Hi Guys,
I am in deep distress as my 2 year old (26k kms) ecosport tdci titanium (o) is showing water leakage into the passenger floor from under the glove box the second consecutive year
All this started during the Mumbai monsoons last year. I was regularly getting my car serviced at one of the authorized service centers in the suburbs.Accident free & Modification free. I was driving as usual as the monsoons started in 2015 doing very light water wading on Mumbai roads and through the occasional normal but constant rains. Then one day as I was driving back from work, it was one of those days when Mumbai saw a downpour on a slightly heavy mode. Heavy rain was banging down on the windshield while I was on the sealink towards Bandra and the wipers on full mode was also of not any help for a few minutes. Once the rain settled down, to my shock I found water leaking into the passenger floor from under the glove box. I was so depressed seeing this. First thing that came to my mind was maybe it should be something related to condensed water from something related to maybe the AC or heater coil getting heated under the glove box. But as I lifted the floor mat, the amount of water that had seeped in was too much to relate to any condensation water issue. It was just rain water. As much as you could cover your feet if you were to place them on the floor. Next morning took it to my office, took the help of my office boy , got a powerful vaccum cleaner that could suck in water and got them 90% dried. Took it to my usual service centre, The SA as smart as he wants to act, started blabbering on "sir, ac ka issue hai, coil kharab hua hai, aapke windshield ke saamne bohut kachra hai". I said whatever but dint buy into his "AC theory" and he promised to deliver the car the next day after thorough cleaning and drying.
Next day being a Sunday, my SA is on leave. I am handed over the car by another SA with a bill of around 4k. I check the items on it and am shocked to see - AC gas refilling charges or something of around 3k. I check with the new SA and he tries to call my SA on his mobile. My SA would have been sleeping on his off day that he dint pick up his phone. The new SA asks me "sir problem kya tha?" I said water leakage issue and there was nothing wrong with the AC. He says" Acha theek hai" and without even blinking he goes to his computer, prepares an new bill with just 300rs on it for cleaning charges and tears of the old bill. I am out with the gate pass. Now there is this regular mechanic boy who is standing there to hand over my car. I had interacted with him multiple times earlier while I had been to the service centre. I asked him what was exactly done. He said" Sir kuch nehi, poora clean kar diya aur ye do rubber bush kaat diya" So as per him the solution from ford to stop blockage of flow of water was to cut these to rubber bush located on extreme inner corners under the hood. (Pic attached). Decided will never go back to this service center again for all the talks the SA had given me the previous day. Was fed up of his hardselling since the previous interactions.
A year goes on.. 2016.. One Service at the next Service center in the suburbs and I am pretty much ok with the new SA and the work done. He said, "Sir the rear break LED lamps are not working. We could change it under warranty but we don't have it in stock now, will do it if you can get the car in next week." I said thanks and left.
Mumbai monsoons are back. No issues during the initial days. Normal regular rain taken well. Now 3 days back there was this heavy downpour once gain while I was on my way to office in the morning. And there again , I see the passenger floor filled with water.I keep my hand under the glove box and its all wet again. I was now parking the car in my office and i noticed now the reverse sensors are not working. As i engage the reverse gear, theres an image with the car and 2 exclamation marks on the front and the back indicating that the sensors are not working. My heart sank.Dont know whether its anything to do with under the glovebox getting wet as the fuse box and other electricals run through that area. I switch off and gets back to office. i Called my new SA and there he goes "Sir we have stopped our association with Ford."
(the reverse sensor starts working once again on its own in the evening when went to pick my car back for the drive home.!!)
Now my hunt for the next Service center. I call up the next dealership and they are not taking any appointments for water leakage issues for one week as they have a huge backlog of cars already in with water leakage issues.
Nevertheless was very nice of the guy whom I spoke to on the phone to suggest a very new dealership opened up in the suburbs again.
Took my car over there and explained the whole story to my latest SA.
In the mean time while I was waiting for the SA to turn up I happened to notice another Silver ecosport with the same water logging on the front passenger floor parked there.
My latest SA has a good look around, opens the bonnet and checks the foam padding under the hood just under the wipers and theres water running through it. The whole foam padding had sunk down due the weight of the water. My SA tried pulling it down and the pad tore as it was already wet.
Now he nods his head as if he has got the problem and says " sir sab kuch nikalna padega dry karke wapas lagana padega. 15k approximately hoga.(including all 3 wiper blades I had asked him to change)" I tell him that the car is under warranty and its accident/modification free and this has to be sorted out under warranty. My SA says he will raise the issue with Ford and check if it can be claimed under warranty. He also asks me to do the same from my side to get in touch with ford. In the mean time he would anyways start the work of drying up the carpet, and the pending recall service that I had to get done.
I get back home, gets in touch with Ford over the toll free number and explained the issue. They said they will look into the matter and get back to me in 24hrs. So today I check with my SA and he says that Ford has approved to sort out the issue under warranty. But my car will take another 3 days as they have to remove the carpet for drying and also open the dash which involves wiring. (I am not liking this, never like tinkering with anything on my car unnecessarily. I like it keeping as stock as possible) I hope I will not face any other issues or rattles now that all these wirings are involved all to sort out water leakage !! keeping my fingers crossed !! Attaching a few images.. Will keep this updated as soon as I get my car back. Hope no one else goes through this on their car !! Any insights into similar issue will be of great help !!
Thanks !!