How can I cure a Ford Ka leak?

Dont - it probably wont work and will damage your mental health by the sheer frustration of the on-going situation. I just fold an old bed sheet in the passenger footwell now, with four bricks on top to absorb the water and then change it every week. It would be most helpful if someone would input a clear visual fix on YouTube of all the various drain holes that are mentioned, but sadly no one has. I will never, EVER buy a Ford car again for sure.

Lorraine
January 2023

Pad toilet paper or proper garage paper roll around all suspected ingress points.

Get a garden hose and drench the car - toilet paper where wet will indictate the area problem use blue toilet paper / garage cleanup roll it shows the leak better than white toilet paper.

omendata
December 2014

I had same problem with a puddle of water in drivers footwell after any wet weather. Took my 60 plate KA back to Ford dealer we got it from new ,they told us they were unable to see any water leaking around door or front of car and was told not covered under warranty after a year for any seal or internal water damage!! Not happy my husband and I worked hard for many weekends to solve this leak!
We worked out that water was getting in around drivers side back light cluster and where we park our car on slope on our drive, every time it rained the water tracked down inside the car to drivers footwell!!!
Told garage to sort it!! Ford told us as a ' gesture of goodwill' they would mend the fault which they agreed was from manufacture where the seals on back of car had not been sealed while in factory!! Got new carpets too!!
What a cheek though- a gesture of good will!!
After reading many other customers with similar problems it is definitely worth checking this manufacture fault!!

Louise
October 2012

I recently had this problem and it turned out that one of the pipes that takes the power steering fluid up to the steering wheel was overly rusty and was leeking the fluid into the drivers foot well, causing a puddle! I had it replaced and it hadn't happened again.

Yesterday I got in my car and noticed there was a slight puddle again on the drivers side so I'm taking it to my garage tonight!! Fingers crossed it's something simple.

Ellie
July 2012

I have had my 03 KA since June 08 and until this morning had no problems with water leaks. This morning after 24hrs of heavy rain my drivers footwell was FLOODED. This evening i looked up under the dash to right of the accelerator pedal where I had seen droplets of water on the higher parts of the carpet, with a torch and the area around the gromit where the wires came through the bodywork appeared wet. Looking from under the bonet there was signs of water around the same wire inlet. I will dry this area when the weather dries up!!!!!!!!!!???? and seal with sillicone and see if it works. Fingers crossed!!!

gordon richards
August 2010

If your Ka has air conditioning, it could be a simple blocked drain pipe. Ours leaked a load of water each time the aircon had been used, sometimes several days after when cornering etc. There is a really simple fix which just means lifting the carpet and clearing the blockage. Full details and pictures here: www.pb4kn.co.uk/ka_leak.html

Ka Owner
August 2010

the wet floor could be as a result of a blocked drain pipe around the sun roof the is 2 pipes that can get blocked you need to open the sunroof and you will see 2 holes on the frunt side of the opening you need to use some electrical flex ect to unblock the pipes my one was so blocked i had to take off the housing nuder the drivers wheel and push it up from underneeth as well think this could be caused bye a smashed sun foor and the little bits of glass blocking the pipes i even used a hoover to suck out the pipes hope this helps

steve
April 2010

been in the trade for 20 years befor moving on had a look at the daughters ka water in passengers footwell
took air intake for heater off did not seem to seal that well so resealed it and all joints in area with silicone.When refitting if there is a platic panel over the heater inlet which is shaped with a spout on the bottom which allows water to drip directly on to heater filter mounting face so i cut a hole in the upright platic panel and fitted a spout so the water from screen area does not drip on to heater inlet

rob williams
February 2010

I also have a 2000 Ford Ka and have had this problem with leaking into both passanger and driver side of the car. It seems to happen especially when i start the car and drips down onto my foot.

About 3 months after I got the car I had a problem with losing coolant and had to get the pump fixed. The coolant also dripped onto my foot. I dread the rainy days and my car is smelling damp constantly.

I really hope this problem isn't coming back, I can't be bothred with the car any more. The engine is also rattling like hell and drives me mad! :(

Pinkbublegirl
July 2009

Ford have been having these problems for years. I remember the same fault with Fiestas back in the 90's. Sadly no cheap way to resolve them. Have to get a cheap mechanic to take out the dash, check all the seals and redo the painted seals as has been previously mentioned they often weren't done correctly.

