How To Fix Ford Mustang Passenger Side Water Leak 2005-2009 Plugged Cowl Drain

[@lilcow1]

I had water pour into my 2006 Mustang twice in the past few months. After watching your video, I cleaned the area out, and the water flowed right out when I dumped it on the windshield. THANK YOU!!! I am sure a mechanic would have charged me a lot to do this.

[@Piggles-rq1fy]

Mine told me he'd do it for $180 but didn't notice how easy it was to fix it

[@music-jj2pl]

We just had major rain and historical flooding and my 2012 has water just like yours except more of it. Going to try this out tomorrow morning. Thanks Edit: this was it! The drain was filled with old leaves I used a hanger to clear it out. One thing, the plastic screws didn't unscrew on mine I actually had to push them out from the bottom within the clips without breaking the clips. Thanks again!

[@ShadowMonkey71]

Same, used a flat head screwdriver to push the screw up and hand unscrewed.

[@lynnosa8963]

This video helped me fix the problem, there was a puddle in my car! Instructions easy to follow! Will need to remember to do this once every few months to prevent it from happening again. I’ve had my mustang since 2015. Ladies, you can do it on your own don’t be afraid ! 💪 Thanks so much for the vid !!!

[@tombrennan3458]

THE MYSTERY OF THE PASSENGER SIDE LEAK IN MY 06 HAS BEEN SOLVED THANK YOU LMAO

[@aureliosaldana5844]

Thanks brother! Was heading home in a rainstorm and there's a gush of water just rushing into the mustang from under the passenger side dash and it's not warm. I had no idea why but thanks to your video now I know what to do! Awesome!

[@GanGanRiser]

Literally had the exact same thing happen and I was almost home lol

[@DE4DF1SH]

Oh thank you for this! My mechanic kept trying to tell me that it was my AC leaking, and I kept telling him I thought it was maybe the air intake. Now this confirms it. I'm going to clean it all out tomorrow!

[@jims162]

The grommets holding the cowl(the piece removed to access the drain plug) in are also known to leak and both issues will lead water into the Smart Junction Box on the passenger side kick board which makes your electronic go bananas.

[@miguelmadriz2880]

Exactly my 2013 gt now has non working ac and wipers need a new computer to get that all fixed up.

[@michelynncovarrubias8879]

is that why my stereo won't work sometimes too ? i have a 2014

[@DE4DF1SH]

Ohya, when this happened to me, the horn went off and the headlights blinked LOL

[@geraldoreyes6146]

Thank you for posting this video, I am having that problem with my 2008 Mustang. I didn’t know that that was the problem, I was wondering why my carpet was soaked in water, now I can fix it myself. The dealer wanted to charge me $600.00. Thanks again.

[@MercedesMechanic]

Thanks, my neighbor just had this problem after going to the car wash, appreciate your time in showing how to do this.

[@mirhaider8190]

did it damage anything electrical. happened to my shelby. it was scay!

[@MercedesMechanic]

@@mirhaider8190 Yes it did, they had it in the dealer for a little while and its still happening when it rains. If I had one, I would block off the fresh air intake for the AC and make it water tight. You don't need it when you can just open a window. But I've not looked at one so I'm not sure how I would do it.

[@jdfagen]

Hi Benjamin, Can this also be the problem for a 2012 mustang convertible? Water is in the same area as yours .

[@deltoncbaker]

I used to own a Chevy Suburban and the rear air conditioner had this weird weep hole grommet. I was molded to fit the hole just like your Mustang’s, but also had a hose part that was collapsed. The collapsed tube allowed water to exit, but didn’t allow hot outside air to rush back in, and was surprisedly very effective. The problem was the location of the tube exited in the wheel well above the tire. It would get plastered with mud and grime and clogged up every time it rained. The condensation would fill the tiny reservoir and flood the rear carpeting. I thought that removing the grommet all together would solve my problem, but it created a new problem of mildew in the condenser compartment. The hot warm outside air coupled with the damp condensation was the perfect breeding for the god awful smelling mildew. I wound up building a protective shroud in the wheel well to fix my problem. You might want wrap your hood vents with fine mesh to help keep debris out of the collection reservoir. Your grommet looked like it has tampered with and needs to be replaced.

[@eLGeezyyy]

This video was a lot of help when fixing my 2007 Mustang GT. Thank you.

[@mirhaider8190]

did it cause any electrical damage. it happened to my shelby. it was scary.

[@eLGeezyyy]

@@mirhaider8190 I haven’t noticed any signs of electrical damage.

