Water Leaking from Overhead Console Map Light Button

[06Ex]

Hey there,

New guy here, first post, wanted to say hi! I just traded an 05 F150 5.4L XLT Supercab with 5.4L engine for an 06 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4x4 with the 4.6L w/45k miles. Love it so far but i have a concern.

This vehicle has a sunroof. The other day after a rainstorm, 2nd day of ownership, I took a quick ride downtown, and upon taking a turn, water started coming out of the the overhead console by the driver side map button!!! It wasnt just dripping- it was pouring!!!

I took a quick look up top and my sunroof was closed correctly. I opened the sunroof and poured some water into the channel and water seems to drain down the holes correctly. I also closed the roof all the way and sprayed it with a garden hose, and didnt see any leaking. I cant see where and why water would be leaking out of the overhead console.

I did a quick search on this site and found someone else had this problem, but couldnt find a solution. Has anyone fixed this? I'm going to have the dealer look at it, but I think they might say they cant find anything. Short of pulling the headliner out and looking for the leak, can anyone offer any ideas? Does anyone know how many drains the sunroof channel has? Is it one per corner of the sunroof?

I'm also looking for instructions to remove the headliner if i decide to go down that path. Does anyone have any instructions for how to do this?

Thanks again and this is a great site!

 

[aaronajb1981]

sunroofs have drain lines. I wonder if yours are either disconnected at the sunroof (fell off of the fitting somehow), or the line has something in it.

 

[bek06]

water leak

if i park going down hill in rain i had this problem only happened once

 

[06Ex]

I blew air through the drain lines today and it sounded like there wasnt anything in the drain line. I poured some water into the channel and it seemed to come out of the drain holes in the door jambs without any problems. Do you guys know if there is also drains in the rear of the sunroof channel? i couldnt see any from looking down the top.

Today it rained pretty heavy all day, and there didnt seem to be any leak. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it. Worse case i'll try to get the headliner out and then do the garden hose thing.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[dwink]

Hey there,

New guy here, first post, wanted to say hi! I just traded an 05 F150 5.4L XLT Supercab with 5.4L engine for an 06 Eddie Bauer Explorer 4x4 with the 4.6L w/45k miles. Love it so far but i have a concern.

This vehicle has a sunroof. The other day after a rainstorm, 2nd day of ownership, I took a quick ride downtown, and upon taking a turn, water started coming out of the the overhead console by the driver side map button!!! It wasnt just dripping- it was pouring!!!

I took a quick look up top and my sunroof was closed correctly. I opened the sunroof and poured some water into the channel and water seems to drain down the holes correctly. I also closed the roof all the way and sprayed it with a garden hose, and didnt see any leaking. I cant see where and why water would be leaking out of the overhead console.

I did a quick search on this site and found someone else had this problem, but couldnt find a solution. Has anyone fixed this? I'm going to have the dealer look at it, but I think they might say they cant find anything. Short of pulling the headliner out and looking for the leak, can anyone offer any ideas? Does anyone know how many drains the sunroof channel has? Is it one per corner of the sunroof?

I'm also looking for instructions to remove the headliner if i decide to go down that path. Does anyone have any instructions for how to do this?

Thanks again and this is a great site!

There is a TSB for that very problem. I had it on my 2006- the dealer should fix it for free for you due to the TSB. Check this site, someone has a thread with all of the TSB's listed.

 

[Dave A]

TSB 07-20-6 WATER LEAK IN HEADLINER / DOME LAMP AREA - REVISED

http://arrc.epnet.com/autoasp/data....\081483.pdf&btitle=2006 FORD EXPLORER&yr=2006
ID"auto" Password "auto" will get you in the site

 

[06Ex]

Thank you for the TSB!

I took it in last week, the dealer said i had an obstruction in the drain hose and they said they fixed it. I'll see- so far it's been rained on heavily and no problems yet. If it happens again i'll take it back in with this TSB.

Thanks again!

