Ford Fusion 2009 Leak in footwells - pollen filter?

[AndyH106]

Hi All!

I have just bought a Ford Fusion 2009 and am finding the front footwells are filling with water when it rains. I spoke to Halfords who think it will be to do with the Pollen filter. I was going to book in to have it checked out but thought it may be an easy fix if I change the filter myself. 
 

Does anyone know if an old / damaged pollen filter could cause rain water to get into both footwells? Or is it more likely there could be a problem with the seals around the filter?

sorry I am not very good with cars but wanted to see if i can get help for an easy fix or whether i just need to suck it up and pay for someone to fix it.

 

Thanks

Andy

 

[TomsFocus]

Hi,

It won't be the filter itself causing the issue.  That's just a paper insert, it doesn't have a waterproof seal and there shouldn't be any rain water reaching it.

The air intake for the cabin/pollen filter is underneath the scuttle panel, below the wiper arms.  If you remove the scuttle panel, you'll probably find it full of leaves and muck underneath, preventing the area from draining when it rains.  So the rain water goes through the next available hole, which is the air intake hole.

[AndyH106]

Thank you for your help!

and to take the scutter panel off i need to raise the bonnet and unscrew? It won’t just lift off with the bonnet down? Sorry I am pretty clueless with cars 😂

Have you got a feeling that if i remove all the muck then the water should drain to the right place? What do you mean by the water going to the next available hold, where should the water go?

thanks!

[TomsFocus]

8 minutes ago, AndyH106 said:

Thank you for your help!

and to take the scutter panel off i need to raise the bonnet and unscrew? It won’t just lift off with the bonnet down? Sorry I am pretty clueless with cars 😂

Have you got a feeling that if i remove all the muck then the water should drain to the right place? What do you mean by the water going to the next available hold, where should the water go?

thanks!

No problem.

Yes, you need to open the bonnet.  Remove the wiper arms (small plastic covers, then 13mm nuts, then grip the arms and wobble them until they come off the splines).  Once the arms are off then you can lift up and unclip the plastic scuttle cover that runs along the bottom of the screen.  There may be another smaller cover underneath with screws, though I think that's only on the drivers side for the wiper motor.

There's a small trough/channel below the windscreen where the air intake and wiper motor is.  There shouldn't be much water getting into it.  But the water that does get in should drain out of holes at each end of the trough, above the wheel arches.  When those holes are clogged up, the water level rises in the trough until it runs into the intake hole and down to the pollen filter instead.

[TomsFocus]

Tried to find a YouTube video to help but can't find one for the Fusion unfortunately.  It's very similar to the Mk6 Fiesta though.  This video gives a good idea.  Just be aware that it's left hand drive, so the wiper motor and the air intake are on opposite sides to yours.

 

[AndyH106]

Thank you so much, really appreciate your help will give that a go!

[Paulkp]

To get my wiper arms off, on both my Fiesta and Fusion, I needed a puller !  There may be markings on the screen for when you refit the wiper arms to ease  the alignment.

The clips on either end of the plastic scuttle panel look like this:

https://vehicleclips.co.uk/collections/ford-fiesta-trim-clips-fixings-and-fasteners-3/products/bumper-arch-lining-clips-for-ford-1039463-4663587

As  my drive is under trees, I do mine every year to clear out leaves and crud !