My friend, you are a legend! Had exactly the same problem and fixed it exactly the same way. Your instructional video was perfect and helped immensely. I am not a "car person", but managed to fix this problem with your help. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
great video, was a great help. just a couple of things which I found when I followed your video 1:- I don't think you have to remove the inner trim on either side as the rear lights bolts can be accessed without removing it, 2. If the drain plugs below the vents is removed you can unclip the vents without braking the lugs with the use of a screw driver. cheers
Thank you, glad it helped. You’re quite right regarding the inner trim. I only removed it to check if there was anymore water in the area. Thanks for the tip regarding the unclipping of the vents, I’ll make a note of that.
There are a few videos tackling this problem but yours is by far the most thorough, both in terms of method and presentation. Other people just reached under and pulled the rubber plugs out of that cavity to allow water to drain through the rear subchassis, but that could result in rust issues in the future. Your method is a lot more work but a much more thorough job.
Fantastic video. I've got the same car and the same problem. I had no idea it could be the vent. I didn't even know there was a vent there! Much appreciated 😌
Great video, im about to tackle this job myself. I cannot believe Ford were able to get away with not sorting this out over many years? They clearly have left their customers to do this work themselves.
Did this at the start of the first lockdown in 2020 and cured the problem. From memory, there was no need to remove the internal boot trims, you can do it without that. As for the clips on the vents, if you're sticking it in place with sealant anyway then don't stress if they break. Crap plastic anyway. For those asking what is the point of the insulation, it's sound deadening AFAIK, and stopping water getting in where it shouldn't is far better than letting it in and then slowly draining through the bung hole. In winter it'll probably never really dry out and yes, it will accelerate the formation of rust as over time it will allow the protective coatings to be damaged and then you will get rot. The bung is definitely there for a reason - if there wasn't a reason then Ford, penny pinchers that they are, would not include it.
I went to check the air pressure in my spare tire, which was low so I got it back to spec and in doing so I discovered the whole ring-shaped pad underneath the tire was soaked. Not too much water in the well itself and it was easy to clean. I'll drain those compartments tomorrow and then maybe next week if the weather is good I'll do this fix. The car is over a decade old and this is the first time I've found it wet in there, and the car sits in the rain all winter long, so it seems the seals on mine lasted a good long time before going. Thank you for the effort and time you took to make this video. At least it's not too difficult of a thing to fix.
@@GentilsGarage It turned out those compartments were dry and dusty inside. No sign of any water on anything in there. It turns out that when I had a couple hail dents removed, the PDR tech removed some rubber plugs behind the tail lamp (for leverage points for his tools) but never put them back in. So water was leaking down through those holes. Replaced the plugs and it's all good. Still appreciate your video, as at least I know how to deal with the issue should those vents start to leak.
Today me and my boyfriend followed your video step by step with success , thank you very grateful, fingers crossed the water in the well doesn't return.
Great, great, great tutorial. Did this procedure today on my 2011 mk3. I have it currently in my garage with the bumper unmounted, waiting for the insulation to dry out before sealing back the vents, which I will do tomorrow. Only one note: I totaled the "big" vent on the right side, just to find out that it's easier to remove first the "small" vent (the one on the trunk door side), which goes off easily, then push the clips on the bigger vent through the small vent hole. I removed the vents on the left side in this way without breaking any clip. Hope this helps.
Thanks you very. Nice one work you’ve done. Yes, this was totally new for me and I broke one of the clips, but I was salso told that heating them up beforehand to soften the plastic helps removing them.
Bought this car supercheap yesterday. And found a poolparty in trunk the day after 😅 *THIS* video looks exactly like my problem ❤ I love you (and also guys in comments) This will be a great time for me and my son. We will crash the poolparty next weekend 🥳
Very good video - never would of found the problem without this video - all fixed start to finish about an 1 1/2 hours - An hour to take apart and 1/2 hour to put back together
This video absolutely save my skin. I’ve just brought a 2012 focus with this exact problem. I followed every part of your video although I did drill out the rivets for the bumper retaining bracket just to make life easier and make sure the seal is 100% great stuff. Thank you very much for your video.🎉
@@GentilsGarage when you say the sealant needs time to dry out/cure does it need to be left uncovered and in dry conditions or can you put the rear bumper back on and put everything back together immediately and have it cure with everything back on the car?
Thank you. Give it a go. This was also new to me (although I have a habit of taking things out of car) and I didn’t know what to expect. But, even if you don’t feel confident in doing the job, I hope it is useful.
Have a 2014 mk3 and just found water in the rear passenger foot well and a bit in the front, and loads in the spare wheel hole. Also can see some mold on the side trim of the boot. The driver's side seems dry. Will try out this fix and see if it works. Thanks for the detailed video!
@GentilsGarage did the repair today. Took off the small vent first, as one of the other commenters suggested, so I didn't break any clips. Found a lot of mold underneath some panels, so they're being treated by my girlfriend before going back in the car. Gotta drain the water from the floor, but that's a job for another day. Hopefully, it'll be dry from now on. Thanks again for your help :)
I have the same problem I spoke to a engineer where I work who used to work for Ford and he told me what to do, but to see you do it will make the job a lot easier, he said when he used to do them he would would remove the padding behind the vents and not replace it, as this is how the water soaks in and up across into the wheel well, right now waiting for some dry days and fix mine.
