23rd Nov 2003, 11:43

Hi again, I have just had the pleasure of having the passenger foot well filling up with water - great. I drove the car up the road to find shelter to sort it out. All the way up the road, the central locking kept locking and unlocking.

I removed the two front wheels and wheel arch covers, and found the rubber sleeve up the top was blocked. Then I looked around to find on the inner wing, between the wheel arch and the engine compartment at the top, there is a flap, which was about 2 inches thick in mud and very blocked. On the driver's side it is hidden behind a black box, tucked behind the wing, but the passenger one is easy to find. Make sure you clear these, as well as the ones at the top of the wing.

I took the black box out from under the seat to dry, and Vaxed the foot-well out. I have put it all back together now, but the central locking is not working properly. So it's time to phone around and spend the Xmas gift money to buy another one. You would think Ford should hold their hand up to this problem, and pay for the repairs, as it must be a very bad design fault.

I also managed to borrow a copy of the Ford TIS info disk, and under Galaxy problems this is listed, and it even says there is a cover to go over the pollen filter to help. If anyone wants one of these, take a look at ebay.co.uk; you will find these if you search under Ford Galaxy.

If anyone has managed to get any compensation from Ford for this problem, could you let me know, so I can try the same angle.

Thanks. geoffbushnell@aol.com

3rd Dec 2004, 04:45

I have a 1999 VW Sharan, and I have just had the passenger foot well fill with water. However in my case this was down to a join in the pipe to the rear washer coming adrift. This join is about 1/3 from the front of the F. passenger door, hidden behind the plastic trim under the door. The pipes are hard nylon, joined with a rubber tube about 3" long. I will now have to spend the weekend stripping out the carpets and drying out!

16th Jan 2005, 06:17

Hi all, I have had my galaxy for a year now, 1996 2.0 glx, and have had most of the named problems, i. e water at the footwell,which was resolved with a long solder rod, both sides are now clear, holes are located on each corner, as you open the bonnet, top left and right, but now someone has kicked my drivers door mirror (electric & heated) off, and ford have told me it will be £140 for a new one, as I have 3 kids and 1 on the way, the ford option is not for me, so if anyone has any info on where to get one CHEAPER... please post your reply on this fine site, thanks :o)

21st Oct 2005, 05:55

Hi All, I am so pleased to have found this site! I have not long purchased a 1996 Galaxy 2.0 GLX auto and was quite alarmed to find the passenger side foot well filling up with water! Every time I go around a corner I can hear it gushing about inside :-) I have taken all your comments on board & I shall have a go at unclogging the pipe. I don't want to pay ford to do this as it does sound as though it is something it might be able to do. I can also smell fumes/petrol on some journeys and I thought I was me, at least I know I'm not being paranoid now. Thanks everybody.

3rd Nov 2005, 03:33

I have had flooding in the passenger footwell twice now. Once things dried out the ECU gradually recovered most of its function. The one problem that I'm stuck with is that I cannot centrally lock the car from the passenger door although I can unlock everywhere from the passenger side. The rear hatch often needs a key to open it, regardless of the central lock status.

Astonishing design fault from Ford. They should own up and pay for new ECUs for everyone. Has there ever been a recall for this?

Jerry

11th Nov 2005, 16:08

Wow. I thought I was the only one! I have a VW Sharan, I have water in both footwells.. Which has affected my central locking, windows and alarm system. Nobody wants to touch the car to find out where the water is coming in, will stick a tube in the holes though, just because it looks clear, doesn't mean it is!! will run the hose in the chamber..

3rd Dec 2005, 10:13

Me too, got a very wet passenger floor, although I think I caught it in time as the electronics under the passenger seat are not wet and doors and windows seem fine. Mine is a 20 GL Auto 1997. I can't seem to locate this drain pipe, can somebody please explain where it is. Also I have noticed a petrol smell on some journeys, although not all the time, does anyone have any ideas about this. The last problem is when cold and the car just started and placed into drive the auto gearbox dosn't engage straight away, a little rev and it will engage with a thump, then be fine until the next time you pull away same again, after 5mins or so it is fine and dosn't present anymore problems. Any advice would be appreciated.

10th Mar 2006, 08:44

How interesting to know that there is a very common problem experienced by sharan/alhambra/galaxy owners. Well I am no exception. I found water inside passenger foot well is the general cause of electric windows failure, central locking misbehaviour, immobiliser working irratically...etc.If there is any damp ingress in the CCU (central control unit) this will cause the above problems. I found that purely by accident, thanks to my local dealer who suggested that I replaced the unit at cost of £295 plus vat plus fitting!! and they wanted 2 hours labour to find the root cause of water ingress!!!.Thankfully they took the CCU apart and found circuit board damaged. They then put the unit together thinking I was going to take their advise and lash out for a new unit. Well I didn't, I got home and took the unit out, slid the circuit board out and found a small part damaged with crusty deposits, got hold of small wire brush and gently cleaned the area as best as possible taking care not to break any connections. Final clean with meths, pushed it all together. Said a small prayer...very important.., and connected the unit back... and bingo.All works!But make sure the unit does NOT sit on the floor as before, but raised up with a block of wood so as to prevent future recurrence. This is a better alternative as if you purchase a new unit it will need to be programmed in by dealer.

12th Mar 2006, 11:13

Does anyone know where the actual switching of the click on/click off functions is carried out on Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra's? I ask because my rear wiper will turn on every time, but will not turn off. I have to stop and switch off the engine to stop it!

The switches themselves are only, presumably, sending a signal elswhere, but my local VW dealer says the only relay listed for them is the basic in/out type used for multiple applications in VW's.

Is the secondary switching done in the ECU or elsewhere? Any advice would be appreciated.