[@TriodeLuvr]

Many thanks for this video! Our '08 had the same problem, and I just finished the job a few minutes ago. As an afterthought, now I'm wondering if I should have removed the cowling on the driver side too. Maybe there's a pile of small leaves under there I should have cleaned out that will eventually migrate to the drain... :( EDIT: Read more comments below, they say there's a driver side drain. Can someone confirm before I go back out to the car and pull the cowl?

[@LaurieHaley-jy8py]

Yes there is one on drivers side as well i cleared both today equally clogged and it's possible to end up with the same issue since the problem is debri build up leading to clogged drain which as we know will eventually overflow in to or over your firewall and into the cabin floor board. My 2011 GT drove thru hard rains after beach trip and had small drip noticed but I thought it was ac condensation no biggie but another flooding rain came while in store day later and I see gallons of water flowing thru the dashboard underneath nonstop! Had no clue never seen this on my old Mustang 03 v6 I had 15 yrs. Sorry for long reply its an easy fix for both sides and well worth it to never have a waterfall dumped all at once in car or worse electrical issues that can result from the water. I've got 1 light for tire air pressure acting goofy so maybe after today no more dash warning when my tires are fine. My windshield fluid motor stopped a month ago too so who knows..Good luck!

[@TriodeLuvr]

@@LaurieHaley-jy8py Thanks for your reply. I went back into the car today and removed the wiper arms and driver side cowl panel. There was very little to see because there's a shelf and windshield wiper linkage. No way to get my shop vac nozzle below that level, so questionable whether it was worth the additional work. One thing I discovered is that both of the rubber drain vents (passenger and driver) are accessible from the engine side of the firewall. You can just lean in a little and clean them out by hand with your fingers. Not a permanent solution if there's a lot of leaves and crud inside that area, but any standing water will drain out right away and the vents will at least be open for awhile.

[@gradyrogers6707]

People !!! DONT FORGET, YOU MUST SPRAY LYSOL INTO THE VENTS, TURN VENT ON LOW, AND SPRAY LYSOL INTO CABIN AIR FILTER VENT. LYSOL WILL KILL ANY MOLD OR MILDEW SPORES

[@howardkerr8174]

Another tip I read and now follow is to turn off A/C a few miles / minutes from home to let the system dry out. Done this on occasion, you don't have to do it every time you use the A/C, and with 3 different Fords I have never had that wet socks smell.

[@JoyceXifaras]

Lysol doesn’t kill mold nearly as effectively as white vinegar. (That’s what the pros use, anyway.)

[@howardkerr8174]

Thank you for this video, I have had a water leak problem with my Mustang almost from the day I bought it 3 years ago. This is the best video I have found for (possibly?) addressing this issue. I can't wait to try it. BTW, I had no idea that this car has a cabin air filter, so will look into that, too.

[@Kevin-zs9sv]

Thank you, just had to do this in my 2010 after a big storm. I shop vacuumed and used tons of microfiber towels. Now 2 damprids with plastic taped around the area. I hope it doesn’t mold.

[@JustTee3]

Thanks so much. I have an 06 Stang with a huge tree that has leaves falling all year long. This help me out greatly.

[@bennettray8465]

I can't get the plastic covering off because my mustang doesn't have plastic screws it has screws that are flat on the top so you can't use a screwdriver - any suggestions?

[@kpdvw]

good find, now do the same on the left side drain!

[@dannyjones3840]

Thanks for posting this fix! My damn floor is wet because it just rained, and now I can fix it

[@Hippyky00]

Hell yeah this was helpful I was wondering what was going on with my whip !

[@sulyco4380]

Howdy!! We cleaned this out and put netting under the guard to keep debris out . When it rains hard we are still having water on the floor problems without debris buildup. Do you have any ideas?

[@faviang117]

Read the top comment 👌

[@chickenkatsu7863]

Did you check the rear drains?

[@gary-gilbert]

local auto parts stores want way to much for those filters, I normally find a good price on them at rock auto. I'll buy two instead of one when I order to save on shipping. Same goes for wiper blades. They are a lot cheaper online.

[@tava780]

Great video! It's still helping people out. Thank you.

[@mirhaider8190]

does this cause any electrical issues. it happened to my mustang.

[@ianlabtic1846]

Thank you man, greetings from Thailand. Tomorrow i will check mine...

[@billberger]

that air filter getting a nice musty smell now? My work van had to drive through some flood waters here in Detroit and has that distinctive basement smell when ever i start it up now.

[@claytonfite3197]

Ok quick fix, drain is clean. Yes the filter is done!

[@Josh-cw8by]

Thank you. I was able to fix my mom's Mustang. I was a decent son for a day... hahaha. Take care.

[@seniorcomputer3292]

Maintenance item. Clean when replacing cabin filter.

