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Location of Rooftop Water Drain Holes?

Exproblems

Explorer Addict
Joined
April 17, 2011
Messages
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City, State
Orchard Park, N.Y.
Year, Model & Trim Level
'05 Explorer XLT 4.0L
Does anyone know the exact location of the rooftop drains holes for rain water or condensation buildup on the roof to drain through? I am not looking for info on where the drain tubes are located under the headliner or pillars, just the drain hole locations on top of the roof. Photos of the drain hole locations would be great if you have any. I haven't been able to see any drain holes on the roof so far, but I am getting water under the drivers foot well carpet when it rains. I do not have any leaking around the moon roof or water stains in the headliner. The only place I see water is under the carpet, which includes water in the wire harness track under the carpet that runs along side the drivers seat. Not sure where the water is coming in from. Thanks in advance!
 



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If you don't have a sunroof I would check your windshield. There are no drains for trucks without sunroofs.
 






If you don't have a sunroof I would check your windshield. There are no drains for trucks without sunroofs.

Thanks for the reply but I did mention I have a "moon roof" in my OP. I have no leaks around the moon roof seal. I looked around the rooftop portion of the windshield weather stripping/seal and don't see any problems with it, but I'll check the lower seal around the base of the windshield tomorrow.
 












I'm thinking one of your drain hoses from the moonroof is plugged or cut on it's way down the A pillar or B pillar. This thread has some good information if you have not seen it already.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152164

Thanks Fordfool2 for the link and yes, I did see this one before during my search of this problem. I haven't been able to find a post with a definitive point of entry for the roof top water, only where to find the drain tubes near the moon roof or where they run down the pillars from there. One post does say there are "2 slits" on each side of the moon roof under side lip that you can only see when the moon roof is open. My problem is, how does the water get to these slits when the moon roof is closed and sealed up? There has to be a point of entry for water to drain through on top of the roof and no one seems to know the answer to this.
 






Thanks Fordfool2 for the link and yes, I did see this one before during my search of this problem. I haven't been able to find a post with a definitive point of entry for the roof top water, only where to find the drain tubes near the moon roof or where they run down the pillars from there. One post does say there are "2 slits" on each side of the moon roof under side lip that you can only see when the moon roof is open. My problem is, how does the water get to these slits when the moon roof is closed and sealed up? There has to be a point of entry for water to drain through on top of the roof and no one seems to know the answer to this.

It seals well, but not perfectly. You have to remember that the rubber seals around that piece of glass sit and bake in the sun all day, every day, and have for a least a decade. Depending on how hard it's coming down, you're GOING to get water in there.
 






You have to remember that the rubber seals around that piece of glass sit and bake in the sun all day, every day, and have for a least a decade. Depending on how hard it's coming down, you're GOING to get water in there.

Yes, I'm aware the rubber seal around the moon roof sits in the sun and weather all day, long cold winters as well here, but mine looks to be intact, no cracking or raised up edges and I do not have any water stains in and around the moon roof headliner area, just under the drivers foot well carpet. If water was leaking into the moon roof drains/slits, then why would I only be seeing water under the drivers foot well carpet? If the moon roof drains were plugged up or disconnected some how, wouldn't I see water stains in the headliner? I would think so. Are you also saying that the only place for water to drain off of the roof is through the moon roof drains? No other drain points on the roof? Thanks for the reply!
 






Yes, I'm aware the rubber seal around the moon roof sits in the sun and weather all day, long cold winters as well here, but mine looks to be intact, no cracking or raised up edges and I do not have any water stains in and around the moon roof headliner area, just under the drivers foot well carpet. If water was leaking into the moon roof drains/slits, then why would I only be seeing water under the drivers foot well carpet? If the moon roof drains were plugged up or disconnected some how, wouldn't I see water stains in the headliner? I would think so. Are you also saying that the only place for water to drain off of the roof is through the moon roof drains? No other drain points on the roof? Thanks for the reply!