 

[hoose1979]

Recently bought a used 2006 & noticed this problem after a hard rain. Will be taking it in to get the drain mods per TSB 07-20-6. I know someone posted the TSB previously but I could not access the link. Found this link which does not contain the full TSB but does show the new drain routing on page 3 of the PDF. Will report back on the results of the TSB.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/quickref/On_Target_WINTER_08(FINAL).pdf

 

[oz64cobra01]

Hey 06 EX I have the fix to your problem and all the Ex Sunroof problems

When I worked at Ford in Florida we had this one lady that came in alot for the same isuue with it leaking around the light. Well, I put some leak detection powder around evry possible area and nothing exept where it went out the drains. Finally found that the front left and front right of the sunroof housing wasn't high enough and put in some of that foam sticky insolation around the front of the sunroof housing and wallah no more leak. If you take the seal around your sunroof off and look forward towards your hood you should see what I am talking about. Any questions on this feel free to email me. oz64cobra01@yahoo.com

 

[Stumpman]

I just had this fixed on my 06 and the dealer charged me. I have an appointment on Saturday for Rim leaks that has been ongoing for five months. I will bring this up to them. This will most likely be the last us made car I buy.

Bill

 

[kagee108]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just paid a dealer $400 to "fix" this problem in my '06. Total BS.

 

[Stumpman]

My 06 was just at the second dealer for the water leak. It has been four times now. The last time it was $150.00. The next rain we had leaked from the same spot and now I have a new leak over the rear passenger seat. It goes back next Friday.
Bill

 

[sailfishford]

I had the same problem and i had no idea there was a tsb for it so i thought it was the windshield leaking. I threw some more selant on it and i havent had the problem since.

 

[rlipscomb]

I have a 2007 with sunroof. With severe rainstorm I had leaking from driver's side map light button. Fortunately it's still under warranty, I took it to dealership, who kept it for a week, installed the repair kit, and declared it fixed. We had a Nor'easter in Va Beach 2weeks ago, and water was pouring from the map light button again! Any thoughts?

 

[oz64cobra01]

Leak at light

I have a 2007 with sunroof. With severe rainstorm I had leaking from driver's side map light button. Fortunately it's still under warranty, I took it to dealership, who kept it for a week, installed the repair kit, and declared it fixed. We had a Nor'easter in Va Beach 2weeks ago, and water was pouring from the map light button again! Any thoughts?

Hey rlipscomb, Send me your email address to me at
oz64cobra01@yahoo.com I have the fix for that on Power Point and I will give you my # also. This is not something you must go to the dealership to fix. Worked at Ford for a while and fixed about 4 of the Ex's and Sport Tracs with this same issue. Am working on getting some good pics to post on here so I can help all at one time on a how to. Right now I can help individually.

This PDF TSB is good but doesn't fix the issue when at a terrantial downstorm. Sent my fix into Ford at Dearborn and I had no reply.

TSB 07-20-6 – Water Leak in Headliner
(Supersedes TSB 06-21-17)
Warns of a possible water leak in the headliner/
dome lamp area in 2006-07 Explorers and Mountaineers
built before 3/27/07 and equipped with
a factory-installed roof-opening panel and safety
canopy air bag system. The procedure re-routes
roof drain hoses to improve drainage.

 

[Stumpman]

The dealer fixed mine again. It was good for about two months. The truck moves every day and I had no issues. This past week the truck sat for two days in the rain and when I got in and put it in reverse the water started pouring out. It dipped for about eight miles.

Bill

 

[Toes6]

Same Problem....No Sunroof

So I got the drips from the map light switch last week. I DON'T have a sunroof. Completely removed the headliner....that was fun. Noticed water beaded up and hanging on the entire undersided of the roof. No obvious leaks, roof rack mounts show no rust. Left the headliner down for 3 days, all dried up now. We'll see how it does tomorrow. Think the wife wants her warm dry spot in the garage back...lol

Any ideas?

 

[juicemanfta]

I have this same issue on an 03 limited. this really suck, can i take it to ford and get it fixed for free? i have no warranty.

 

[rlipscomb]

I don't think it'll be free. I brought mine in and they installed the "fix", which did not work. There's someone on the forum, oz64cobra01@yahoo.com, who you can contact, and he has an easy/quick/cheap way to fix it.

 

[tojan19]

Well I've got the same leak on mine, and it's killed my gauges! Hopefully when it dries out they will work again, other wise I'll be giving someone at Ford and earfull.