Thank you!!!! I mean come on a 32,000 truck leaking??? Come on... I would be pissed if the leak ruined my leather seats. So why wait... And I do recall that its their job to fix my truck thats a month old, and they know that the leaking is a problem.

 

Well, excuse me for injecting a little common sense. My SCab doesn't have the creases below the back windows, do you think I should bring it in and complain just because there is a TSB to address those vehicles with a problem? He said his light didn't leak. My light doesn't leak either, I checked it with a high pressure nozzle on my water hose. Like the other guy said, maybe he can squirt some water on his back seat and go cry wolf to the dealer in order to trick them into fixing a nonexistant problem. Just because some trucks leak is no reason for non leaking truck owners to demand unneccessary work. Perhaps he should also ask if he can get a new driveshaft and new tires because some trucks vibrate, even though his doesn't?

 

BTW - this does not apply to your 2002 unit (if your profile is up to date.)

A high pressure nozzle will not effectively test for the problem. The TSB describes how to properly test - the service manager I spoke with said they ALL leak. Additionally, the truck has to be parked at a certain angle. My truck at the right angle leaked quite well with a drenching rain - but never leaked in the high pressure drenching car wash. The common sense I would think is that Ford is aware that ALL the gaskets on the third lamps are ineffective. Do Ford and yourself a favor - have Ford replace the 30 dollar part before they have to replace it and more costly interior items.

 

Thanks JD!! I will try to do it this week. Thanks for the info

 

WATER LEAK FROM HIGH MOUNT STOP LAMP TSB # 04-20-5 FORD: 2004 F-150

PART NUMBER PART NAME 5L3Z-13A613-AA High Mount Lamp Assembly

ACTION

Verify water is entering through the high mount stop lamp assembly. Replace the high mount stop lamp assembly as needed. Refer to the following verification procedure.

SERVICE PROCEDURE LEAK VERIFICATION

1. Turn the fan motor (climate control motor) on high, in the non-recirculating mode.

2. Close all windows and doors. 3. Spray a soapy water solution on the outside of the high mount lamp housing. If bubbles form around the lamp housing, replace the assembly.

NOTE: The information in Technical Service Bulletins is intended for use by trained, professional technicians with the knowledge, tools, and equipment to do the job properly and safely. It informs these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or provides information that could assist in proper vehicle service. The procedures should not be performed by “do-it-yourselfers”. Do not assume that a condition described affects your car or truck. Contact a Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury dealership to determine whether the Bulletin applies to your vehicle. Warranty Policy and Extended Service Plan documentation determine Warranty and/or Extended Service Plan coverage unless stated otherwise in the TSB article.The information in this Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) was current at the time of printing. Ford Motor Company reserves the right to supercede this information with updates.The most recent information is available through Ford Motor Company’s on-line technical resources.

2004 Ford Motor Company

 

Me too. I have a rear window leak. Havent got it fixed yet.

 

I agree, mine didnt appear to leak at all, I didnt think I had the leak that I had read about here. then one day I noticed a couple drips on the back seat,,hmmm. After that I paid close attention to it when it rained as I could never get it to leak with a hose or presswasher, finially if figured it out,,It would only drip on the seat when the front of the truck was or had been uphill on a incline while raining/wet. Once I removed the lamp assy. it was easy to tell why it did that, as there is a few holes leading thru the inner cab roof sheetmetal onto the headliner, otherwise the water just runs down the inside pillars of the rear window frame area and down. soaking and rusting your truck to death inside out.
Hint: if you can even remotely ever see any condensation INSIDE your 3rd brake/cab lamp assy you definately have the leak.
It is not a sealed beam assy. but is open on bottom to cab roof area.
Check it out men.

 

After 2 weeks of pretty good rain, I now join the leakin' crowd.

Found that it leaked when I parked the truck with the tail lower than the front. I always back in until yesterday, which is when it started leaking.

I wonder how much water is in that headliner...and behind the rear panel. Too wet outside to tear it apart now.