Great video mate. I have just bought an ST3 and i noticed that the lower part of the passenger seat back rest was darker alnost as if the leathers had been contaminated, when I checked it the other day after it rained it was noticably wet. After seeing your video and how only one side had failed it makes sense now. First dry day I get I'll be investigating those vents 👍
For those on a budget , sort term solving the water flushing through the inside of the car . . You can get to a grommet on the underside of that self where the water pools . .the water will run right through the hole rather than build up and cause problems
Short term, yes, but the bung is there also to prevent the water from entering from underneath when driving through puddles and driving through heavy rain. Granted that not much comes from underneath, but those compartiments have absorbing pads inside and if we don't prevent water from coming both ways they will still hold a lot of moisture that will cause condensation and eventually stale water smell inside the car.
Great tutorial. I followed it with my previous Focus 3 hatchback and it worked flawlessly. But I now have a mk3 combi model and I am experiencing trunk water ingress again... I wonder if the same vents are present on the estate model.
Hello Gentil, great video! One problem, I do not have a wife's old hair dryer, I do not even have a wife!!! I think I need to do the following a. Get a wife b. Get her a hair dryer c. Get her a new her dryer so I can use the old one. I am worried all of this may take a lot of time and my focus is full of water...... Can you make video on how to get a wife..... (you make everything look so easy) I think I can handle the whole hair dryer thing then. Thanks again Conor
Hi Connor, thank you for the feedback. I appreciate the video suggestion, but I wouldn’t be the best example as in my case it was my wife that got me, instead of me getting her 🤣. But you can skip the lengthy (and sometimes painful) romantic process by just borrowing a hair drier from a relative, or, buy one from marketplace. Many thanks, Gentil
😂😂 it was recorded at the end of February 2022, lovely day but a bit cold! Who would have thought we would be in later for a heatwave? Thank you for the feedback, glad you found it useful.
It’s funny, there are all these videos of how to fix the exact same problem with the same models of 2011-2014, yet apparently Ford have heard nothing of this manufacturing fault, NONE! One video has 245,000 views yet they claim to know nothing about the Focus Swimming pool edition? People need to collectively complain, my car not only has a mountain of mould, mini swimming pool but also stinks, I’ve contacted Ford who’ve assured me that mine is the first complaint of this, supposedly as rare as rocking horse 💩 yet everyone with this model has encountered the same problem, It’s not asking much to simply have a car that’s water tight
Yes, Ford always find an excuse. They always claim they don’t know anything and nobody complains. Same with the door seals and the flimsy parcelshelf. And let’s not mention Ecoboost…
Yes, could be from the roof rails actually. It’s a leak point, but less common than the rear vents. The roof rails on the MK2 were one of the main culprits for leaks
Hi. Good video. When you put the rear lights back there are 2 locating bolts and holes. Do you put sealant around these holes aswell? Because water could potentially go in these holes and fill the chamber up. I’m just about to put it all back and don’t know what to do. Thanks
Ok I won’t bother this time then because the locating bolts have foam around them and if I put sealant on them I will probably ruin the foam won’t I? Especially if I ever have to take the lights out again. I’ll see if it leaks once it’s all back together. Many thanks mate
One of the best videos for leaks... Can you please let me know how much it costs to get it fixed... Just an idea not precise.. please. I have probably got leak at the same place.. but just on the right. side
I’ve just had this happen to my car too. The bungs that were in the vent well. Can you reach these and remove them to let the water drain out? Without having to strip the bumper off?
You have to remove the inner wheel arch and pull the bumper a bit. It will let the water out, but they those bungs also exist to stop water to come from rom underneath. Also, the insulation foam will still hold some water so you might have some condensation.
@@GentilsGarage amazing super quick reply. Much appreciated, I thought this would be the case, was just trying to short cut my way out of taking it all apart haha
PERFECT VIDEO !!!! Thx a lot ... we've the same problem too right now 😞 ... How u solve the problem with the carpet inside (our carpet is full with mold) ??? To remove (maybe to change) I've to remove all middle parts (gear) and side cover parts along the bottom ... I'm not a pro so it's scares me to remove these parts (I won't break them). Maybe you can send me a message !? THANX A LOT !!!
Thank you. I used a wet vac to remove as much water as possible from the carpets and be cause th weather got really hot after this, i let the windows just a little bit open to help dry. took several days though! if you have mouls, just wash all with a upholstery machine which will also remove most water. use some reusable moisture pads inside the car to reduce condensation
@@GentilsGarage PERFECT 👍 thx for help … this weekend I‘ll remove the whole carpet from the car and use ‚cat litter‘ (hope u know what I mean 😂😂😂) in Germany we say ‚Catsan‘ … and maybe it works 😉👍
Literally got this problem on my wife’s focus, time to get the tools out! Thanks for a really great informative video! I did wonder if it was the vents or the light units that were causing the problem!
Thank you very much. The vents are the source of the leak in most cases as it has been reported for many years by several owners. However, there are other sources of the leak, but they are less common.
@@GentilsGarage pulled the grommets out quickly tonight and I can feel lots of water on both sides. I was able to put the grommets back for now. Bumper off asap to sort. Thanks again!
@@MrMillsy83 good stuff, we’ll done. Some owners just simply take them out and leva them off, but the grommet are also there to prevent water from coming in from underneath.
I had the exact same problem and now I am having electrical issues… the car starts ones in 24 hrs and sometimes the stop button dosemt always turn on or turn off the car . Could this be an electrical issue caused by the water
Great video. Just what I was looking for. 👍🏻 I’ve just had this fix done about a week ago and water is still seeping in to the boot well. Do you think there is an issue with the fix still or do I need to leave more time for drying?
