2017 Water Leaks

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jericha jordan

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Looking for others who may have experienced the same...

I bought a brand new 2017 Expedition Limited back on March 28, 2017. After only driving it for three days we noticed the carpeting was soaked after driving through a rainstorm. We immediately brought it back to the dealer who found a leak by the driver side rear wheel well where the vehicle had never been welded when it was built. It spent the better part of the next month in the shop being repaired and supposedly dried out. When we did finally get it back, the carpeting was so wet that it was beginning to mold and there was corrosion on the metal surfaces on the interior of the truck. Also, it smelled like a middle school boys gym locker room. On May 4, the vehicle was swapped out under what we thought was the lemon law and replaced with an identical 2017 expedition. It turns out, our dealer handled it as if we were trading in one vehicle and purchasing another. That’s a different conversation for a different day.

About a month and a half into ownership of the second 2017, we came across our first rain storm. To our surprise, the second expedition also leaked water when it rained. Our dealership eventually discovered a leak around the moonroof (not plugged drains) and another leak by the driver side third row window. There was a steady stream of water that came in all the way around the moonroof and another one by that window in the back where there was a wave in the sheet metal. We got it back after it sat at the dealership for over a month and a half having repairs done to it. A couple weeks after we took possession back, it rained again and we realized the leaks were not completely repaired. We returned to the dealership but they refused to even look at it because they said they took it through their car wash and were not able to replicate the problem. I showed them video of the water leaking in as it rained and was able to corroborate this with puddles of water in the wells where the second row latches to the floor to access the third row. After fighting with them for several weeks I found another dealership that was willing to look at it for me. They verified that there were still significant leaks and accepted the vehicle for service. They had it for a few weeks and returned it to me but kept the service ticket open so we could make sure the repair was actually correct this time. It rained that very weekend and we found that the leaks were still there. After the dealer verified with ford that they should be attempting repair again we returned it. Ford put me into a 2017 expedition that they rented from enterprise. In the meantime, I asked ford to evaluate the truck for repurchase.

As luck would have it, it rained while I was driving the rental. To my extreme surprise, this one had a leak too! As I pulled out of my driveway one day my kids screamed at me to stop the truck. I looked back in time to see water pouring in from the a/c vents in the ceiling.

Fast forward to today, I am waiting on paperwork from the reacquired vehicles program. I need to know though, has anyone else had this problem? I’m convinced this is not an isolated incident seeing as I have had three of them with a significant leak. I’m sure there are more of them out there but maybe people don’t know it. If you’re driving one of these 2017 expeditions around, be sure to feel around your carpeting after going through rain. For me, it was most apparent when I put my fingers underneath the carpeting around those wells where you access the third row. The carpeting it self felt dry at times, but either there were puddles in those wells, or you could feel the water in the padding under the carpeting.

I would love to be in contact with you if you had similar experience...

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jericha jordan

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I bought a Brand new 2017 Expedition and have the same leaking issues! It’s only happened twice but it has my car smelling like a dirty gym locker. Both times I brought the car in and service couldn’t replicate the issue! Has anyone found a solution?
 

hueyf4i

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Bought mine used at 56k as is. My solution is to park it nose down.. haven't had any leaks since. I only ever had an issue when it was parked during rain and when the front end was higher than the rear end......

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

ynpmoose

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My 2016 was leaking on the front passenger floor board, but only sometimes. I followed this video back in the summer and it has not leaked since.
 

Armin

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I just got my own 2017 Expedition back after having water slushing under the floor carpet. That is how I noticed it, as it was a heavy loud wave of water every stop and go. The dealership diagnosed it as the back sunroof drains being clogged. However my symptoms were very different than most, so I'd thought I share it.

So first I never use the sunroof. It may be obvious for others, but I was puzzled how it is possible that I got a huge leak without ever using it. Now I can image some water leaking though the seams, but in my case it was pretty big leak. But it seems water draining is pretty common even when your sunroof is closed 365-24/7. Also my clog must have been pollen or so, as because I don't use it I don't see how other stuff gets in there. That said, I live in the lower Cascade Mountains which means 9 months of heavy rain and also blankets of green pollen from pine trees, so I guess it is possible, but I'm still puzzled how so much water gets in. Seems like a production flaw to have so much water drain through these drains.

Also I had no water run though the AC vents. No wets spots on the ceiling and no water running on the C-pillar. Just a big wet spot on the 2nd row driver side extending to the 3rd row seats. Also a bit of water on the floor on the 2nd row passenger side, but I still suspect this is just from the massive slushing of water I experienced on every break and acceleration. And after drying it out myself, just one rain shower and the slushing would be back.


Also some fun warranty facts. First I had misdiagnosed it myself as water slushing in the back doors and overflowing into my interior as the 2nd row door had its door drain a bit clogged. After however getting more water, I called the dealership up at ~35750 miles. Now I also have extended Ford warranty, so I guess it would not have made any difference, but the Ford dealership brought the bad news that clogged drains are not warranty. Broken seals etc would be, but clogging is usage. This is very different from the other stories here, which seems to get their roofs dismantled under warranty? That would have been a >1100 dollar bill considering the many hours it takes to do this work.

Now don't shoot the dealer, as they just relay the message, and their mechanics need to get payed too. Also they asked Ford for 'clemency' considering my (extended) warranty situation and that I have been a loyal Ford customer for over 10 years with continuously two vehicles with that dealership. And I got it, so ended up paying only some 100 deductible. But that probably means you could be in for a nasty surprise if you encounter different people.
 

07navi

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You're making me glad I bought a truck without a sunroof! I know what the rain is like in the PNW. . .
I lived in the pac nw too and they do get lots of rain. Those moon roofs have been leaking ever since they were invented and it takes some real engineering to control it.
 

MADEXP

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After owning a 2004 Expedition for 13 yrs and having countless sunroof issues...in 2017 I could not find a new (then) Expedition w/o a sun roof...so I ended up ordering one w/o it. Best decision. "Armin" above brings up a good point about the sunroof seals...the seal around the sunroof are not designed for a 100% water proof "seal" ...they are designed to "slow" down the rate of water seeping thru enough that it can be discharged via the drains. A nightmare scenario = something in the drains (pollen, debris, etc) and heavy rain.
 

Dennis_H

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My son has an Escape with a sunroof. Same issues... Have been able to clean the drains with weed eater string fed down through the drain, but when they clog, he gets an indoor pool.
 

HawkX66

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I love the sun roof in my 17 Expy. Not a drop leaks. My 07 doesn't leak a drop either. I doubt it's the design, just who is doing the sealing and how much they've had to smoke/drink...
 
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