Water on a parking brake release handle

[MC775]

Hi everyone,

From several days it is snowing and raining hard here in Warsaw PL, and I've noticed that I have a water leak in my Expedition. After some hours of rainfall or snow melting my truck's parking brake release handle is wet and water is dripping on a floor. It seems like the leak is somewhere on A pillar or left kick panel. Are there any known points where water can leak in this area? I've already checked sunroof drains - they seem to be OK, I poured a bottle of water into them and found no leaks inside the cabin. Headliner is dry, so as the windscreen area. I can't reproduce this leak on a car wash - it happens only after some time of raining or snow melting. Any ideas what should I check at first?

Regards,

MC

 

[riphip]

Year? Probably coming from windshield or cowl leak

 

[MC775]

I'm sorry, my signature did not save. The year is 2006.

 

[whtbronco]

If you can't reproduce it finding it may a challenge. I would have said sunroof drain, but you already eliminated that.

So what about the wire routing hose that runs between the A-pillar and front door or the rod below it that provides the detent and stop. Those openings in the A-pillar is above the parking brake pedal assembly.

My other thought would be to run a water hose for a little while down the side of the windshield and A-pillar since you noted that it takes time to leak.

 

[MC775]

I would have said sunroof drain, but you already eliminated that.

I thought I've eliminated that, but today I decided to drive to a car wash once again and spill a decent amount of pressurized water on the roof. And here we go - after 5 minutes water was dripping on a steering wheel from the point where headliner connects with A-pillar. It was also dripping from a brake handle.

I've removed driver's left kick panel and found a sunroof drain hose, hose itself was not clogged but its end sits in some kind of sponge, and I think this sponge might have been blocking water flow. I put the hose through a sponge correctly and now water can flow much faster. I will see if it helped.

Another possibility is a roof rack mounting leaking, but it looks like an easy repair - screws are fairly accessible, so I can remove it and seal it. Previously I owned a '97 2 doors Tahoe where the roof rack was screwed from the downside of the roof - I had to remove the whole headliner to get to the mountings.

Regards,

MC

 

[whtbronco]

Certainly sounds like the leak is around the roof. We have a '03 Monte Carlo that had a sunroof drain hose kinked from the factory. Took years for me to finally fix it and I just got angry and yanked on it one night, LOL. Pulled out about 1" and never a problem since. It used to fill the overhead console with water every time it rained hard.

Anyway, open your sunroof find the drain holes with a flashlight and then grab a 32oz cup of water and poor slowly into each corner starting with the front driver side since that's the likely culprit. You should see water draining out under the truck at the pillars.

If it's the roof rack is leaking I would bet you'll find rust holes under it if you remove it.