Thank you. Just to double check did you remove all bits of water from those areas and have both vents been sealed? With current temperatures it takes more than 24 hours to cure and if the car but it still should seal. When you have a chance, check the seals again and see if the vents move at all.
This video is two years old now. Would be interesting to know if the problem with water ingress has ever returned again? Does this solution really fix the problem permanently?
I’m hoping this will fix the issue I have with my MK3 focus. Spare wheel well full of water. The insulation carpet that lines the wheel arch is soaking on the rear passenger side. Would have been good to see just how aligned those vent holes were in relation to where the water comes into the boot but great video nonetheless.
@@gvnrchmnd that doesn’t surprise me. Some owners remove the grommets, but they also prevent water going in. My wife’s car still isn’t fully dry on the driver footwell, but the damp smell has gone completely
@@gvnrchmnd Sorry mate im not much of a car person, but are gromits the things under the vent that Gentil's removed to drain the water out the bottom of the car? And do I need to take the bumper off to be able to access these grommets? Did putting a hole in help? Thank you in advance
Those bits are there for a reason. The grommet should be put back in also to prevent water coming from underneath. That area should always be dry, hence why the seals on the vents need sealing.
How did you remove that plasticky thingy that the spare sat on, the one that had tools in it? Seems there is some sort of clamp but I cant figure it out without breaking it
Hi. Great video. Helps a lot. Do you think that the front seat can get wet from the same source. All other parts of my car were wet in the same places as you have shown. Thank you in advance. Br
Thank you. The floor where the front seat is bolted on? Yes it can get get and it depends on how long the water has been accumulating and how the car is driven. My case was extreme as we had the car for 18 months and water was probably already starting to accumulate.
Thanks for your comment. The windscreen hasn't been replaced. The water coolant level is OK. I do get a lot of condensation on my windows due to having water in the footwells. The rubber seal on the lower part of the rear door has had to be stuck back on - a common thing on the Focus but I understand its unlikely that water would get in through the lower part of a door - is that correct?
@@GentilsGarage ok thanks, seem to have lost one at some point so will see what I can find to replace. Great video and info by the way. Strangely my focus didn’t have the insulation material in at all. I can only assume this is as by design for my model (1.6 eco boost) or got missed!
@@GentilsGarage yeh had Fords going back to Capri and Mk3 Escorts. They rusting issues improved around early 2000s. Noticed when I had a mk2 Focus and noticed paint chips underneath etc. and just dull metal showing through, Some sort of electroplating going on. All cars across the board have improved, you dont see rotten cars anymore except really old stuff
Good Video, At least I know what the entire passenger side of my 12 plate is soggy football pitch, would follow all this instruction, but might just pull the gromit and remove padding, scrapping the car in another year anyway... if I was keeping it longer, I would have done it proper ...per your video.....Thanks for sharing
@@GentilsGarage THE BEST vid.. have watched FOUR ! Just popped the bung and drawn out all the wadding ! Dry on other side but will keep an eye on it. Will find a rubber bung or tapered sparkling wine cork to push back in from beneath. Easy to pull out for inspection.😉
Removing the gromets will not fix the leak. Removing them will indeed let the water out, but that area was not designed to drain or accummulate water so you might have issues later. The syntetic pads inside will still abrorb moisture and the car might smell of damp. also, the gromets are there to prevent water from splashing from under neath and if they were not necessary, Ford wouldn't spend money putting them... and we all know how Ford likes to do things cheap.
@@GentilsGarage Today I disassembled parts. Now it's all is dries up. Tomorrow I will seal lights and this place where air is breathing. Then i will give feedback However water was on both sides, on the left and right. But inside car I see more mold on the left. All this happens since five years. I hope I am gonna fix it.
Why not remove that lower rubber bung and leave it out? (Water will only drain downwards so at least it will stop the boot filling back up with water? (Mine is flooded now so I’m going to try that first?)..
It will drain the accumulated water out but the bung is there also to prevent the water from entering from underneath when driving through puddles and driving through heavy rain. Granted that not much comes from underneath, but those compartiments have absorbing pads inside and if we don't prevent water from coming both ways they will still hold a lot of moisture that will cause condensation and eventually stale water smell inside the car.
@@GentilsGarage Having a similar problem and I didn't know I could get at the vents via taking the bumper off, so have removed the bung and pulled the insulation out as it was sodden. Do you think having the insulation back in there is essential? I assume it will just be a bit more road noise without it, and keeping it out means that it can't soak up future water ingress
@@Fudgeis1337 good question! Knowing that Ford is known for being very cost conscious (very tight) when it comes to make cars, I don’t think they wouldn’t put it there if it wasn’t essential. It does absorb some noise as well as some moisture, so I would put it back in.
Likely to be a couple hours of labour plus materials. Garages charges at least £60 an hour these days so probably £120, but it’s best to get a few quotes first.
@@GentilsGarage Fast reply thanks! My Focus is an end of life vehicle (150k miles), the leak doesn't bother me too much - I've just pushed the bungs up for now and am drying off as I type lol. So if the water still gets in surely it'll just drain out the holes rather than coming into the boot as the water won't get chance to rise enough?
@@plxton no worries. most of it will drain, but also the bung stops water for being splashed from underneath. That insulation pad inside that compartment will still get wet and might add to a bit of dampness and smell inside. But since you’re not keeping the car for much longer, then I understand why you wouldn’t want to go to the extent of fixing the leak. Mine was done nearly 3 years ago and it’s dry as a bone.
@@GentilsGarage I'll probably look to remedy properly in a few weeks but a hole will do for now lol. Great video by the way! Really easy to follow and straight to the point!
