mbalogh

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and owning a Mustang in general. I just purchased a 2005 Mustang GT convertible a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we've been having non-stop record rains here in the northeast and I'm having a bit of a water problem. I did some reading on the subject and it seems to be a chronic issue with the 2005 Stangs, especially the convertibles. I've checked everything I can, including the cabin air filter and cowl grommets and they definitely aren't the problem.

After digging into the car a bit, the water seems to be coming in on the passenger side very high up under the dash near the cowl/firewall. If you take out the glove box and stick your head up under the dash you'll see a grey foam pad under the dash pad. Push the grey foam aside and there's a stamped metal lattice/x-shaped support peice that cups upwards. The water is collecting in the cup of that peice and then when I move the car it dumps down the inside of the passenger kick plate on the sidewall and all over the Smart Junction Box. It's not much water... maybe a half cup each time. But it's enough to create some interesting electrical gremlins.

Has anyone else seen this issue? What was the fix? And does anyone have any pics of the dash disassembled so I can see what this metal lattice support peice looks like?... I can't see more than a few inches of it because of the grey foam pad and I'm wondering if the water could be coming in somewhere and running across this peice to settle near the passenger side.

So like I said, it's not the cabin air filter (which is dry) or the cowl grommets. I'm 99.9% sure it's not water coming in somewhere along the passenger window weatherseal and running down the a-pillar... I took off the a-pillar fascia and it was dry inside.

Thanks for any help guys! I'm lost on this one and not sure how to move forward and locate the leak. Hoping this isn't a seam sealer issue between the cowl/firewall panels or something.

Mike

Whitestang41791

ive had the same problem. i talk the dealership about the issue and where it was coming in from but they couldnt find the problem cause it only happened as soon as you moved the car. after numerous failed attempts, they sent the car to a body shop, which they removed the fender and sealed everything. even after huricanne irene that bad boy is still sealed. horrible problem to have BUT there is hope!

mbalogh

Thanks. I was afraid that was the reply I was going to get. :-( I'd really like to avoid having to spend the $$ on a body shop repair if I can, so I want to exhaust all options before going that route.

Whitestang41791

i see your out of warranty so that wouldnt be an option, but there is actually a "how to" either on this site or s197forums.com on how to fix the leak yourself. you take off the cover under the windshield wipers and reseal the grommets. This is where the water comes in from. Happy to give anymore advice if i can since i went through 4 months of hell!

mbalogh

I think I may have found the leak... I was moving the car yesterday and had water on the passenger side again after some rain. When I opened the driver side door, I noticed a drip down the side of the dash. After looking a little closer, I took off the a-pillar cover on the driver side and it was full of water. So I'm hoping what was happening was the water was running down the a-pillar, dripping on the support lattice under the dash, and then running over to the passenger side.

I can't see any obvious defect in the weatherstripping but that has to be the problem... at least I hope! Anyone know where the best place is to get a set?

Off to put some fans under the carpets to dry them out... anyone know any good anti-mildew stuff that I can put on there to prevent it from starting to smell?

Thanks!
Mike

Southern Stang 722

Have someone sit inside the car and run the water hose to see if you can locate the leak. I ended up having to silicone my weather strip on the passenger side because the jack#$% that hacked the paint on the car was too lazy to do it himself when he painted the car a couple years ago. So long story short, resiliconed that strip and leak be gone My leak was exactly where you are describing also.

hollywub

II have a 2006 GT Conv and put it in the garage and don't drive it in the rain. I left it outside during contruction on my garage and I was installing the remote trunk switch and my passenger side was soaked.

I would love to find how to fix this. I just replaced my cabin filter and everything looked clean.

Nuke

Read the TSB on the water leak. SInce you seem to have ruled out the leak thru the cabin air filter, then it sounds like the TSB for the cowl leak most likely.

mbalogh

I finally found the leak this weekend... it turned out to be the foam seal between the hard black plastic weather strip retainer and the a-pillar. There was about a 1" section that was missing and the water could just run right through. Thankfully the fix turned out to be $4 worth of 3M outdoor double-sided tape. We've had a bit of rain and I've hit it with the hose a few times and so far, no leaks. Crossing my fingers that it stays that way!

Thanks for all the help guys!

Mike

Kat88

My 2005 GT is at the dealership now - for the 3rd time. I've had the weather strip in the a-pillar replaced the first time and the cowl grommets sealed the 2nd time. Dealer claims they can't find any more leaks, even though my passenger side was soaked from the rains last week.

Does anyone know if this cowl / a-pillar leak was fixed with the 2011 - 2012 models or is this just a recurring design problem?

Kat