Water drainage passage

[khnaess]

Hello! New Lightning owner and have a question about the drainage solution Ford have chosen, regarding the water that drains from windshield and bonnet area . If you open the frunk and pour some water on the windshield you will see that the water runs down pretty close to all the wiring under the bonnet, see attached picture. I can see some drops also hitting the connectors directly down there. Is it just me or does this look like a bad long term solution? Very strange that Ford didn’t choose another way for the water to drain? Or am I being hysterical 🥹?

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[21st Century Truck]

I've driven and parked my Lightning in multiple horrendous Virginia-style downpours and it doesn't seem to affect anything.

Someone on another thread here discovered that it is critical to keep the outside gutter under-wiper drainage basin holes on the driver's side clean and clear of accumulated dust and debris. Outside surface, below the windshield & its wiper arm, just forward of the driver's side mirror.

 

[Caliber357x]

I've driven and parked my Lightning in multiple horrendous Virginia-style downpours and it doesn't seem to affect anything.

Someone on another thread here discovered that it is critical to keep the outside gutter under-wiper drainage basin holes on the driver's side clean and clear of accumulated dust and debris. Outside surface, below the windshield & its wiper arm, just forward of the driver's side mirror.

Yeah I just discovered the drain hole got plugged up for the first time - a little stirring by hand and scooping out the crap fixed it.

 

[Montecarlossfan]

Well I can tell you I had a tailgate open message intermittently and finally permanent . Inside the tailgate is a connector that water literally drains right on top of causing it to get waterlogged… I had a buddy 3d print a guard that fastens to the unused bolts under the cover in the center with a nut , that and dielectric grease it’s been good since…. But I agree no guards against direct water dropping on them even though they are watertight is poor form.

 

[Adventureboy]

Well I can tell you I had a tailgate open message intermittently and finally permanent . Inside the tailgate is a connector that water literally drains right on top of causing it to get waterlogged… I had a buddy 3d print a guard that fastens to the unused bolts under the cover in the center with a nut , that and dielectric grease it’s been good since…. But I agree no guards against direct water dropping on them even though they are watertight is poor form.

Any chance you took a picture of the 3D-printed part and the installation? Sounds like a good preventative measure given the design of our tailgates.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Well I can tell you I had a tailgate open message intermittently and finally permanent . Inside the tailgate is a connector that water literally drains right on top of causing it to get waterlogged… I had a buddy 3d print a guard that fastens to the unused bolts under the cover in the center with a nut , that and dielectric grease it’s been good since…. But I agree no guards against direct water dropping on them even though they are watertight is poor form.

Hmmm... I'll have to open the tailgate carcass to take a look. Might try a cheapo solution with electric tape etc., depending on how things look in there.

I guess You had removed the black plastic inner tailgate wall which functions as a work table when the tailgate is opened, to access the specific area?

 

[tls]

Our air conditioner outside air intake and blower housing filled up with water when debris got in the drains in that area. We cut down the pine tree that used to hang over our parking spot, but a few months later residual crud we evidently hadn't managed to clean out did it again. This time it was hot soapy water thru every drain, and a new blower motor (ouch). In my opinion there are a number of defects in this design - the simplest is that there should be a medium-fine screen on the vents above the hood.

I've never had this problem with any other car parked in the same location, which included a 2020 ICE F150.

 

[Montecarlossfan]

Hmmm... I'll have to open the tailgate carcass to take a look. Might try a cheapo solution with electric tape etc., depending on how things look in there.

I guess You had removed the black plastic inner tailgate wall which functions as a work table when the tailgate is opened, to access the specific area?

Correct

 

[Montecarlossfan]

Any chance you took a picture of the 3D-printed part and the installation? Sounds like a good preventative measure given the design of our tailgates.

That’s the only thing I didn’t do SMH .. I was in fix it mode lol. It’s kinda like a flat piece that has a cylindrical design hanging off at 90 degrees off axis to the flat piece that bolts on …

 

[chl]

Pollen, small leaves, and air-borne "durt" (dust and dirt) are all issues here in the Virginia suburbs of DC. potential hole clogging detritus.

Maybe we need a database of all the drain holes on the Lightning so we can keep them clear?

Could that be somewhere in the Ford literature?

Water seems to be a recurring issue - sun-roof leaks, leaks at the rear vents, water accumulation in the tail gate, doors, etc., and this post.

Door holding water? How to drain:

 

[chl]

A hole slew of F-150 drain videos:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=F-150+Lightning+water+drain

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