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Water Leak When It Rains
- Thread starter jweakley
- Start date
Top LEFT pic is the bladder exposed after partially pulling the wheel well lining out of the way. I did not remove the tire, I just put the ST on a jackstand and turned the wheel to the left. Had to remove a couple of retention pop pins, a small retaining screw, a nut-washer in order to deform and lift up the cloth-like lining.
Top RIGHT pic is where the leaves are landing on the window and exiting down and into the relief bladder and the wheel well. The bladder is about the size of a pack of cigarettes.
Very poor design IMHO
(1) the accumulation of leaves fills the rubber relief bladder
You MUST clean out the rubber relief bladder, it pops out and pops back in. This is where the water is accumulating.
(2) Leaves can also fills up the void behind the wheel well splash shield, creating greater moisture issues, like mold/rust. That "gap" between the cloth splash shield and the metal wheel well should also be cleaned out when you clean out the bladder.
Top RIGHT pic is where the leaves are landing on the window and exiting down and into the relief bladder and the wheel well. The bladder is about the size of a pack of cigarettes.
Very poor design IMHO
(1) the accumulation of leaves fills the rubber relief bladder
You MUST clean out the rubber relief bladder, it pops out and pops back in. This is where the water is accumulating.
(2) Leaves can also fills up the void behind the wheel well splash shield, creating greater moisture issues, like mold/rust. That "gap" between the cloth splash shield and the metal wheel well should also be cleaned out when you clean out the bladder.
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CONFIRMED- You have to clean the bladder out: I went to a far NW Chicago suburb (that my BIL works at) and spoke to the FORD service manager and asked about the wet floors and that drain relief bladder behind the wheel well liner on the firewall. He stated: "Of course, IT HAS TO BE CLEANED OUT!!"
Such poor design.
Such poor design.
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There are no front window cowl grates to keep leaves and debris out of this location. The potential for soaked floors in the vehicle is very high if the black rubber drains are not cleaned regularly and you park under trees.
If you have wet floors in your Explorer, and you have ALREADY attempted to clean your sunroof drains be clogged or confirm the roof drain line is connected, you will probably need to clean out the rubber rainwater drain bladders. I confirm this last detail with a Ford service manager.
I did not remove the tire, just turned it and I only removed 2 of the push pins and a bolt/screw because I knew the location of the rubber drains. Both sides are secured in the same manner, along with the location of the drains. Good luck.
If you have wet floors in your Explorer, and you have ALREADY attempted to clean your sunroof drains be clogged or confirm the roof drain line is connected, you will probably need to clean out the rubber rainwater drain bladders. I confirm this last detail with a Ford service manager.
I did not remove the tire, just turned it and I only removed 2 of the push pins and a bolt/screw because I knew the location of the rubber drains. Both sides are secured in the same manner, along with the location of the drains. Good luck.
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