Found out my right front headlamp was silicone sealed. I believe the major problems from headlamp leaking is condensation/blowing bulbs, and water in trunk?
so I am going to check for evidence of water in trunk. I still have 2 weeks to go back to dealer with problems I find, so I want to leak test anyways.
It hasn't rained here in forever. How should I proceed...
I need to protect the electronics in the trunk, how do I do that?
and if I test one thing at a time am I likely to detect and isolate a leak?
I'm thinking start with hose on headlamp, then at gas cap, then spoiler, what else?

Trying to proceed in an orderly fashion. Please redirect if this is covered in previous thread, thanks

 

Water in the trunk related to headlamps? I don't follow that but if you suspect the trunk leaking I wouldn't test for leaks but inspect under the foam inserts in the trunk where the locking module is. If there is evidence of water in there you know it leaks. My bad memory seems to recall something about the fuel filler drain as a possible source and the SRT6 wing mounting screws as a source but don't recall it on the NA spoiler.

 

The esteemed onehundred80 recommends placing the locking module in an unsealed plastic bag to protect it from any eventual water intrusion in the trunk.
( and he's NEVER wrong )

 

Start here . . .

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post471489

You need to get into the trunk well at the right rear of the car and see if there is water in there! Do it NOW before the expensive central vacuum pump and other electronics get flooded. If you find evidence of water intrusion there, repair the common areas of leakage (which you should do anyway because I guarantee it is leaking and will eventually ruin the electronics in there).

 

I'm not really sure if you have a leak or not from your post or if you are trying to see if you have one.
Do you have moisture in the headlamps?

 

I am trying to see if I have any leaks. No moisture in the headlamps yet, it is very dry here in Sacramento. But the right headlamp is silicone sealed, indicating a previous leak of some kind.
I had intended to check for water in the trunk but now it is a higher priority. There may not be water now, so I am looking for evidence of water and then hoping to test and make sure the headlamp is indeed sealed; also that there aren't leaks elsewhere. It probably won't rain until fall but the car will be getting baths..So I'm hoping to test for a leak with a hose. Not sure if I should use a regular hose, or a pressure washer...

We have a 30 day warranty from the dealer that everything on the car is generally in good shape. We are already going in for a map light and the rear speakers aren't working. They may not fix these but they are going to diagnose anyways(probably a bulb in the map light). I'm positive that if there is water in the trunk they will take some responsibility, but if so, I want to know where the leak is coming from and that it gets the proper repair.

side note: I'm going talk with the dealer about the left rear tire with 4/32" tread and uneven wear; the other 3 tires are new. Now going to add the siliconed headlamp. And the sticky ignition that sometimes won't turn.
Can't hurt to bring up these issues, but reading up on this excellent forum so I can fix the problems myself, proactively if the dealer doesn't respond to my requests.

 

The bulb not working in the map light is often that the copper runs have detached from the mounting circuit board. Just sayin.

 

Thank you. Thats good info to know in case they find it isn't the bulb. That is the kind of problem that I believe they will fix. I am having high hopes in this dealer, we'll see.

 

In my humble opinion it is often just easier (and more rewarding) to fix these little things yourself. There is step by step information on the forum for nearly everything you might eventually need to work on. You'll gain experience working on the car and will know that things have been fixed correctly. While you're inside the map light, replace the OEM bulbs with some superbright "white light" LED bulbs. Water intrusion into the trunk well will most likely be found to be from around the rear spoiler mounting plate. Be proactive and fix it now. I guarantee it is leaking there.

Just sayin' . . .

 

The sticky ignition is a common fault and can be fixed for no cost by you or a friend. The instructions are here. People have paid $1,000 or more to a dealer to fix this problem. So get it done by the dealer or do it yourself. When it fails it is impossible to move the car, that may be at home or miles from home.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. My last "passion" car was a 2002 Mini Cooper S (bought used in 2003). Through the support of a great forum, I learned to do many fixes and mods, and also that the dealer is often clueless. The XF is a whole nother world, and I'm loving it.
I'm glad to find a thriving Crossfire forum with lots of help and support, and I do plan to undertake a lot of this stuff myself.
Still, having just bought the car with some warranty, I plan to point out these issues to the dealer. I don't honestly expect them to know how to makes some of these repairs, I'm sure they would just change out the part, if its covered. I'll see how they respond...

 

Update: There was no evidence of leaking in the wheel well. The oil filler gasket "looked" intact and evidently no leaks from there now. I couldn't see evidence of leaking from the spoiler but didn't take it off.
I did remove the drain plugs from the wheel well, but didn't put the CVP in a bag because car is under warranty and I don't want dealer to have any excuses. It just poured rain 2 days in a row here in Sacramento, so I will be monitoring for any signs of leaking.
Update on dealer: they are coming through. They are replacing the sticky ignition at no cost to me. I was planning to do the fix myself, but it is so convenient to have it done, now, and I can fix it when the problem surfaces again. They are also replacing the back tire, which was very worn and wearing unevenly, so now we have 4 new tires. Dealer is also addressing some other issues and didn't balk, so I'm pretty happy with the service as for now. They stated that silicone around the headlight was a standard practice, and that is what they would do to address leaking or condensation issues.
Also,I have located a reputable MB mechanic in town if I need it. They did a purchase exam on the car and helped with the rear tire issue.

My XF didn't come in as good of condition as I would have preferred, but it seems to be working out and I can't help loving the car despite the superficial flaws.
Thanks for the advice here. With the MINI, I avoided the dealer at all costs. They didn't know about the car, dodged responsibility at every opportunity, and never gave a fix that didn't require a second visit (even maintenance). I learned to do everything myself, which was rewarding as well as reassuring.

I'm finding great help and a great attitude from the experts and members on this forum. This is part of my XF experience and I appreciate you.

 

Thanks for posting your update . . . Looks like you have everything on track. ENJOY the Crossfire and you might as well start now to look for a second one as you have been "bitten" by the Crossfire bug!

 

Too bad you couldn't get your hands on the new ignition switch and remove the pin so there will not be a "next time".

These cars don't have adjustable camber arms, if you did investigate doing an alignment read over the threads that talk about the aftermarket parts. It might save you a second trip back to the dealer.

 

You nailed it! I find myself cruising craigslist and other online sales, looking for another roadster. But the truth is that I need my 4 door; and I have too many vehicles already. And NO carport (yet-the XF will change that).
Still, I'm lurking in the sales…and here on this forum. Restraint, restraint...

 

re: ignition switch, yes I thought about that but hopefully the new one will last at least 10-15+ which will be a while. Now really isn't a great time for me to do it, and I was worried it could go at any time.

re: alignment; I'll read up on that, thanks for the tip. I don't think the dealer will be getting the tire(s) until tomorrow, so I can do this in time..

 

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