I admit that having a $40k truck leak water inside is unbelievable, but what are ya going to do? Is it fair to compare it to my 87 Mercedes that has 200k mi on it and runs great, and never had issues like this? I don't know-I guess my expectations are still lower for domestics than imports, so I appreciate that it seems they are fixing this leak at all. For the record, we have a 97 Suburban too.

I am going to the dealer Monday, and politely, ask that they fix it. Lets see how they handle my first Ford service experience.

 

My 2004 XL started to leak after a light rain or even when I washed it. I did a search here and like the information found decided to do my own gasket and fixed it in a few minutes. The original factory gasket was a whimp. It was also folded over itself due to sloppy install and that is why it was leaking. I did not want to get another junky gasket from the dealer.

Raining like heck here the past few weeks and not a drop on the back seat or headliner.

 

HR,

I having been reading that too-and I am definitely a DIY car owner. BUT, if I have other issues down the line (mold especially, as my wife has some severe respiratory issues) I would like to at least have it documented that this leak was occurring to my truck.

Don't know that it would help, but documentation is hard to argue with. I will thoroughly check out their work though.

PS-Those of you w/o leaks, my first indication I had a problem was after washing the truck and seeing some moisture on the inside of the cargo light. Couldn't see any leak at that time into the truck. That should have been my forewarning...

 

Now we know why these trucks aren't level.

 

Good point...
"ya'll pay extra for enginerin' like that there..."

 

I have been lucky, and have not had the water leak.....but I wanted to make sure I didn't develop one later on. I called the local Ford parts dep't. and asked him to order an updated light assembly. I was planning on buying it since I assumed that there wasn't a warranty issue since mine wasn't leaking, and it was only going to be about 30 bucks.

A couple of days later I stopped to pick it up, and the parts guy handed it to me and said to go home and put it on, and to bring the old one back with my VIN, mileage and license number. I love the small town Ford dealers!!!

Anyway, the whole purpose of this was to comment on whats inside that big hole once you remove the light assembly. HUGE holes in the sheetmetal....thats whats behind the lamp assembly!! No wonder some of your headliners are getting soaked! If the gasket leaked, and the water trickled down the right path, it can drip right on the back side of the headliner!!

I had some special tape in the garage that is made for sealing stove pipes. I proceeded to cover all of those holes before installing the new lamp assembly.

With my luck I cured one problem and created another. I'm hoping I don't hear water sloshing around in the roof!!

 

Just last week as my truck was sitting at the dealers lot getting service done to it. It was rainign for 2 days! After it stoped raining, I went to check on my truck, I pulled behind it and say water all over the inside of the back window, a lone with my 3rd brak light filled with water!! I got the maneger to show him the problem, and he said to me there were to TSB's for it! So I went home, printed the TSB of my computer and brought it to him! He was pissed that I knew more then he did, but what the heck! They replaced the hole 3rd break light and gasket, but when I picked my truck up, I saw water makes coming from the headliner down to my front window! The water must have got into the back headniner and driped it's way down the front of the window! There were no stains all all from the water on the headliner, but it must have got on the backside of it to go to my front window! It has not rained out since, so I'm hoping the dealer fixed it right.

 

Just last week as my truck was sitting at the dealers lot getting service done to it. It was rainign for 2 days! After it stoped raining, I went to check on my truck, I pulled behind it and say water all over the inside of the back window, a lone with my 3rd brak light filled with water!! I got the maneger to show him the problem, and he said to me there were to TSB's for it! So I went home, printed the TSB of my computer and brought it to him! He was pissed that I knew more then he did, but what the heck! They replaced the hole 3rd break light and gasket, but when I picked my truck up, I saw water makes coming from the headliner down to my front window! The water must have got into the back headniner and driped it's way down the front of the window! There were no stains all all from the water on the headliner, but it must have got on the backside of it to go to my front window! It has not rained out since, so I'm hoping the dealer fixed it right.