2003 Ford F-150: water leaks into the cabin

Filed Oct 17, 2023 · Electrical, Visibility · WA

Our truck has been great but we have a major problem. It is leaking water when it rains. Getting front floor carpet wet and now it is getting the fuse box wet and causing electrical systems to not work. Like today the odometer won't light up. Also dripping from top of windshield. We are having the windshield and seal replaced on Thursday but the glass company says they can't guarantee m of seal will stop the Problem. He said the drain system was factory installed backwards and it's not draining properly.

Filed Mar 23, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 95,000 miles · CA

After a rainstorm and while driving, my windshield wipers stopped working, my radio/cd player started turning off and on, my panel light dimmed, and I heard a clicking noise under my driver side dash board. There was also a clicking noise coming from the engine. While stationary and key out of the ignition, I noticed water on the driver side floor, and when I looked under I could see drops of water sliding off I believe my emergency bake and brake pedal, and an ongoing clicking sound under the steering wheel. I left my truck in driveway overnight, and the next morning my battery was dead. I had aaa tow come and replace battery that afternoon. The next morning the battery was dead again. Aaa came and checked the starter and alternator, all were fine. As they recharged battery there was a weird noise heard in the engine area. I drove it to a mechanic with ford truck experience. He stated the gem and fuse box were wet and attributed it to water leakage coming from the windshield weather stripping trim which was common in fords vehicles. He recommended replacing gem, fuse box, and windshield trim. This water/electrical problem happens every year after a rainstorm. I never thought a vehicle in good condition could have outside water leaks getting inside and onto the fuse box and gem module. The mechanic told me it can become very dangerous for the gem and fuse box to fail because it controls everything in the truck. The gem and fuse box should be protected from outside elements. When water is introduced to these modules, it makes the whole system go wacky and can cause serious and possibly dangerous situations. Ford needs to acknowledge that this is a manufacture defect and fix and/or reimburse us consumers on the cost of fixing it

Filed Apr 6, 2015 · Body · 70,000 miles · FL

2003 ford f-150 lariat supercab it was raining, I got in the truck, water was dripping inside through the center area in the ceiling where the compass is. There are wires up there, so water is not good. I climbed up and looked at the roof outside, and discovered rust on every one of the channels on the roof, one completely rusted through and the rest partially rusted through. Aside from the negative effect on the appearance, this is a problem because: 1. Water dripping into the wiring could cause a short which could lead to a fire 2. Rust-through on the roof could cause the metal to break off at highway speeds and injure someone 3. Decreased structural integrity of the roof could decrease safety in the event of a rollover 4. Rust in the area attaching the windshield could cause the windshield to fail or fly off 5. Water leaking into the roof caused mold, which is a breathing hazard the problem was caused by the defective design - the channels collected water with no way for it to drain, so the water pooled and caused rust, both in the ends of the channels and along the rim of the windshields. The older models were smooth on top so the problem didn't exist. Newer models have fins sticking up rather than indentations, so ford clearly realized there was a problem and changed the design. Ford did not respond when I contacted them about this.

Filed Apr 28, 2010 · Body, Visibility · 162,566 miles · ME

I have a 2003 ford f150, with a 5.4l engine. I found out that my windshield is leaking and seeping water onto my gem/cjb and making it so in rain my windshield wipers shut off, my heater blower to stay on or go on when the key is not in the ignition, and has drained my battery. Here is a copy of the notice ford sent to there dealerships in 2004, *ford special message #15773 various electrical conditions resulting from water intrusion into the gem/cjb some 1997-2002 expedition and 1998-2002 navigator vehicles may exhibit various unusual electrical conditions, including but not limited to: front or rear blower or eatc staying on with key out of the ignition, radio staying on after doors opened and key out of ignition, wiper circuit failure codes, and multiple system warning lights with 'short to power' or 'low battery voltage' dtcs. These symptoms most often occur after a rain or snow. This may be due to gem/cjb water intrusion resulting from a windshield water leak. To service, remove the gem and cjb from the vehicle, separate them and inspect for water contamination or corrosion. If found in either component, replace both components and completely reseal the windshield. Effective date: 04/05/2002 so this is a known issue and they are charging between $900 - $1500+ for repairs and then on top of that charging for the windshield to be replaced. The hazards of this potentially shorting out and having a fire is a risk that I think should be addressed for the safety of the consumers. Having my windshield wipers stop on me in heavy rain on the highway almost caused me to get into a potential accident.

Filed Apr 28, 2008 · Electrical, Visibility · 130,000 miles · MN

Water leaked into the cab trough the windshield and shorted out the gem module and corroded the fuse box. No leak was evident before the short out of various electrical systems.