New to this forum and thought I'd share my first Mustang experience involving a water leak. I purchased the mint cond. 2005 V-6 coupe with 20,000 miles and a body kit including cat back dual exhast for about $8,000. Obviously my first thoughts were that I'd scored big on this car which the owner said had been sitting unused for the last year because the license had not been renewed. After having the car for a couple days and giving it a good wash job I noticed about an inch of water accumilated on the passenger side front and rear floor. I Googled "Mustang Water Leak Problems" and came up with thousands of posts of pissed off Mustang owners who had purchased brand new 05-10 Mustangs that were leaking water. Now I knew why I got such a good deal on the Mustang!
I spent a few hours looking in all the areas reported to be the cause of leaks (cabin air filter cowling trough area and firewall wiring harnesses). I could hear water sloshing around somewhere up in the passenger dash area but couldn't really find it. I then decided to get the car dry so I could try to see where the water was comiing from and if it was still leaking. The carpets were pulled up and the paddding was removed because it was just soaked through, heavy and won't dry as long as the carpet is on top of it. The carpet has a rubber type base to it that doesn't allow for very good ventilation of the carpet pad.
After closer inspection of the black plastic cowling under the windshield wipers, I noticed that there was not really a tight seal between the glass windshield and the plastic cowling where it meets the glass. Probably because the cowling is made of plastic and not rubber which would conform to the glass and form a seal. When I pulled the cowling off to change the cabin air filter I noticed that the clip holes that hold the cowling to the car were not of the best design and were also not water tight. I cleaned this area well and replaced the cowling. I then took a strip of black electrical tape and ran it accross the bottom of the windshield and over the top of the cowling where they both meet. My car has now been sitting in the rain for 2 weeks and I have also drivin it in the rain. The carpet is dry and the leak has stopped. I am convinced that the water was entering through the cowling clips and leaking into a trough up in the dash area where it would spill into the car when it got full or when it spilled by taking a tight corner.
The electrical tape is a temporary fix but works! I am looking for suggestions on a better way to seal the cowling short of using silicone calking. I'm not too concerned about accessing the cowling or cabin air filters very often.
I spent a few hours looking in all the areas reported to be the cause of leaks (cabin air filter cowling trough area and firewall wiring harnesses). I could hear water sloshing around somewhere up in the passenger dash area but couldn't really find it. I then decided to get the car dry so I could try to see where the water was comiing from and if it was still leaking. The carpets were pulled up and the paddding was removed because it was just soaked through, heavy and won't dry as long as the carpet is on top of it. The carpet has a rubber type base to it that doesn't allow for very good ventilation of the carpet pad.
After closer inspection of the black plastic cowling under the windshield wipers, I noticed that there was not really a tight seal between the glass windshield and the plastic cowling where it meets the glass. Probably because the cowling is made of plastic and not rubber which would conform to the glass and form a seal. When I pulled the cowling off to change the cabin air filter I noticed that the clip holes that hold the cowling to the car were not of the best design and were also not water tight. I cleaned this area well and replaced the cowling. I then took a strip of black electrical tape and ran it accross the bottom of the windshield and over the top of the cowling where they both meet. My car has now been sitting in the rain for 2 weeks and I have also drivin it in the rain. The carpet is dry and the leak has stopped. I am convinced that the water was entering through the cowling clips and leaking into a trough up in the dash area where it would spill into the car when it got full or when it spilled by taking a tight corner.
The electrical tape is a temporary fix but works! I am looking for suggestions on a better way to seal the cowling short of using silicone calking. I'm not too concerned about accessing the cowling or cabin air filters very often.