Right? People worry about the weirdest things.

not really worried, just know that it’s not a great idea to pressure wash an exposed plug like this, seems like there should be some sort of cover for it

 

[JAIME-st]

My 8-2020 build has the same open hole. Has never caused an issue.

I’m glad to know it hasn’t caused any issues!

 

[UNBROKEN]

not really worried, just know that it’s not a great idea to pressure wash an exposed plug like this, seems like there should be some sort of cover for it

Been washing this car for 52K miles including under the hood regularly plus driven in more rain storms than I can count…zero issues.
same can be said for literally every other Explorer on the road…ST or not.
Posting a big WARNING! over a non-issue is pretty funny though.

 

[JAIME-st]

Been washing this car for 52K miles including under the hood regularly plus driven in more rain storms than I can count…zero issues.
same can be said for literally every other Explorer on the road…ST or not.
Posting a big WARNING! over a non-issue is pretty funny though.

That is again good news, thanks for sharing, I just got mine and only just broke 1000km… so I’m sorry if my post was too much, just wanted to give people the heads up, don’t mean to upset anyone…. I apologize if this has upset you. I do think there is a potential to cause some damage however, as it is never a good idea to directly spray an electrical plug with a pressure washer. And if you don’t know this opening is there it is absolutely possible to directly spray this and cause an issue and have no idea why the issue started. I’m going to look into exactly what that plug is to find out more

 

[JAIME-st]

My 8-2020 build has the same open hole. Has never caused an issue. Now I know why the racoon has been humping that area of my ST.

View attachment 17054

Lol

 

[JCR ST]

My '23 is the same.

 

[JAIME-st]

My '23 is the same.

Thanks for letting us know, I haven’t had a chance to look into what the plug is yet but I’ll post here when I do.

 

[blackdog]

You're looking at a relay. Crisis over.

 

[UNBROKEN]

You're looking at a relay. Crisis over.

Issamergency!

 

[JAIME-st]

You're looking at a relay. Crisis over.

Thanks, I appreciate it

 

[FireDemonSiC]

Connections like this are typically weatherpack connectors. They have been in use and exposed this way for decades in all kinds of vehicles and are designed to be water tight even with direct exposure to the elements.

This should not cause any sort of issues.