John H
April 2009

we had same prob leaking near join behind pedals on ford ka. took out washer bottle and repainted all welds with seam sealer particularly around the large round rubber seal/bung. seamed to work

wilson
November 2008

Hi all this problem unless you can see straight away where it enters will need the front matting and sound proofing being pulled back and the help of another to be inside while you give it a good soaking all over ,front windscreen doors etc to trace problem this is time consuming and in a ford garage will cost the earth unless new warrenty work. as in any other garage this is costly this is why alot will not be very helpful unless they now they can make a few pounds from it, labour charges could run into a £100 before they even repair it.best be patient and tackle this your self and hopefully it will become obvious where the leak is from and as quick and cheap to fix.most often in older cars sealent between welds has deteriated and is where the water is from remove all lose stuff and use a good make of (25yrs lasting silicon sealer) over the top.rubber seal on door if not damaged pull away and run a film of sealent along bodypart lip and press seal back on also clear any drain holes and check that the heater works as it might also be coolant from matrix this is usaully on older cars. newer cars door my need realigning against rubber door seal.Try the most obvious areas first as mentioned above.wire loom seal and any entery points from pipes and cables and steering.Door protective plastic cover behind trim may need replacing or sticking back and check drain holes in the door well.
Remember if it is taken to a dealer ford,vauxhall etc labour charges are your worst enemy.part £10.00 lab £300. unless confident in diy on vehicles please refer your car to a registered dealer I supply this info for use at your own discression Hope this can help anyone with there problem.

wellyboots
November 2008

Ford Ka and Mazda 2, both seem to have bulkhead leaks from both sides. normally not possible to trace without removing dashboard. Twice i have removed dash and found that the bulkhead to scuttle panel seam has been badly sealed(ie missed seam altogether)
reseal and cured. unfortunately, as yet i am unable to locate where the water accesses the bulkhead seam. so no easy fix. dash takes about 2hrs to lift out far enought to see relevant seams.

andy
November 2008

its probably coming from the windscreen, it may have been replaced and there could of been an air lock in the glue, witched has popped nd now and caused a small hole in the glue line,
best thing to do is take it into auto glass or rac and get them to have a look at it, i ve worked for both and seen alot of this, and 9 times out of ten its the windscreen, if so the screen will have to be removed and refitted, depending on the condition of ur screen u may need it replaced.

i reakon its the screen but also could be blocked drainege pipes from the sun roof

hope this helps cheers

Duncan
November 2008

We have the same problem but with a Ford Galaxy, every time it rains the passenger foot well is soaking wet. Absolutley sopping wet and it won't go away. Water some how is gushing in from under the dash board play havoc with the electrics in the car.

Paul
May 2008

Re: sodden footwells. I had a Ford Galaxy that did the same and after speaking to fords got no joy. Spoke to my little neighbourhood mechanic and he said that sometimes the drain holes around the windscreen get blocked with road muck. Hubby took a metal coathanger, poked the holes clean and it never did it again. Hubby has now got a little KA to run around in and its doing the same and this weekend that faithful coathanger is going to come and and clean the drain hole. Apparently the drain holes are in a gutter along the windscreen and they drain excess water from the windscreen down a gully to an outlet in the wheel arch, if they are blocked either form the top or bottom, the water just overflows and runs through the dash etc, with possible electrical damage imminent. The magic coathanger worked in the Galaxy. Just a thought, it may be that.

Jayne
April 2008

Hey Annie,
I have eventually had this pollen filter problem fixed. I sent it back to the Ford Dealership armed with print outs of these pages (which worked out to be a godsend) as they said to me that they have never heard of the problem also.......
Enter my Dad! He was speaking to a chap in servies who said he needed to speak to Customer Servies. As soon as he was put on the phone to them the lady said it has nothing to do with her and they should not have given him her number! Does anyone at Ford know anything about their services???!!! What a joke.
He then demanded to speak to the director. The director said he has never heard of the problem but as my dad had 'How to mend it.com' pages in his hand, quickly quoted peoples problems and how they managed it. "What do you want me to do?" came the directors reply. My Dad then explained that he wasnt expecting anything for free but a recognition of how many times I had been in with the car AND I told them from the start what the problem was, he thought that 50% off the bill would be sufficient. The director was agreeable and said that the bill would be half of the quoted £204.00 and now would be....£102.00.
My boyfriend has sinced washed it for me (i am so lucky!) and it has rained a few times, and guess what? No leak so far.......It just stinks now of water that has been lingering. If only Ford had offered me a Valet for free!!!
I hope this helps all you Ka owners out there, and if not, we can all come together and go to WatchDog about Ford and their terrible service.

Natalie
April 2008

I have the same problem. I bought my 2005 Ford Ka secondhand in October and all was fine until I notice there seemed to be a lot of frost on the INSIDE of the windshield every morning. Had to keep scraping away until I googled the problem and saw a note about leaking footwells. Checked both footwells and the driver's side is dry (crossing my fingers here) but the passenger side is SODDEN. Took it to a local mechanic (not Ford) and mentioned blocked pollen filters as the potential problem. He had a look but said it wasn't the pollen filters but the sealant. He added more sealant and I thought everything was ok, the car dried out but as soon as the rain came again... so did the puddle!

