• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Keep your eye in the spare tire compartment for leaks

Messages
160
Reactions
98
Points
27
Location
The Woodlands, TX, USA
#1
Saw someone on FB share this. Checked min and all seems fine. Their spare tire compartment is completely full of water.
100627268_10158481360965859_7818157869743734784_n.jpg 100819994_10158192849948516_8462913871978430464_o.jpg 100881266_10158192849838516_9018783902524768256_o.jpg
 

KegsBdry

Active Member
Messages
926
Reactions
407
Points
182
Location
WashDC
#2
I'm guessing the leak is on the window? Enough to fill their spare tire compartment?
 

Cdubya

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,442
Reactions
699
Points
262
Location
NE Ohio
Vehicle
2020 Explorer ST
#3
Maybe people who hear sloshing sounds really have a spare tire area full of water...
 

KegsBdry

Active Member
Messages
926
Reactions
407
Points
182
Location
WashDC
#6
Did you ever find the source of the leak?
 

FORDMD2

New Member
Messages
2
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
St. Louis, MO, USA
#7
Had a leak same place opposite side when I ran it though a car wash. Hasn’t leaked since by hand washing or rain. Keeping a close eye on it. Waiting to see if it leaks from a hard rain. Not planning on running through many car washes with it. Water leaks was one of my least favorite problems to pin down as a Ford tech.
 

Dgoebel57

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Messages
130
Reactions
82
Points
27
Location
Faribault, MN, USA
#8
I suspected I had a leaky Right Rear Quarter panel window and spoke to the local dealer about it. Service Manager hadn't heard about any such issues, though he had another ST coming in for the same complaint, he'd schedule mine after our upcoming SoDak trip. While on the trip, discovered I had a very annoying high pitch whine (Really, it wasn't me) in that same area, then while driving down some washboard dirt roads in the Badlands, heard a constant creak/squeek/damn annoying sound. Had my wife drive with me in the far back and nothing I put pressure on including pushing pretty hard on the RR1/4 window would stop that squeek. So After cleaning off some of them there crickets (see pic below)
ST Bugs after 2020 trip.jpg
We found the trail of water in that quarter window leading down to a ...
Leaky 2020 ST.jpg
.very wet Spare tire well pad
Wet 2020 Spare tire well pad.jpg
All drying in the sun now, back to the dealer
 

KegsBdry

Active Member
Messages
926
Reactions
407
Points
182
Location
WashDC
#9
That's awful!! Do they even test their work? Where's quality control?
 

dolsen

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
271
Reactions
157
Points
37
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
#10
Possibly an issue with a baffle in the d-pillar. Very common issue in early 2013-2014 escapes as well as 2018 expedition navigator.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dolsen

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
271
Reactions
157
Points
37
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
#11
That's awful!! Do they even test their work? Where's quality control?
Yes, but when it’s an intermittent issue, it’s hard to catch. Not every single vehicle gets every single test. That would take more time and money than Ford is willing to spend. It’s cheaper to fix the few vehicles that have issues than to test every single one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

KegsBdry

Active Member
Messages
926
Reactions
407
Points
182
Location
WashDC
#12
Yes, but when it’s an intermittent issue, it’s hard to catch. Not every single vehicle gets every single test. That would take more time and money than Ford is willing to spend. It’s cheaper to fix the few vehicles that have issues than to test every single one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fair. Someone should fire the robot that built that guy's baffle in the d-pillar!
 

dolsen

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
271
Reactions
157
Points
37
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
#13
Fair. Someone should fire the robot that built that guy's baffle in the d-pillar!
Haha, it actually has to do with the inability to cure in the various ovens in paint. It is designed to expand when heated and if the d-pillar does not get hot enough or if there are material issues that prevent it from expanding properly (the issue is usually the latter not the former), then the immdiate fix is to use an expandable foam sealer to fill in the insealed areas, and the long term fix is to change material or geometry or both to allow the baffle to properly expand and fill the cavity.
 

Dgoebel57

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Messages
130
Reactions
82
Points
27
Location
Faribault, MN, USA
#14
Turns out it was the Sunroof Right Rear Drain tube improperly installed / kinked that was allowing water into the paz compartment way back. Corrected today by my local dealer, no water in the wayback any more.
 

dolsen

Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
271
Reactions
157
Points
37
Location
Louisville, KY, USA
#15
Interesting, on the exp/nav the drain tube runs down the C-pillar and it was immediately evident that there was a leak coming from the sunroof area. I’m surprised it made its way all the way back to the D-Pillar, but I also know nothing about the sheet metal and inner workings of the 2020 explorer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Ro_Jenks

New Member
Messages
1
Reactions
0
Points
1
Location
Philadelphia, PA, USA
#16
I just discovered this problem in my 2018 Limited. It's a severe thunderstorm happening right now and I parked in the supermarket lot and crawled in the back to get my wet weather floor mats and found water coming through my speaker vent and side panel behind the 3rd row and also on the driver's side behind the third row and coming through the side panel light. I'm seeing this complaint on more than one forum. Ford needs to do something about this. 20210923_132546.jpg 20210923_132546.jpg 20210923_132602.jpg 20210923_132926.jpg 20210923_132546.jpg 20210923_132602.jpg 20210923_132926.jpg
 

KegsBdry

Active Member
Messages
926
Reactions
407
Points
182
Location
WashDC
#17
Damn! That sounds like someone else on this forum that has a back window leak. I wonder if it's the same issue.
 



Top