Windscreen Leak Experience.

[orangeboy]

Just thought I would make other aware of an issue that apparently common to the Focus range.

I have a Mk 2.5 Titanium, and recently when washing it a drip of water has appeared inside the windscreen from under the interior mirror and was running down to the dash. At first it was only when I washed the car, but got worse so even when it rained it would happen.

At first I blamed the aerial on the roof, and I sealed it 3 times, but still it leaked.

The next stage was the carpet on the drivers side started to get damp.

I called Autoglass as the only other place it could leak was the windscreen, who were really unhelpful. They said they could not remove the screen as their sealant was incompatible with all others and I would need to pay for a new screen at a cost of £799 because I have a rain sensor and it's heated. Sod that! I even asked could I take a hammer to it then get then to fit a new one on the insurance? No, because you've made us aware of it now...bunch of w***s!

Next I called National Windscreens, guy was really helpful and he dispatched a technician to remove the screen and refit it for a cost of £75. When the guy arrived, he said he knew exactly what the problem was. Apparently there is a wire that is connected to the heated screen at the top of the screen in the centre. Through time it "wiggles" about and causes a gap in the sealer and hence the leak. He pealed back the headlining and sealed the gap, all for £40.

So anyone else who has this problem, or maybe just damp carpets in the front should check this, and gibe the helpful guys at National Windscreens a shout.....

Brian

[artscot79]

The wire doesnt wiggle about im afraid its not strong enough and shouldnt move its down to the sealant not being properly applied when the window is fitted at the factory the wires are taped to the inside of the window when spplying the sealant they shoukd be untaped and taped to the outside then the sealant applied in a continous thick line once done the wires are retaped so the bottom wires face externally and the top one internally once fitted the sealant should be left for one hour before fitting the internal wire to the roof

Simply put it was poorly sealed at the factory

[artscot79]

If the windscreen was bonded properly it should be near impossible to remove without breaking or cracking the sealant is meant to be quite thick and pretty strong ive had mine replaced due to a crack and it was exceptionally well bonded

[orangeboy]

I don't disagree with what you say, but the technician said he'd seen a lot in the state my car was in and seemed to know what he was about.

One other thing he mentioned was never to but silicone where windscreen sealer was used as the two will react and lead to even more problems! He said to always use proper windscreen adhesive / sealer.

[Glassman]

Evening gents (and any ladies present).

It seems as though the inference is that this may be a design fault. It's not. Just like the chap who took it upon himself to suggest that the 2005 > 2011 Focus heated windscreen too is a design fault. It's not, and like with most of these issues the fault is usually down to the installation or installer.

artscot79 - what you say is not accurate. In fact, it's far from the reality. A correctly bonded screen cannot be removed by a DIYer, or inexperienced technician. But with the correct know-how and appropriate tools, 99% of bonded windscreens can be removed without damage to the glass, or the car they're removed from. I say 99% because I don't want to be all cocky about and jinx myself!

The 'leaking from the ribbon' thing is something which occurs quite a lot and is usually from human failure. I have never heard about the 'wriggle' and had I not been laughing so much I prolly would have posted a response a bit sooner. Orangeboy: is your screen (or was it) OEM?

[artscot79]

Not disagreeing either but some of the heavily bonded oem screens ive seen replaced have cracked as the bond was so strong i did not say that a diyer could remove the screen nor would i advise it without know how and the correct tools and experience all i meant was the ribbon does not just randomly wriggle around cutting into the sealant so stating the guy was really helpfull etc when hes talking rubbish doesnt fill me with confidence that any leak may be fixed

[orangeboy]

Didn't mean to start an argument!

It was an oem screen, and what I meant by saying the guy was helpfull was he actually knew what he was talking about. I saw the gap for myself and he knew straight away what it would be. I watched him fix it. We then tested it with a hose and no leak.

I'm not sure how or why the wire would cause this, it could well be it was not done properly at the facrory.

Another reason l thought he was helpful was that he didn't have to do what he did. He could have just removed the screen and re bonded it at greater cost to myself. But he didnt.

The reason for my post was to make others aware that this could be the cause of damp drivers carpets.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Ford OC mobile app

[Glassman]

No question of an argument; just trying to introduce a professional opinion which might help explain some grey areas.

Ford cars are known to have bond failure which is usually attributed to poor preparation. Although there is (negligible) movement between the two substrates, there is no way it is enough to describe it as a 'wiggle'. The issue is from the earth strap running across the bond line. Whilst IMO this can be improved by design, it requires a little bit of extra attention during the prep stage to overcome the issue. The factory fit windscreens have been tested vigorously but they're never perfect owing to most of the process being automated. That said, a replacement windscreen can be just as problematic especially if the screen is not prepped correctly. Most leaking aftermarket/aftersale replacement screens usually point towards a join (in the PUR) at the top of the screen right where this 'ribbon' is.

[artscot79]

Rear screens suffer from the bond breaking my rear screen at the top under the spoiler had an inch gap where it had just failed that was removed and refitted and has been fine since

[Rogdog]

Took delivery of an ford Torneo connect at 15.30 3rd March and within 24 hours the front screen started leaking above interior mirror anybody had this with this model this March 2020

[Weave12]

My 16 reg Focus Zetec S developed a leak at the top of the front screen. After reading your post I visited the Manchester Branch of National Windscreens. They were really helpful and found the screen moved when poked with a finger from the inside. Booked me in for the next day and removed the screen without breaking it and refitted for £120.  My insurer only uses Autoglass who I was not impressed by when I last used them and I would have had to pay for a new screen if it was broken during removal. Great service    from National Windscreens. Thanks for pointing me in their direction.

[waxil]

Our 2021 Fiesta MHEV ST-Line has been doing this for a while now, at first I thought it was just condensation and kept drying it.

Reading this thread it seems like National Windscreens are the way to go, but our car is only a year old so is it not worth taking it back to Ford?

[alexp999]

2 minutes ago, waxil said:

Our 2021 Fiesta MHEV ST-Line has been doing this for a while now, at first I thought it was just condensation and kept drying it.

Reading this thread it seems like National Windscreens are the way to go, but our car is only a year old so is it not worth taking it back to Ford?

If it still has the original windscreen from factory then I'd take it to Ford. They may still get someone like autoglass or another mobile fitter out to fix it, but it will be at their cost.

Fwiw I've had my windscreen changed by autoglass through my insurer and not had any issues.

[Mark-UK]

My 2019 Focus was flooding in, went back to Ford, they took everything out of the car, front seats, all carpets, A pillar covers the lot, to dry it out and check there was no rust, They kept it 4 or 5 days to ensure everything was dried out.

The windscreen was taken out and then put back in, as I have the Ford Direct sticker on the glass I knew it was the same glass.

 

This was from just one overnight rain storm, I put the bowl there to try and catch the drips come from under the dash