Went back to the Ford dealership where I originally bought it and explained the problem and was informed that because I hadn't informed them straight away, they were under no obligation to fix it. I told them that I had originally called them up when I first noticed the problem and explained that I had only just bought the car from them a month ago but no one seemed to care and I was just told that it would cost minimum £80 for them to look at it, plus any additional repairs.

Now am struggling to decide what to do. If I take it back to the local mechanic, he might do the same thing and it still won't be fixed. If I take it to Ford dealership, they may well fob me off. The manager told me on the phone that she had never heard of the problem as well. So much for Customer Service! I am very disappointed as I thought that car was lovely apart from this problem, especially seeing as this now seems to be a VERY COMMON PROBLEM!

Never going to buy Ford again.

Annie
April 2008

I noticed that my 02 plate KA luxury had a puddle in the passenger footwell, initially thinking that my brother (who borrowed the car for 2 weeks while I was on holiday) had spilt something, used the wet/dry vac to suck up the water. This, i thought, had cured the problem only to notice that when we had a downpour, the inside of the car would be soaking wet both on the carpet and also on the windscreen. It would be so bad that when it froze outside, I would have a layer of thick ice on the inside of the windscreen.My friend fits and repiars windscreens for a living so i called upon his help, thinking that the windcreen seals had gone. He had a look and explained that ford Ka's and mondeo's have a common fault with the grills below the windscreen) I took it to my local dealership (Bristol Street in Cheltenham) explaining what my friend had said only to be told that this was not the problem. i was then told that the car is suffering with "water ingress into the passenger footwell". State the obvious! They say that it was the airconditioning duct was blocked and the condensation was building up. The fact that i had not had the aircon on only baffled me further. The problem seemed to clear up after paying £60 to them only to discover on the next rain storm, the puddle was back. I took it back to the dealers who insisted that they had rectified the fault. I now have what looks like a lake in the footwell. I am having to put a dry towel in there each day, to soak up the moisture. My father took the car back today and they have called to say that it is indeed the pollen filter seals need replacing. So my friend was right all along. They then told me the bill to repair this was £204. i nearly fainted. I have no choice but to let them do it as they say that they have my car 'in peices'. I am NEVER buying a ford again. Shoddy customer service, as if I am a woman who knows nothing of cars!! Its a shame as I have always wanted a Ka.

Natalie
March 2008

David Liddles answer was very detailed and factual, cleaning out the area under the windscreen, where the heater intake and windscreen motor are and clearing the water outlets, which have rubber flaps at either end by the wings appears to have worked. Adding a coat of waxoyl also helps.

Pete Rogers
February 2008

I had the same problem and found that it was coming into the car due to the water vent on the plastic cover for the windscreen washers being blocked. The water built up and had only one place to go into the car. I took the covers off and cleaned away all of the debris that had accumilated and cut away the vent cover to leave a larger opening behind the rubber vent cover, by the side of the battery, and the problem has ceased.

Jules Fisher
January 2008

I had a problem with the passenger side footwell. I could see water dripping down from behind the heater ducts.
To cure it I removed the plastic trim on the outside, just under the windscreen. Here I found debris, (a mushy mud, probably from dead leaves) I cleared this out and made sure water was draining away easily. I used wd40 (you could use waxoyl) and sprayed it around the area. Problem solved!
PS To removed the water from the footwell, just remove the plastic bung in the floor and let the water drain away.

Dave Liddle
January 2008

I got the same problem. I found when it parked downhill water came in at bottom of both doors, seemed to build up through the seals. So thought I'd solved it by parking it uphill. Now I got the problem with the drivers side so I think it same as some above, and it's coming in through the pedals. Took it to a ford dealership but they didn't have a clue and said they had never heard of this problem I thought they were lying as it then made them liable for the Ka's they were selling. I love my car and can't afford to get rid of it!

joanne
January 2008

I have just bought my daughter a KA as her first car. I have the same problem. A little more serious though, the car failed its MOT because the bulkhead is rusty. I set to today and removed the wipers the radiator reservoir the washer bottle I have taken out the dashboard and released the heater ducts. This has allowed me to weld the bulkhead. The heater ducts are not sealed in any way and the way the steel is organised the water drips back towards the bulkhead. When the job is finished this overhang will be positioned so water drips away from the bulkhead. I cant believe the water from the windscreen is directed staight down with no seal. Possible other final solution I used in my firs Mini. Drill two 1" holes in the floor !