[@milesharlan1]

Thank you..I do not have a mustang but, other car & trucks might have the same way of draining water..Thank You again for the tip! Keep up the good work!

[@sponsoredbylildurk]

where did u get ur grille?

[@Raine_Walker]

Nasty to clean out (not really it was mostly just pine needles) but thanks to you my car is no longer peeing on the inside!

[@Thejazzbo2222]

My 2018 does this but in the drivers side and now also the drivers side front floor board. I hope this is the culprit. Thank you!

[@davidallen9526]

Same problem here with my Mustang GT. Thanks!

[@winkawak]

hi i have a 2013 mustang, my rear driver foot well is wet at the center corner, everywhere else is dry not sure where its coming from. Can these floor pan rust? Well removing seat alone be enough to lift these floor carpet up?

[@YouTubeIsTrash57]

You ever figure it out? Mine gets damp in that same spot too. I know there are drain also on the side rails/skirt but I dont think mine are plugged up because it really only gets wet toward the center of the car & not by the door

[@snl1962]

Make sure that you also clean out the driver side... same set up.

[@sarahmolen7023]

Any other tips? We’ve cleaned it out and my mechanic found there was an additional compartment that was completely clogged in addition to that one. He cleaned them all out and water is still pooling on the front passenger side.

[@FTTBay]

Still looking for a solution for the past year. One of the first things I did was make sure those drains were clear. I then followed another video by removing the clips that the top cover snaps into. I purchased new clips and put sealant around them before replacing them. I put a hose on the corner of the windshield and passenger door and watched where it comes in at the right A-pillar and down near where the wiring harness goes into the passenger door. I just can't figure out the point of entry. I might try to replace the seals around the door.

[@heathercaldwell6242]

Thank you. That was so helpful.

[@condor5635]

My pet peeve is seeing leaves all on the air intake below the windshield when I watch car videos. Not sure how people let tons of leaves just accumulate. Yours were hidden so I’ll give you a break but the ones that are out in the open and just never cleaned is crazy. I wish I you would have pointed out where the water was going when the drain was plugged I didn’t quite see how it gets into the cabin but great video thanks!

[@santayaellavlogss8636]

Wow, thank you so much!!!

[@REXXSEVEN]

Not sure if you should remove the rubber grommet from the drain hole. It might be there to stop rust from eating away at the edges of the metal around the hole.

[@LaurieHaley-jy8py]

My thought as well even though apparently it's faulty or we wouldn't all have leaks from clogged ones

[@phachokegeyoonsawat690]

Your video is very helpful thx

[@kevinrutkowski7849]

Thank you!

[@kathytardiff]

this is exactly what is going in with my 2011, but unfort my windshild wipers are part of the cowl., i bet that is what is wrong! just like the young lady in the video i thought it was the convertable top!

[@lexijocmancuso2605]

Thank you!!!!! I’m having this water issue!!!!!

[@johnvfx143]

Probably the same issue with my 2018 GT. After a car wash the floor gets soaked. Exit hole likely full of leaves etc. Thx

[@donallan6396]

Cabin filters are relatively cheap. Unfortunately they trap lots of bad stuff and are best replaced on a routine bases.

[@Marentes2011]

This helped me so much

[@davidmckinney6577]

Very useful video buddy 👍 I got a truck that does that problem I'll have to tear into it and fix it

[@KD-dm7cq]

Thanks man!

[@elijaheade438]

Thanks for this video! 🤝🤝

[@danielbrowne3079]

Very helpful thanks!

[@MrRebelMan360]

Just a heads up, I pulled the plug out about 2 years ago and I’m still having this issue.

[@princessjac95]

Same.

[@TriodeLuvr]

I suspect the slit in the plug is intended to trap larger leaves and debris that might create blockage you can't access farther down in the body.

[@judgedredd2039]

Well this explains where the water in my back floor board is coming from. Sadly I have to take it in to shop to get this done because The condos I live in forbid working on cars, bah.

[@BreadS197]

Tf lol just drive around the corner, this is a 10 min job

[@generalrambocommando]

You saved me!

[@gradyrogers6707]

I wish you would have shown the drain holes on the backside of engine compartment, blow air through the drain holes, back flush and blow out any debris that you CANNOT see

[@thegamepz]

Good video, but please replace that filter it’s the air you breathe

[@Earstolisten]

Thanks 🙏

[@erice5429]

Thank you...

[@REXXSEVEN]

Very interesting.

[@garrysekelli6776]

Benjamin starts auto repair class and outpaces crisfix within 2 weeks.

[@acreator24]

Same thing happened to me and now I’m trying to determine what got wet and is causing electrical issues.

