I have a 2016 Ford Fiesta Hatchback Titanium that I bought used in KY in April of 2019. It started smelling musty and moisture was forming on the inside of the windows and windshield. I went looking and found the wheel well where the spare tire is kept was full of water. I used a shop vac and got all the water out then went looking online to find several people had this problem. I tried fixing it myself because of the stories people told about repair shops not figuring out the leak and tried putting sealant on the bottom which did nothing. I took it to a Ford dealer after that and they replaced a grommet and said that was going to solve it. It didn’t so I went to get in my car to take it back to the dealership and it would not go out of park. I have AAA thank gosh so they towed it there for me. The dealer found that under the automatic gear shift console was rusted and the wiring was damaged, break pads and rotors were rusted, underneath the vehicle was rusted. So the leak ruined the whole car and would cost more to fix it than it would to buy another car. After reading all the problems people have had with Ford is there anything I can do? Could I sue Ford or join a class action lawsuit? What kind of lawyer would I need to sue? Is there any other options? Also I bought it in KY but live in WV. I bought a warranty when I bought the car straight from the place I bought the car and it won’t cover anything. The guy I spoke to at the local Ford dealership said he couldn’t believe the warranty wouldn’t cover anything. He is checking to see if he can get someone to buy it but it wouldn’t be very much and I still owe $4,000 dollars on it. Can anyone help or advise me? Has anyone else had this happen or something similar? Thank you.
I can’t really advise you on what to do next, but it seems like you might have overlooked several warning signs to get to this point. I’m not trying to be rude, but I had a similar issue where there was condensation throughout my car, mold in the trunk, and an awful smell. After researching online, I found multiple YouTube videos detailing how to fix it. I showed one to my mechanic, and they were able to resolve the problem.
For those who might not know, there are holes under the rear brake lights that Ford covers with electrical tape. Over time, that tape can lose its adhesive and fall off, allowing water to seep in and fill the spare tire well. For the water to reach the rest of the car, the wheel well must have been completely full.
This car has a lot of annoying flaws like this in the U.S. I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this, and I hope your insurance can help. Just be sure not to show them this post.
You should check if your insurance covers water damage since this issue wasn’t caused by your neglect.
I experienced the same leaking problem and replaced several seals, but it’s still not completely fixed.
The spare tire area filling up with water is often related to clogged sunroof drains or worn gaskets over time.
Transmission issues aren’t uncommon in automatics. I found that a dead or worn battery caused all sorts of problems in my 2015 Titanium—like getting stuck in limp mode, not being able to change gears, and the infotainment system going dark. It’s definitely worth having that checked out.
As for the rust evaluation, it’s hard to say for sure. It seems unlikely that the rust could be so extensive and directly linked to wear from the sunroof drain or stagnant water in the spare tire well. Did it come from an area up north or somewhere that sees a lot of snow and salt? That’s usually the main cause of severe undercarriage rot or rust issues. If that’s the case, it’s likely more about where you purchased it than anything related to Ford’s warranty, recalls, or lawsuits when it comes to seeking assistance.
Ultimately, if you’re not getting any help, consider taking it to an independent shop or mechanic to get a clear evaluation of what’s going on underneath the car and hopefully get a quote for repairs.
The problem is that its a second vehicle so it wasn’t drove super often. I’m chronically ill so I don’t drive super often so it wasn’t noticed for awhile 