Hi,
I have a 2004 Sport Trac XLT (without sunroof). I recently noticed my rear driver side turn signal was out. Turns out i have quite a few cables corroded from within. The cables are wraped togeather as one fat cable running from the front to the back along the driver side in a "tunnel".

The reason for corrotion seems to be that underneath the floor it's soaking wet. It's dryer towards the break and more wet closer to the mid console. (it may just dry quicker near the break.

The water does not smell of anything. We haven't had rain for a while and i would be surprised if it was rain that staid for so long. All in all that makes me suspect the AC.

Id like to stop the leak and then replace the cables, atleast the streatch where corrotion have occured.

Anyone have any hints on how to troubleshoot this? Im using the car to commute so i cant rip it apart too much.

 

You might try soaking some of the liquid up with a paper towel (preferably a colored towel like a "Shop Towel" paper towel), then place the paper towel on a bench to confirm if it does dry out or now. The color will help you determine if it dries clear or not. Even though you don't notice an odor, it could still be coolant. You should also check the coolant level in the overflow tank to see if it's low. As you mention, a stuck A/C drain would be another likely possibility. I would expect though if it's a coolant leak from a bad heater core or a water from a stuck A/C drain that the moisture would be on the passenger side rather than driver's side.

Is there any evidence that the vehicle has been in an accident on that side? Maybe some weather stripping did not get reinstalled correctly or is missing. You might also check at the base of the windshield to make sure there isn't something that doesn't fit right there. You should consider also removing the cowl trim from the base of the windshield to get a better inspection. Finally, consider either parking in the bright sun with the hood open, or use a bright light under the hood, then stick your head under the dash to see if there is any light that you can see such as from a missing plug or an unused wire grommet in the firewall where maybe a previous owner ran some large power cable for a stereo system. Of course this scenario would require you having driven in rain recently, but keep in mind that the insulation under the moisture resistant carpeting will not evaporate when closed up on it's own very quickly.

-Rod