@@plxton thank you. Yes, removing the Bing for now will at least get rid of one problem and fixing it when the weather is better and warmer is the best option.
Oh dear, that’s awful. I don’t understand how some manufacturers don’t find these problems during testing. Maybe age is something hard to replicate in just 3-4 years of development. Mind you, other car manufacturers had problems with water accumulation. Rover 75 would have its plenum chambers easily flooded and dry teh ECU.
One of the best, most in-depth videos on TH-cam! Fantastic work well done
Thank you very much for the feedback, I appreciate it
My friend, you are a legend! Had exactly the same problem and fixed it exactly the same way. Your instructional video was perfect and helped immensely. I am not a "car person", but managed to fix this problem with your help. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you very much, I'm glad it helped you too
great video, was a great help. just a couple of things which I found when I followed your video 1:- I don't think you have to remove the inner trim on either side as the rear lights bolts can be accessed without removing it,
2. If the drain plugs below the vents is removed you can unclip the vents without braking the lugs with the use of a screw driver. cheers
Thank you, glad it helped.
You’re quite right regarding the inner trim. I only removed it to check if there was anymore water in the area.
Thanks for the tip regarding the unclipping of the vents, I’ll make a note of that.
There are a few videos tackling this problem but yours is by far the most thorough, both in terms of method and presentation. Other people just reached under and pulled the rubber plugs out of that cavity to allow water to drain through the rear subchassis, but that could result in rust issues in the future. Your method is a lot more work but a much more thorough job.
Thank you very much and I appreciate the point you made, which is spot on. Those videos drain the water, but they don't stop the water leaking.
Fantastic video. I've got the same car and the same problem. I had no idea it could be the vent. I didn't even know there was a vent there! Much appreciated 😌
Thank you very much, glad it helped
Great video, im about to tackle this job myself.
I cannot believe Ford were able to get away with not sorting this out over many years? They clearly have left their customers to do this work themselves.
Thank you very much. They have let the standards down in this car and the 1.0 Ecoboost engine too.
Did this at the start of the first lockdown in 2020 and cured the problem. From memory, there was no need to remove the internal boot trims, you can do it without that. As for the clips on the vents, if you're sticking it in place with sealant anyway then don't stress if they break. Crap plastic anyway. For those asking what is the point of the insulation, it's sound deadening AFAIK, and stopping water getting in where it shouldn't is far better than letting it in and then slowly draining through the bung hole. In winter it'll probably never really dry out and yes, it will accelerate the formation of rust as over time it will allow the protective coatings to be damaged and then you will get rot. The bung is definitely there for a reason - if there wasn't a reason then Ford, penny pinchers that they are, would not include it.
Thank you for your feedback. Very good points
Nice one. I just discovered the exact same issue on my 2011 Focus and thanks to you I already know where to go and solve it.
Thank you and good luck with the fix
I went to check the air pressure in my spare tire, which was low so I got it back to spec and in doing so I discovered the whole ring-shaped pad underneath the tire was soaked. Not too much water in the well itself and it was easy to clean. I'll drain those compartments tomorrow and then maybe next week if the weather is good I'll do this fix. The car is over a decade old and this is the first time I've found it wet in there, and the car sits in the rain all winter long, so it seems the seals on mine lasted a good long time before going. Thank you for the effort and time you took to make this video. At least it's not too difficult of a thing to fix.
Thank you for the feedback and good luck!
@@GentilsGarage It turned out those compartments were dry and dusty inside. No sign of any water on anything in there. It turns out that when I had a couple hail dents removed, the PDR tech removed some rubber plugs behind the tail lamp (for leverage points for his tools) but never put them back in. So water was leaking down through those holes. Replaced the plugs and it's all good.
Still appreciate your video, as at least I know how to deal with the issue should those vents start to leak.
Today me and my boyfriend followed your video step by step with success , thank you very grateful, fingers crossed the water in the well doesn't return.
Thank you very much, glad it helped
Great, great, great tutorial. Did this procedure today on my 2011 mk3. I have it currently in my garage with the bumper unmounted, waiting for the insulation to dry out before sealing back the vents, which I will do tomorrow. Only one note: I totaled the "big" vent on the right side, just to find out that it's easier to remove first the "small" vent (the one on the trunk door side), which goes off easily, then push the clips on the bigger vent through the small vent hole. I removed the vents on the left side in this way without breaking any clip. Hope this helps.
Thanks you very. Nice one work you’ve done.
Yes, this was totally new for me and I broke one of the clips, but I was salso told that heating them up beforehand to soften the plastic helps removing them.
Bought this car supercheap yesterday. And found a poolparty in trunk the day after 😅 *THIS* video looks exactly like my problem ❤ I love you (and also guys in comments) This will be a great time for me and my son. We will crash the poolparty next weekend 🥳
Have fun 🤣
Very good video - never would of found the problem without this video - all fixed start to finish about an 1 1/2 hours - An hour to take apart and 1/2 hour to put back together
Thank you very much, I’m glad it helped
This video absolutely save my skin. I’ve just brought a 2012 focus with this exact problem. I followed every part of your video although I did drill out the rivets for the bumper retaining bracket just to make life easier and make sure the seal is 100% great stuff. Thank you very much for your video.🎉
Thank you, glad it helps
Brilliant in depth video. Must have taken a lot of time to film and edit it so well. Thanks for the effort!
Thank you very much. It did took some time, but thankfully not as much as som me of my other videos!