The seal may look intact but rubber shrinks and stretches with heat and age. If you have water underneath your feet I would look at your windshield/cowl area instead. You may want to have your A/C checked as well. The condensation it pulls out of the air may not be draining properly. My mom had a Buick that happened to all the time. It would soak the passenger floor.

I don't understand "No other drain points on the roof?". Water runs off via the channels inlaid into the roof. The sunroof drains are just for the small amount of water that may seep into it.
 






If you have water underneath your feet I would look at your windshield/cowl area instead. You may want to have your A/C checked as well. The condensation it pulls out of the air may not be draining properly. My mom had a Buick that happened to all the time. It would soak the passenger floor.

I don't understand "No other drain points on the roof?". Water runs off via the channels inlaid into the roof. The sunroof drains are just for the small amount of water that may seep into it.

Someone else mentioned checking the seal at the base of the windshield yesterday and it rained again today, so I didn't have a chance to look at it. That is my next place to search when the friggin rain finally stops falling around here. Makes more sense to me it could be coming from there, base of windshield since it is leaking under the carpet on the drivers side floor. I'll also pull up the carpet again on the driver side during my search.
On my AC, I really don't use it much unless it is really hot and muggy outside and no wind. I doubt it is coming from there. My passenger side floor is dry also.
No other drain points meant other roof top drain holes for water to run down thru. I was under the impression there were more roof top drains than the ones that run under the seal for the mood roof framework and I know about the roof top channels for water. BTW, do you know how rain water or water from melting snow travels down thru the cowl and on to the ground? Are there drain tubes for that or does it just run straight out to the ground? Thanks for the suggestions.
 






Someone else mentioned checking the seal at the base of the windshield yesterday and it rained again today, so I didn't have a chance to look at it. That is my next place to search when the friggin rain finally stops falling around here. Makes more sense to me it could be coming from there, base of windshield since it is leaking under the carpet on the drivers side floor. I'll also pull up the carpet again on the driver side during my search.
On my AC, I really don't use it much unless it is really hot and muggy outside and no wind. I doubt it is coming from there. My passenger side floor is dry also.
No other drain points meant other roof top drain holes for water to run down thru. I was under the impression there were more roof top drains than the ones that run under the seal for the mood roof framework and I know about the roof top channels for water. BTW, do you know how rain water or water from melting snow travels down thru the cowl and on to the ground? Are there drain tubes for that or does it just run straight out to the ground? Thanks for the suggestions.

I would think there would be some kind of drain tubes to help get rid of some of the water under the cowl, but I'm not really sure. I've been meaning to remove it and clean the decade of pollen and leaves out of there but I just haven't had the motivation to do it. Maybe I'll pull it this weekend if the weather holds out.

I'm down in FL so I get thunderstorms out of nowhere without a cloud in the sky. It's pretty ridiculous and makes getting any work done on the truck next to impossible. That's okay though, when it'd not raining it's 110° out and I don't want to work on it anyways lol
 






I would think there would be some kind of drain tubes to help get rid of some of the water under the cowl, but I'm not really sure. I've been meaning to remove it and clean the decade of pollen and leaves out of there but I just haven't had the motivation to do it. Maybe I'll pull it this weekend if the weather holds out.

I'm down in FL so I get thunderstorms out of nowhere without a cloud in the sky. It's pretty ridiculous and makes getting any work done on the truck next to impossible. That's okay though, when it'd not raining it's 110° out and I don't want to work on it anyways lol

Okay thanks! If I get around to pulling off the cowl, think they just pop in and out, I'll try to see what is down there for water drainage. I do see a small puddle of water on the ground under the vehicle just below the firewall area nearly everyday from overnight condensation run off from the windshield and roof, so there must be path it follows thru the cowl.
I hear you on the rain and heat and working on the Ex, it's been 80'ish here temp wise with 90-100% humidity everyday for the last few weeks and it's getting old, especially the rain and stuffy humidity. I nearly dehydrated :p: myself a few times doing yard work and helping a neighbor cut up a large fallen tree in his yard. The only thing that likes this kind of weather is the Skeeters and other flying insects. Can't get much done.
 