John Beattie
January 2008

i have the same prob, i bought the car at auction and all appeared well......then the rain came!! now after weeks of messing about and resealing my windscreen and doors my passangers and i am still happily splishing about.!!! quack quack!!!! help its driving me mad

debbie
January 2008

my ford ka has the same problem as Jims, and is leaking between the metal plates that form the bulk head.Water pours in around the pedal area every time it rains.If you pull the carpet and sound proofing back you can see the water coming in through the join.Now trying to see if ford will carry out repair under warranty.

billy
December 2007

My Ka has been leaking for quite some time and it's not the windscreen, its coming in from under the steering wheel and splashing onto my feet. It's no small leak anymore, i have ruined several pairs of shoes!!. Paddling while driving is no fun. I love my Ka her name is Uma, but resently its been one thing after another. The leak, The steering, The bushes.....i can go on for some time. I have lost all confience in my car, perhaps its time to trade her in for a citroen C3???

Antonia
December 2007

Same again. . . . 03 Ka

I've been spending loads of money at garages trying to get my Ka drivers-side leak fixed for months now. Have even had all the carpets out at home and done the water pouring test and it definitely seems to be coming from the somewhere way up above the pedals - but when I tell the garage that they have no idea.

The next expensive step is to get the garage to take the whole engine out . . . is it worth it? This morning my car is once again absolutely soaking wet and I am completely fed up ! Help !

Kat
November 2007

i have a 55 reg ka which has leaked into drivers side footwell from day 1. Ford dealer has resealed bulkhead (un sealed panel joints), also air pockets in other sealant areas. new carpet and sound insulation under warranty. Its still leaking in year 2 of new warranty, but Ford do not cover water leaks in years 2 and 3.
Now seems to be leaking near drivers door seal at bottom. door membrane is waterproof and complete.

Bruce
July 2007

Same here, just had to scoop 20mm of water from the passenger footwell. Car had been sat of the drive facing slightly downhill.

Kevin
May 2007

I have this problem also. From what I can see the water enters between the windscreen seal and the windscreen, runs to the bottom of windscreen in the channel beneath the rubber, and through a small hole in said channel. At that point it disappears. The next wet point is the driver footwell area but if the mat is lifted the felt matting appears to be wettest near the door area. Will be pulling windscreen rubber out as soon as dry weather returns, and then resiliconing.

Dan
April 2007

try the seal that the wires come thourgh on the bulk head pull it out clean it and put it back in and seal it with some silicone a round the seal that will sort it out. i have a leak on the passenger side not comming from any thing front of the car looks like its comming from under the car . i will put it up on a jack and look i will get back to you if i find it. Mark

mark kiely
March 2007

Just to add to the list, same here.
I was thinking of trying to get it fixed at a ford garage, but was afraid to pay money just to be told nothing was wrong. Reading this list, I see that others have already had just that happen to them.

This car has been a disaster from start to finish. The dealership sold it me with a flat. I took it back and asked to have it changed, and they changed the wrong tyre. I found that the spare was illegal, the speakers conked out during a service and the garage said 'we don't go near the speakers' and refused to do anything about it. Then the heater packed up, and now the drivers side door lock has gone.
All this in one year.
Now, the drivers side foot-well contains a small sea.
Rather than try to get it fixed (given that I have zero faith in ford dealerships/garages) I'm gonna Part exchange it.

I wont be buying a ford again, ever.

Colum Paget
February 2007

Finally located the leak in our local car body shop. There is a plate which the pedals come through. It has come adrift at the top and fills with water which then spills into the car. To repair the engine would have to come out and the plate re welded. What a pain think we will PX it.

Jim
February 2007

Hello. I have exactly the same problem, my passenger side footwell was soaking wet. I took it to numerous garages, i was told it was my door seals, they were replaced.... no joy. I was then told it was a badly fitted windscreen, i had my windscreen seals replaced, my carpet was dryed and refitted, within a week of parking it back on the hill, my passenger side footwell is wet again. I have also been told it is a design fault with KAs... it's very depressing as I have only had my little KA 6 months, and it's my first ever car and everything seems to be going wrong. I was rear ended 2 weeks after I bought it, whiplash, the works lol...

Does anyone have any ideas regarding my little waterfall?...

My car's off back into the garage again next week, so I'll let you know if I have any information. I won't hold my breath mind!

Ezzie
January 2007

Same again. We have an 02 KA and the drivers side footwell is constanly wet. I have removed the carpets to let them dry and am getting a quote to have the windscreen refitted. I dont think its the door water seems to trickle down from way up above the pedals. Its a pain.

Jim Griffiths
January 2007

Yes we have an 03 Ka and the foot well on the drivers side is sopping wet. Tried to locate by tipping water down the screen but no luck.

Jim
October 2006

Try bending the top of the door in slightly so it is tighter to the seal? or spray hose onto it and see where water is coming in? could be the door membrane which is a plasic sheet stuck onto door behind the trim?

Richard
November 2005

I get the same problem with my ford Ka. I have paid ford £70 (stupidly) for them to tell me there is no leak but when ever it rains heavily my foot wells get soaking wet.

L
October 2005