@@GentilsGarage when you say the sealant needs time to dry out/cure does it need to be left uncovered and in dry conditions or can you put the rear bumper back on and put everything back together immediately and have it cure with everything back on the car?
@@hughcornes3310 just do as I did and put everything back together. It’s protected against some elements while it’s curing
Thank for such a comprehensive video. My daughter's car has the exact same symptoms. This gave us confidence to effect the solution
Thank you, I hope it works out for you too
Thank you I was scratching my head until I found you !
Thank you very much, glad it helped
Thank you for this. Whilst this is a bit out of my skill set, ill be sending your video to my garage to ask them to do it ❤
Thank you. Give it a go. This was also new to me (although I have a habit of taking things out of car) and I didn’t know what to expect.
But, even if you don’t feel confident in doing the job, I hope it is useful.
@@GentilsGarage I don't think I'd be strong enough, but thank you as I hope to finally get this fixed 🙏🏻
@@anomalyweddings good luck 😉
Have a 2014 mk3 and just found water in the rear passenger foot well and a bit in the front, and loads in the spare wheel hole. Also can see some mold on the side trim of the boot. The driver's side seems dry. Will try out this fix and see if it works. Thanks for the detailed video!
You’re welcome. I hope you get it sorted
@GentilsGarage did the repair today. Took off the small vent first, as one of the other commenters suggested, so I didn't break any clips. Found a lot of mold underneath some panels, so they're being treated by my girlfriend before going back in the car. Gotta drain the water from the floor, but that's a job for another day. Hopefully, it'll be dry from now on. Thanks again for your help :)
I have the same problem I spoke to a engineer where I work who used to work for Ford and he told me what to do, but to see you do it will make the job a lot easier, he said when he used to do them he would would remove the padding behind the vents and not replace it, as this is how the water soaks in and up across into the wheel well, right now waiting for some dry days and fix mine.
Good luck!
Thanks for the video, very precise. I know what im doing this weekend
Thank you very much
My MK3 to same issue. But like yours only from the driver's side. Once the weather improves I will try to fix it. Thnx for the video. 🤝
Good luck!
Thanks!
Not at all, thank you! Very kind of you
You sir are a legend 🙌 thank you for the detailed video!! .. just done mine today following every step👍 fingers crossed it fixes it lol. Cheers
Glad it helped
Thank you SO MUCH! 🎉🎉🎉
Great video mate. I have just bought an ST3 and i noticed that the lower part of the passenger seat back rest was darker alnost as if the leathers had been contaminated, when I checked it the other day after it rained it was noticably wet. After seeing your video and how only one side had failed it makes sense now. First dry day I get I'll be investigating those vents 👍
Thanks, hop you get it sorted
Brilliant video with excellent explanation.
Followed it to the letter.
Thank you very much, glad it helped
Thanks mate! great video and well explained and demonstrated! I thought it was coming through my light on my zetec S. Brilliant keep it up
Thank you, hope it works for you
@@GentilsGarage 100%. I will be doing it at the weekend buddy 👍🏼
Thanks for your video, I have the same issue and I have just sealed up my vents, fingers crossed it works.
Glad it helped, good luck!
Great video mate, looks like you're gonna save me 2 hours of guess work 😂
Thank you very much, hope it helps
Fantastic video. I have the same problem with my car and this will 100% help me sort it out. Thanks
Thank you very much. Hope it works out for you too.
The Ford focus is better than a Rolls-Royce atlest it as a in car mini swimming pool Rolls-Royce's don't even have that 😂
Shame it’s wasted on me. I can’t swim 😅
Heat up the vent pads with a hairdryer first then tabs give way easier ..
Tried that on another car the other day. Still broke. I guess it depends on the condition of the plastic which can vary
Sorry I failed to mention , a great informational video . Cheers guys
Thanks 👍
Had the same issue with a Vauxhall Antara, fixed now thanks
Thank you very much
Great video which will help when I attempt the leak on my leaking focus 👍
Thank you
For those on a budget , sort term solving the water flushing through the inside of the car . . You can get to a grommet on the underside of that self where the water pools . .the water will run right through the hole rather than build up and cause problems
Short term, yes, but the bung is there also to prevent the water from entering from underneath when driving through puddles and driving through heavy rain. Granted that not much comes from underneath, but those compartiments have absorbing pads inside and if we don't prevent water from coming both ways they will still hold a lot of moisture that will cause condensation and eventually stale water smell inside the car.
I got the same problem . i will try fix in my garage soon. thank you for your help!!!
You’re welcome.
Thanks, I had the same problem, same car.
Hope it gets fixed on yours
Fantastic video, you did a great job there 👍
Thank you very much
10 out of 10. Aim to do this this weekend. So much help. Thanks
Thank you very much, hope it’s sorted
Great tutorial. I followed it with my previous Focus 3 hatchback and it worked flawlessly. But I now have a mk3 combi model and I am experiencing trunk water ingress again... I wonder if the same vents are present on the estate model.
Thank you. Possibly the same vents are installed, but I don’t know the estate very well.
I have got the same issue just havnt given it ago yet , ive got the right tools just need to get some sealant
Good luck
Hello Gentil, great video!
One problem, I do not have a wife's old hair dryer, I do not even have a wife!!!
I think I need to do the following
a. Get a wife
b. Get her a hair dryer
c. Get her a new her dryer so I can use the old one.
I am worried all of this may take a lot of time and my focus is full of water......
Can you make video on how to get a wife..... (you make everything look so easy) I think I can handle the whole hair dryer thing then.