[@HaveHeart418]

Same honestly I’m gonna have to replace all the fuses

[@jimmycake7143]

flush out drain with white vinegar and baking soda mix

[@crispineda-hill212]

This is happening to me now I think. 🤦🏾‍♂️ first my wipers went out then water started collecting. Now it’s in my floor. Had to cover my car up for the time being until the rain stops

[@ricoealy3519]

I know this comment is old but , did your wipers start working again or did you have to replace the motor?

[@to3mcaldwell]

After mine plugged up again, I pulled those stupid duck bill drains out and threw them away. It still needs checked every once and a while. Leaves and crap can easily plug up pretty good sized openings.

[@REXXSEVEN]

Not sure if you should have removed the rubber grommet from the drain hole. It might be there to stop rust from eating away at the edges of the metal around the hole.

[@tedmehlenbacher5673]

I removed mine and now I'm having horrible wind noise from the passenger side. It may be the cowl... trying to figure it out

[@templariodelapocalipsis2299]

Thank you buddy

[@elc2k385]

cool :)

[@TruckThisGarage]

I only have water pooled up under passenger rear seat?? Anyone else got this problem. Fix?

[@macknumber9]

How does this exactly cause water in the back? Not that I don't believe you I just like to understand the drain ports....if this was stuffed I would just imagine the water backing up over the front area by where the cowl meets the windshield

[@Kevin-zs9sv]

Pretty sure it’s because of the cabin air filter being right there. Water fills up the compartment and through the cabin air intake.

[@macknumber9]

@@Kevin-zs9sv there is no cabin air filter

[@agni8787]

@@macknumber9 what kind of drugs do you smoke?

[@aidoist]

I just did this same thing on mine, funny enough, I have an 08 that looks exactly like your’s ha

[@climrjh8825]

1000 likes👍👍👍👍

[@gilluxero9863]

Damn bro, is there's anything that you wouldn't know.

[@auletjohnast03638]

What happened Benjamin, got tired of doing electrical videos?

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

No, still have those coming! Just haven't had time to do as much editing as I need to.

[@lperea21]

This was a terrible design flaw. The chances that the drainage grommet getting clogged by leaves is not unlikely and for it to overflow into the drivers compartment instead of the engine bay is mind boggling. This is just asking for trouble. Why didn't they just make the overflow go into the engine bay first? It doesn't even require much...

[@LuvMachine77]

2013-14 has the exact same problem. You think they woulda fixed that by then...

[@seniorcomputer3292]

Drawing bugs? Walnut type

[@mohammadnoori3914]

👍👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍👍

[@Q-gf8vb]

Had this happen on mine today during a heavy rain. Fucking Ford.

[@sunnyvalentino]

What years is yours? My 2015 has a damp glove box and I suspect it's this

[@Q-gf8vb]

@@sunnyvalentino 08

[@sunnyvalentino]

@@Q-gf8vb my 2015 has leaks in trunk and front. Just discovered. Eh

[@jessejaynes6432]

udaman

[@jimmycake7143]

shampoo and wash out that engine compartment then tire foam it guy

[@jonathanisenhour7923]

That cabin air filter, oof

[@chasengold1167]

Man every time I hit the breaks there was a full blown waterfall goin on

[@aicram62]

Convert it to an electric vehicle mr. Electrician

[@faststandardify]

Now do the same on the driver's side.

[@brarautorepairs]

I feel sorry for anyone has to experience a Mustang with the 4.0L SOHC engine.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

I guess it's better than no Mustang? I've never personally experienced a "real" Mustang sadly.

[@brarautorepairs]

@@BenjaminSahlstrom I agree 100 percent with you. Not to make fun of your car, this V6 not doing justice. The way you do your work is proper on the channel. My mom bought only bought Mustangs recently. They would be loaded but never would opt for the GT. My brother had the GT. The problem was that Ford put truck engines into a performance car. They really don't come close to the performance or sound the Mustang. I know many people don't want to "speed", however the 4.0L is the wrong engine for the Mustang. The older 3.8l was also bad as well. Ford actually made the later generation V6 much better finally followed by the 2.3L turbo in the latest generation.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

@@brarautorepairs Maybe I'll find a V8 someday. :)

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

What's your favorite year if you were to buy a used one?

[@brarautorepairs]

@@BenjaminSahlstrom In 2011, Ford introduced the 5.0L Coyotee Engine to compete with GM's LS V8. The earliest versions make over 400 hp and are considered to be reliable engines.

[@Kalthoff.]

Please wash that engine off & based on the amount of dirt & debris I suspect you live back in the woods or down a dirt road, so you should be changing that cabin air filter often.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Yup! About 2 miles of gravel road sadly. Haha!

[@vinhtran-rm3tw]

Nine wỏk

[@melisalombard271]

Thank you! Great video