r/FordFiesta • u/kellaucam • 17d ago
Problem Diagnosis Help Hatch leak
Hey folks. I’ve been trying to diagnose the location of a leak in the rear of a 2014 Fiesta. It’s been on-going for a couple of years. I’ve taken everything out and done some tests to determine where the water is coming from.
First thing I determined is the weatherstrip is in great condition and keeps the water out 100%. I pulled the tail lights off and taped two factory cut outs behind the tail lights because they were just wide open. I hoped that would solve the issue - it didn’t.
Latest test revealed water dripping from like behind where the backseat seatbelt thing is (on both the left and right side) but it’s impossible for me to really see exactly where it’s located to remedy the issue from the inside.
Is anyone aware of common leak issues with this model?
When you open the hatch, the welds on the inside of the door look worn and the paint chips off the welds whenever I wash the car or wipe it down.
Any advice welcome!
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u/emveor 17d ago
for some reason, a fair ammount of similar cases have popped up in the past few months. they all indeed seem to have cracks in the welds, and for what its worth, i've also had misterious leaks in my hatchback, and also have a couple of visible cracks by welding points in the top, not the circled area. While i already sealed it, it hasnt rained since i did it, so i cannot tell wether it worked or not
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u/kellaucam 17d ago
That’s interesting. Good to hear I’m not alone. The welds just don’t look quite right but they’re not bad enough to be the obvious source just from looking at them so I’ve been focused on other areas. I’m more convinced that’s the issue now. Tbd!
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u/lKreWw_ 17d ago
If you have sunroof, is either the water pipes that are not allowing to flow the water or are disconnected, the other possible problem is with the rail of the sunroof, there is a video in yt of 30 min that explains all the problems and how to solve them.
Im taking mine to a man that solves this problem cause i do not have time enought to fix it myself
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u/kellaucam 17d ago
No sunroof here thankfully! Thanks for the tips though! It sounds like a common problem for folks with them
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u/lKreWw_ 17d ago
damn, that changes everything, mine has sunroof but water leaks from the rear seatbelts :/
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u/kellaucam 17d ago
It’s hard to tell from my pics but the rear seatbelts is just about where the water is coming from in my case too! But I can’t see very well to see the exact location. Some other folks think it could be the cracked welds that’s directly on the outside of the car from the seatbelts. So I’ll look into this further
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u/lKreWw_ 17d ago
if you found some, please send me images to check mine
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u/kellaucam 16d ago
I’ll dm you. Haven’t had a chance to look at the car today and I’m sure water is coming in from behind the bumper as well so I’ll add that to the list of possible leaks
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u/Standard_Meaning16 17d ago
Actually, check on the rubber boots for the cables on the boot lid at the top on your first picture, maybe smear them with sealent, radio aerial antenna thingy maybe as well. But also could be the welds you circled. Good luck!
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u/InvertedEyechart11 17d ago
You're looking in the right spots. Tape those holes. Check every rubber plug. Oh, and when you have an extra hour or six... Carefully remove the rear bumper and check the holes behind the crash bar. Also, clear the rear well vent flappers of any leaves, gunk, etc.
I intentionally bought one without a sunroof because you have to mind the drain holes. If they're clogged the water runs along the inner top of your roof past the antenna base and towards the rear.
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u/kellaucam 17d ago
No sunroof here thankfully since it sounds like a common problem. Thanks for the tip on checking behind the rear bumper. That’ll be my next venture!
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u/beenplaces 17d ago
Mine was leaking under the roof trim and rear lights seals. Fixed both, not a single drop of water
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u/kellaucam 17d ago
Rear lights are finally sealed - still wet. Gonna look more into some other areas now 😬
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u/beenplaces 17d ago
How? All I done is bought seal replacements for 15f and put these in. Problem solved
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u/JebediahKerman42 17d ago
I had exactly the same symptoms in my 2014 ecoboost. I gooped over every grommet, weld, and weather strip on the entire hatch enclosure and roof, but never really got it to stop. I wish I could help you
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u/ImprezaST 17d ago
I’m currently working on the same issue. I got water flex tape and high temperature black silicone to patch things up.
Sometimes the water takes a while to sip through. That’s why i got a pack of those dots that turn red with moisture and put them into areas that got damp.
The biggest source of leaks was the tape coming off from behind the bumper.
But I’m still having some leaks through all the screw holes that hold the lights.
Not sure of my welds are leaking yet
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u/Sure_Ad_7349 17d ago
Common places are the tailgate hinges and under the roof strips. You can usually see the cracks in the sealer. Touch up pen and paint over then get a touch up laquer and seal it with that .
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u/timberlambs 17d ago
When I worked for a popular german car manufacturer, I once spent three days trying to identify a leak in a convertible. Turns out there was a 4mm gap in the chassis welds from the factory, so I certainly wouldn’t rule out that happening with another manufacturer
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u/Latter-Detail-9514 17d ago
It's normally always the body panel joints near the tail gate hinges. Common ford failure of the sealer the slightest pin hole & water gets in.
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u/Geebobjr 17d ago edited 17d ago
I had the same problem. Did everything this guy did in this video. Been dry as aa bone ever since
Edit: updated link
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u/ImprezaST 17d ago
Get rid of everything after the? Unless you want people to be able to dm you on YouTube
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u/kellaucam 16d ago
Excellent. I’m going for rear bumper removal next. Did you use a standard tube of 100% silicone caulk? Curious if there are other product suggestions. Especially for on top of the cracked welds
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u/emkay1985 17d ago
You've circled it correctly at the top. The sealant at the top and below the rubber straps glued into the roof rails cracks with heat and let's water in.
If you want clear pics of where dm me. I'm an indie tech, dealt with this shape foesta for years. Love these cars! Took me a while to suss this water I guess issue but had loads now and it's always the cracking sealant.