Ford Flex Cowl Drain Cleaning No Wipers Removed method 2021

This video shows you how to clean your cowl drains in your 2009-2019 Ford Flex to prevent flooding on your floors from a clogged cowl drain. This method skips the need to remove the wiper arms. No special puller or needing to hit the arms with a hammer like the other videos. Save yourself time and your windshield!
Tools needed:
Pry bar or large screwdriver (to turn 2 metal clips)
Pliers (to grab metal clips or they will go flying!)
Small screwdriver (to pop up 6 black clips)
8mm socket (to pop up 2 white tabs)
Vacuum (to clean out the cowl drain area from debris)

[@byronpendleton8272]

This has got to be the BEST video showing step by step how to fix this issue. Removing the wiper blades was way too much work. Thank you. 5 Star Video 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@carlklitzke9455]

Thank you for putting this up! It's more of a pain just removing the windshield wipers than this whole process. Awesome time and windshield saver.

[@fodormotor]

Thanks for this video including what tools to grab. I was able to bang out this cleaning during my lunch break and have time to type this and eat a sandwich. A+ would watch again.

[@billslusher1935]

Thanks WiLL. Genius with the 8mm socket.

[@the38steps]

Thank you for this. Looks much easier than some of the other methods. Great tip using the socket for the white squeeze tabs.

[@CathyKunce]

Thank u for making this video! I’m a 70-something year-old grandmother, and even I could do this! Although, I did break/loose 3 of the 6 black clips 🙄

[@joeg2942]

I just cleaned out the drains following your instructions. Best and easiest way to do the job. Thanks for posting the video.

[@austinhealey4488]

Great video! Thanks!!! I just completed this following your steps. A successfully job with no injuries, damage, or trips to the store! My only variation was a minor one-- instead of an 8mm socket on the driver’s side, I used an 8mm box wrench to reach the clip.

[@swirvdabuilder5378]

ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER FOR ME BRO!!!! THANKS FOR THE SIMPLE SHORT AND SWEET OF IT ALL!!!!! THIS WAS AWESOME.

[@trapperjohn3400]

Nice saves quite a bit of time, thank you

[@HappyCamper1992]

First thank you for the video. Second I guess I got lucky I was able to get my hand to the one on the passenger side and pull it out from the bottom. Yup it was clogged. And was able to replace it without too much issue and without any dismantling. The drivers side I had to use a wooden dowel and a flashlight and with some Dawn dish soap and low amount of water was able to work the clog out from the outside. But thank you for showing me the locations

[@ryanmiller9137]

Short, sweet, and to the point. I would probably have broken those white tabs off. Never thought to use a socket on them lol. Thanks!

[@WiLL02724]

Originally I used needle nose pliers to pinch the front and back of them, but I found the socket to be so much easier ☺️

[@tcatnat70]

Thanks for this. I've been having water in the cabin passenger floor on and off for two years and could not figure it out. Both my drains were clogged to the top. It took me less than 30 minutes but I did lose one of the black clips when it popped out of my hand and fell into the engine compartment. 8mm socket is genius. Super easy when not having to remove the wipers.

[@johnnielsen4759]

Worked Perfectly!! Thank you.

[@LambentPoint]

Easy peasy! Great video! Just did mine.

[@natecole81]

I wish I saw this video before removing the wipers. FYI : the arm puller I bought was about 1/8” off center and kept slipping. Got it done, now to wait for the next rain and see if it works. The 2012 flex has a mess cover over the drain. And a metal covering over that… fun

[@martinfinster9899]

While watching another vid on this, I thought, "I can use a small socket to remove that white clip.". Great minds think alike!

[@jinhiryu1786]

Super helpful. Just did this today, one of my drains was fine the other was completely gross though.

[@JasonPurdyNH]

Cool just what I needed to find. I had been hearing some water sloshing around occasionally inside the dashboard area. My backup camera stopped working and the started working again. (No sure if that was related ) but I began to think about it a little bit more after seeing water on thethe floor mat. I just tackled this job and it looks like it was time! Your video was super helpful. Thank you.

[@WiLL02724]

@@JasonPurdyNH for the backup camera, if you open the tailgate there is a little plastic square cut out. If you pop that cover off you’ll have access to the backup camera wiring. I usually just wiggled it and it would work again. It probably needs an electric contact cleaner spray and dielectric grease for the connector but the quick 10 second wire jiggle works for me when I needed it to work quickly.

[@JasonPurdyNH]

Thanks@@WiLL02724. I'll keep that in mind when goes out again. Or clean it up when I'm feeling more ambitious.

[@ValentyneMusicOfficial]

This video was super helpful to me today! Thanks!

[@thomasanderson6521]

Great video and the idea to use the 8mm socket. My only mistake on my 2009 flex was after I cleaned out the cowl was not trying to run water through the drain hole and I found out later it was plugged up further down. I had to do it all over again this time I took a wire and bent it down the drain hole and then flushed it with water. Second time's a charm and easier.

[@user-yj1qm4vu2f]

Worked great thanks

[@tennaj1367]

Appreciate the video it was helpful. My issue was when I went to the automatic car wash all that water and soap would build up because my drain was not clear which allowed the water to drip down in my heater box so when I turned my heater on it would fog through my vents! At first I thought I had a bad heater core or something until I noticed it only happened when I went to the automatic car wash.. And my coolant reservoir was at the normal level. And also it smelled just like the car washew soap and not sweet like antifreeze. 😊

[@WiLL02724]

Be careful running the heater or AC on full blast through the car wash. It can suck water into the blower fan and short it out. That happened to me! So now I always shut it off fully to prevent it happening again.

[@tennaj1367]

@@WiLL02724 Good advice. 👍

[@carlreeves9329]

awesome,,like the socket idea !

[@gavinj01]

Thanks! What is it with the Flex and doing things the hard way! I recently replaced my HIDs and everyone says you have to remove the grill and number! I found someone like you who showed how to go in behind the wheel wells and it was relatively easy.

[@sammypsycho8273]

I have to do this yearly. What happens if you just pop them pos out and leave them out?

[@ministryofwrongthink6962]

Your muffler will fall into the radiator

[@sammypsycho8273]

@@ministryofwrongthink6962 You win by default. 🤣

[@mark97213]

What is the piece(s) under the cowl vent that you fasten to with retainers? Mine is missing. There's just the top plastic piece that you see behind the hood. The cabin is flooding with water when it rains.

[@thehighhighpriestess]

🤤🥵

[@WiLL02724]

Hey you’re here 😆😆😆

[@thehighhighpriestess]

@@WiLL02724 just here looking for car tips 😅🙈😬