Thanks again
Conor
Hi Connor, thank you for the feedback.
I appreciate the video suggestion, but I wouldn’t be the best example as in my case it was my wife that got me, instead of me getting her 🤣.
But you can skip the lengthy (and sometimes painful) romantic process by just borrowing a hair drier from a relative, or, buy one from marketplace.
Many thanks,
Gentil
Where on earth did you get your weather from?? Sun shining, birds tweating, amazing ,,, good informative video, thanks
😂😂 it was recorded at the end of February 2022, lovely day but a bit cold! Who would have thought we would be in later for a heatwave?
Thank you for the feedback, glad you found it useful.
thanks so much for this, i have same issue and now know what to do
It’s funny, there are all these videos of how to fix the exact same problem with the same models of 2011-2014, yet apparently Ford have heard nothing of this manufacturing fault, NONE!
One video has 245,000 views yet they claim to know nothing about the Focus Swimming pool edition?
People need to collectively complain, my car not only has a mountain of mould, mini swimming pool but also stinks, I’ve contacted Ford who’ve assured me that mine is the first complaint of this, supposedly as rare as rocking horse 💩 yet everyone with this model has encountered the same problem,
It’s not asking much to simply have a car that’s water tight
Yes, Ford always find an excuse. They always claim they don’t know anything and nobody complains.
Same with the door seals and the flimsy parcelshelf.
And let’s not mention Ecoboost…
Great, did this but still have a leak, it's from higher up, think it's coming from the joins in the metal work with the white bonding.
Yes, could be from the roof rails actually. It’s a leak point, but less common than the rear vents. The roof rails on the MK2 were one of the main culprits for leaks
@@GentilsGarage thanks found a great vid on a series of additional areas of leaks. th-cam.com/video/-cCm6cDdoMg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=T1SE43UX_FYNGKGQ
Hi. Good video. When you put the rear lights back there are 2 locating bolts and holes. Do you put sealant around these holes aswell? Because water could potentially go in these holes and fill the chamber up. I’m just about to put it all back and don’t know what to do. Thanks
Thank you. You don't need to do it, but you can if you want since you have it all out.
Ok I won’t bother this time then because the locating bolts have foam around them and if I put sealant on them I will probably ruin the foam won’t I? Especially if I ever have to take the lights out again. I’ll see if it leaks once it’s all back together. Many thanks mate
One of the best videos for leaks...
Can you please let me know how much it costs to get it fixed... Just an idea not precise.. please. I have probably got leak at the same place.. but just on the right.
side
Thank you. No idea about cost, but Ford would charge a lot for hourly labour and would replace the vents with new ones.
Has this stopped the water as I'm going to do this on mine at weekend great video thank you
In my case, yes. I’ve done this several months ago and after several car washes and the recent downpour, the car is dry as a bone inside.
@@GentilsGarage brilliant thank you I'm sure it's the same for my car
Hi just quick question did you put new vents and seal them with silicon ? Hope hear from you soon thanks
Hi, no these are the old vents.
@@GentilsGarage thank u
Have the same problem, thank u
Glad I could help
literally a mistake made on the sealant, all the rest of the car good though. Thanks for the video 👍
Absolutely.
I’ve just had this happen to my car too.
The bungs that were in the vent well. Can you reach these and remove them to let the water drain out? Without having to strip the bumper off?
You have to remove the inner wheel arch and pull the bumper a bit. It will let the water out, but they those bungs also exist to stop water to come from rom underneath. Also, the insulation foam will still hold some water so you might have some condensation.
@@GentilsGarage amazing super quick reply. Much appreciated, I thought this would be the case, was just trying to short cut my way out of taking it all apart haha
PERFECT VIDEO !!!! Thx a lot ... we've the same problem too right now 😞 ... How u solve the problem with the carpet inside (our carpet is full with mold) ??? To remove (maybe to change) I've to remove all middle parts (gear) and side cover parts along the bottom ... I'm not a pro so it's scares me to remove these parts (I won't break them).
Maybe you can send me a message !? THANX A LOT !!!
Thank you. I used a wet vac to remove as much water as possible from the carpets and be cause th weather got really hot after this, i let the windows just a little bit open to help dry. took several days though!
if you have mouls, just wash all with a upholstery machine which will also remove most water. use some reusable moisture pads inside the car to reduce condensation
@@GentilsGarage PERFECT 👍 thx for help … this weekend I‘ll remove the whole carpet from the car and use ‚cat litter‘ (hope u know what I mean 😂😂😂) in Germany we say ‚Catsan‘ … and maybe it works 😉👍
@@michathehero good luck
Literally got this problem on my wife’s focus, time to get the tools out! Thanks for a really great informative video! I did wonder if it was the vents or the light units that were causing the problem!
Thank you very much. The vents are the source of the leak in most cases as it has been reported for many years by several owners. However, there are other sources of the leak, but they are less common.
@@GentilsGarage pulled the grommets out quickly tonight and I can feel lots of water on both sides. I was able to put the grommets back for now. Bumper off asap to sort. Thanks again!
@@MrMillsy83 good stuff, we’ll done. Some owners just simply take them out and leva them off, but the grommet are also there to prevent water from coming in from underneath.
I had the exact same problem and now I am having electrical issues… the car starts ones in 24 hrs and sometimes the stop button dosemt always turn on or turn off the car . Could this be an electrical issue caused by the water
Great video. Just what I was looking for. 👍🏻
I’ve just had this fix done about a week ago and water is still seeping in to the boot well. Do you think there is an issue with the fix still or do I need to leave more time for drying?