I would think there would be some kind of drain tubes to help get rid of some of the water under the cowl, but I'm not really sure. I've been meaning to remove it and clean the decade of pollen and leaves out of there but I just haven't had the motivation to do it. Maybe I'll pull it this weekend if the weather holds out.

lol

Update on the search for my water leak. No luck yet on the source of the water leak, but I did get a photo of the moon roof drain holes, removed the windshield cowl with a photo of it removed and how to remove the windshield wiper arms. I started by looking for the moon roof drain holes with the moon roof opened up. There are no drain 'slits" as another poster mentioned in another similar topic for water drainage, they are round holes instead. There is one on each side of the moon roof, in the "front corners" in the underside of the framework for the moon roof. They look like black holes as you will see in the photo below. Look for the black hole in the corner of the moon roof, that is the drain hole for that side. There is another one on the other side of the vehicle. I ran a foot or more of wire down the hole and both holes appeared open and clear to the point where my wire hit the bend for the A pillar and the tubing started to bunch up on me at this point. The wire I used was a soft core wire(all I had) and would only go down the hole so far till it started to bend up on me. A stiffer wire would be better to reach the other end of the drain tubing.

013_zps2d8c1e57.jpg


Next I removed the windshield wiper arms, which were extremely easy. My wiper arms have the small spring loaded "lever" located near the pivoting knob that the wiper arm is attached to. To remove the wiper arm, fold out the wiper arm away from the windshield, then rotate the small lever arm outward, holding it in place and pull or pry up on the wiper arm and it should pop right off the pivoting knob. You can use your finger or small flat head screw driver to rotate the small lever arm. Re-installation is reverse of removal just be sure to re-install the wiper arm in the same location on the pivoting knob as before so it clears the windshield properly when you go to use the wipers and so that it returns to it's normal out of the way resting place when not in use. Leave the wiper arms off to remove the windshield cowl.

Below is the photo of the windshield cowl removed. The cowl is one piece that is held in place by upper and lower clips that snap into place in slots, similar to the inner side wall panel clips inside the truck. I started removing/ pushing up on the cowl clips at one side(by fender) and worked my way towards the middle as far as I could go on that side. Then I went to the other side and started prying up on the clips at that end working my way towards the middle, then I lifted up on the cowl to pop off the clips in the middle. I had the cowl off in less than 5 minutes using just a flat head screw driver and a windshield removal tool I have. One or the other can do the job. To re-install the cowl, it is reverse of removal and it snaps back down into place just using your hand/fist to pop it into place.

019_zpsebd41fcb.jpg




As far as my water leak, I found no traces of water under the cowl, in fact, it was bone dry under there and it rained again last night and I saw no drain tubing running through there at all. Rain water appears to drain straight thru the cowl (near the center) to the ground under the vehicle. Base of windshield seal appeared okay as well. I'm stumped at this point as to the source of my water leak. Sorry if the photos aren't that great or if they don't come out at all, new to this photo linking stuff.

Edit: I think I figured out this inserting picture stuff into posts from Photobucket.com
 












I have a 2015 Explorer Limited with the sunroof and the back passenger glass. I back in early Spring 2021 had water coming in from where the controls are above the windshield for the sunroof controls. It was leaking while driving in a heavy rain.....went straight to Ford.....$800 later I had it back, dried out and fixed. Then yesterday I had water not real bad but water draining again from the rooftop controls area.

So today I took some weed whacked line and ran down both front drains and water drained perfectly. Tomorrow I am going to slope the back downward and try running water again to see if the back drain is working......I only see 1 weep hole under the lift gate door.....if there are 2 not sure where it is. We have heavy rain coming on Thursday and don't want the water on the inside.

I too don't know where it is coming from and want answers and yes I know seals are only so good.....but the seals look great.
 






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