Thank you.
Just to double check did you remove all bits of water from those areas and have both vents been sealed? With current temperatures it takes more than 24 hours to cure and if the car but it still should seal.
When you have a chance, check the seals again and see if the vents move at all.
Thank you Gentil , that was a really helpful and thorough instruction video. I’m going out now to start my repairs? Bless you 🙏
Best of luck!
Are you able to drop a link to a parts website that has these vents please?
Sorry, no idea of where to get them apart from Ford. I resealed mine so I didn’t even attempt to get new ones.
Ok I'll try the reseal of originals, thanks for your video and reply, top man!!
This video is two years old now.
Would be interesting to know if the problem with water ingress has ever returned again?
Does this solution really fix the problem permanently?
Hi, my wife's car is still dry as a bone and still no leaks
That sounds good. Then I will also give it a try. Thank you for your video, very good explanation 😊
@@llTwoStripes thank you and good luck!
I’m hoping this will fix the issue I have with my MK3 focus. Spare wheel well full of water. The insulation carpet that lines the wheel arch is soaking on the rear passenger side.
Would have been good to see just how aligned those vent holes were in relation to where the water comes into the boot but great video nonetheless.
Thanks. Hard to tell which lines as the whole vent felt loose.
@@GentilsGarage Ive just got back in from looking at the car. Both sides leaked plenty of water as soon as I pushed the gromits through. 👍🏻
@@gvnrchmnd that doesn’t surprise me. Some owners remove the grommets, but they also prevent water going in.
My wife’s car still isn’t fully dry on the driver footwell, but the damp smell has gone completely
I will replace the gromits but place a small hole in them when I remove and seal the vents at the weekend. Thanks again for such an informative video.
@@gvnrchmnd Sorry mate im not much of a car person, but are gromits the things under the vent that Gentil's removed to drain the water out the bottom of the car? And do I need to take the bumper off to be able to access these grommets? Did putting a hole in help? Thank you in advance
I’ve just seen this the day after buying my focus… I wish I bought something else now 😅
To be fair, other cars have other issues, but some Ford issues do seem to repeat when new models are launched
I fixed mine and I pulled the grommet out under the bumper and pulled the wading out never been a problem again
Those bits are there for a reason. The grommet should be put back in also to prevent water coming from underneath. That area should always be dry, hence why the seals on the vents need sealing.
How did you remove that plasticky thingy that the spare sat on, the one that had tools in it? Seems there is some sort of clamp but I cant figure it out without breaking it
It’s been nearly 3 years since I’ve done this, so I need to have a look again!
Hi. Great video. Helps a lot. Do you think that the front seat can get wet from the same source. All other parts of my car were wet in the same places as you have shown.
Thank you in advance.
Br
Thank you. The floor where the front seat is bolted on? Yes it can get get and it depends on how long the water has been accumulating and how the car is driven. My case was extreme as we had the car for 18 months and water was probably already starting to accumulate.
I have water in the driver-side footwells on a 2016 Focus but NO water in the boot. Is this a totally different issue from taking out the bungs?
Yes, that sounds like it. If the coolant level
Ok and are your door seals in good condition? Also, has the windscreen been replaced at some point?
Thanks for your comment. The windscreen hasn't been replaced. The water coolant level is OK. I do get a lot of condensation on my windows due to having water in the footwells. The rubber seal on the lower part of the rear door has had to be stuck back on - a common thing on the Focus but I understand its unlikely that water would get in through the lower part of a door - is that correct?
Thanks ❤
You’re welcome
Sorted mine a few years back but it seems the Tiger Seal has failed as water is now coming in again. So frustrating...
That is a shame.
Thanks!
It's just ridiculous that Ford still has vehicles that leak. I had a 2006 Mustang that leaked. It was a mess.
I agree
Anyone know where to get some replacements bungs/grommets from as I’ve still got a minor leak after sealing all the vents up real good?
Only from Ford or from a breakers, I think
@@GentilsGarage ok thanks, seem to have lost one at some point so will see what I can find to replace. Great video and info by the way. Strangely my focus didn’t have the insulation material in at all. I can only assume this is as by design for my model (1.6 eco boost) or got missed!
Another well made FORD... know wonder they rust so much.....
not anymore
They aren’t so bad these days, but I guess some cars are better than others
@@GentilsGarage yeh had Fords going back to Capri and Mk3 Escorts. They rusting issues improved around early 2000s. Noticed when I had a mk2 Focus and noticed paint chips underneath etc. and just dull metal showing through, Some sort of electroplating going on. All cars across the board have improved, you dont see rotten cars anymore except really old stuff
Good Video, At least I know what the entire passenger side of my 12 plate is soggy football pitch, would follow all this instruction, but might just pull the gromit and remove padding, scrapping the car in another year anyway... if I was keeping it longer, I would have done it proper ...per your video.....Thanks for sharing
Thank you
@@GentilsGarage THE BEST vid.. have watched FOUR ! Just popped the bung and drawn out all the wadding ! Dry on other side but will keep an eye on it. Will find a rubber bung or tapered sparkling wine cork to push back in from beneath. Easy to pull out for inspection.😉
@@mickjohn8376 thank you very much.
If this job is done at an independent garage what sort of price would be likely, assuming new vents etc?
Not sure. Assume a couple of hours labour plus parts… around £200-300
After removing the trim 'clips' can you use the same ones or do you have to buy new ones? Anyone know?
I managed to reuse all of them. I had to be very careful removing and putting the stuff back in
Is it the same on the wagon as the hatchback?
Not sure to be honest. i havent heard report about leaks on the estate or the C Max
I really dont want to take the entire bumper off to fix this. Can I just take the rivets out and let the water drain ?
Removing the gromets will not fix the leak. Removing them will indeed let the water out, but that area was not designed to drain or accummulate water so you might have issues later. The syntetic pads inside will still abrorb moisture and the car might smell of damp. also, the gromets are there to prevent water from splashing from under neath and if they were not necessary, Ford wouldn't spend money putting them... and we all know how Ford likes to do things cheap.
You don’t need to take all the side trim off to get the lights out. There are access panels already there
This was the very first time I did this job, so probably a few steps won’t be needed next time I do this on another car.
use gloves, tigerseal wont come off your skin for weeks!.... nice video - well done.
Thank you. I did use gloves, they’re just the transparent vinyl ones.
Was there a damp smell?
Yes.
@@GentilsGarage yeh this is what’s wrong with mines, ffs.
Help this channel with a donation on the following link:
www.buymeacoffee.com/Gentilsgarage
I have same issue with mk3.i was in good car repair shop and they couldn't fix it.
Was it the vents or something else?
@@GentilsGarage Today I disassembled parts. Now it's all is dries up. Tomorrow I will seal lights and this place where air is breathing. Then i will give feedback
However water was on both sides, on the left and right. But inside car I see more mold on the left. All this happens since five years. I hope I am gonna fix it.
Why not remove that lower rubber bung and leave it out? (Water will only drain downwards so at least it will stop the boot filling back up with water? (Mine is flooded now so I’m going to try that first?)..
It will drain the accumulated water out but the bung is there also to prevent the water from entering from underneath when driving through puddles and driving through heavy rain. Granted that not much comes from underneath, but those compartiments have absorbing pads inside and if we don't prevent water from coming both ways they will still hold a lot of moisture that will cause condensation and eventually stale water smell inside the car.
@@GentilsGarage Having a similar problem and I didn't know I could get at the vents via taking the bumper off, so have removed the bung and pulled the insulation out as it was sodden. Do you think having the insulation back in there is essential? I assume it will just be a bit more road noise without it, and keeping it out means that it can't soak up future water ingress
@@Fudgeis1337 good question!
Knowing that Ford is known for being very cost conscious (very tight) when it comes to make cars, I don’t think they wouldn’t put it there if it wasn’t essential. It does absorb some noise as well as some moisture, so I would put it back in.
HOW MUCH WOULD A GARAGE CHARGE TO DO THAT?
Likely to be a couple hours of labour plus materials. Garages charges at least £60 an hour these days so probably £120, but it’s best to get a few quotes first.
Would it not just be better to romve the bung?
That only gets rid of the water, but doesn’t stop it leaking.
@@GentilsGarage Fast reply thanks! My Focus is an end of life vehicle (150k miles), the leak doesn't bother me too much - I've just pushed the bungs up for now and am drying off as I type lol. So if the water still gets in surely it'll just drain out the holes rather than coming into the boot as the water won't get chance to rise enough?
@@plxton no worries. most of it will drain, but also the bung stops water for being splashed from underneath. That insulation pad inside that compartment will still get wet and might add to a bit of dampness and smell inside. But since you’re not keeping the car for much longer, then I understand why you wouldn’t want to go to the extent of fixing the leak. Mine was done nearly 3 years ago and it’s dry as a bone.
@@GentilsGarage I'll probably look to remedy properly in a few weeks but a hole will do for now lol. Great video by the way! Really easy to follow and straight to the point!
@@plxton thank you. Yes, removing the Bing for now will at least get rid of one problem and fixing it when the weather is better and warmer is the best option.
Can you just take the plugs out from under car
That’s just to drain the water and won’t fix the leak.
You can just take lights and bumper off
Need to remove more to make sure it’s all dry
I have 2013 black focus and same as me.
I can’t understand why ford didn’t recall them.
Who ever designed this and sold to ford…..😡😡
it's shocking isnt it?
This exact problem just caused my ECM to die and cost me over £1000 shoddy Ford build quality.
Oh dear, that’s awful. I don’t understand how some manufacturers don’t find these problems during testing. Maybe age is something hard to replicate in just 3-4 years of development. Mind you, other car manufacturers had problems with water accumulation. Rover 75 would have its plenum chambers easily flooded and dry teh ECU.
Great job, what a poor design by Ford!
Thank you. It is, but thankfully it was easy to fix
Light seals
Yes, a few had that issue. Mine was the vents
those bloody vents hard to get off
Yes, that’s why mine broke.
Снимать нужно только задний бампер. Ты разобрал пол машины это не надо делать
пришлось проверить, не осталось ли еще следов воды и все высушить
Honestly how the hell were Ford aloud to sell these if they were letting in water this bad…
And the MK2 also had leak problems. But, This is the least of their issues considering they let out the troublesome Ecoboost.
its cost me £110
That’s way too much…
@@GentilsGarage but water dripping from roof... from roof rails.. i cant take roof rails.
Hi i wanted to ask do 17 plate models suffer from this also ?
it is possible, but i havent heard many reports yet. just keep checking now and then the spare wheel well.
@@GentilsGarage thanks , I have been looking but no issues in the time I've owned it.
@@pauljohnson9326 good, hopefully it stays that way
I have also figured out why my car had a funny smell!!!
I have used in the end some re-usable dehumidifiers bags to get rid of the smell while it was drying.
Is regular silicone ok to use?
I would not recommend as it does not have the same gluing properties as a automotive sealant.