Water Leak Help

"ToyotaFamily" (robbav35) 08/30/2017 at 14:33 • Filed to: None

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(Have a 911 for your time)

Alright Oppo, I need a bit of your help in figuring this out. If you have access to repair manuals/diagrams or that type of stuff it’d be great.

So my RSX sprung a leak, woke up to go for a drive and the entire passenger side floorboard was soaked. Now, searching on forums (which weren’t much help) leads me to believe it’s a sunroof drain plug.

Is there anyway to confirm that before I start pulling apart half the interior to check them out? We’ve got a chance of rain this weekend in my area and I’d like to take care of it before that.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 14:38

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If you have a garden hose, put water on the sunroof and see if it comes out at the drain location under the car. If not...

Potentially, it could also be the airbox on the firewall, if leaf/other detritus has clogged its drain.

The other leading cause of wet floorboards on the passenger side is a bad heater core, but I suspect you’d have smelled the antifreeze.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 14:39

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All I can say is fix it quick. Pretty sure drain plug issues are what caused my old car to be a flood write-off.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 14:40

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Have you confirmed it’s rainwater and not coolant?

ToyotaFamily > cmill189 - sans Volvo 08/30/2017 at 14:51

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Yup, def is rainwater. No smells or anything, it happened after a full day with heavy rain.

ToyotaFamily > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/30/2017 at 14:52

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I just replaced the filters in the air box so I’m sure it’s not that. But I will try the water test, I might use a pressure washer...

TheRealBicycleBuck > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 14:54

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The easiest thing to check would be the condensation drain for the evaporator coil. It’s pretty common for it to get plugged and the overflow to end up on your floorboard.

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 14:58

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Ramblin pretty much nailed it.

I’d expect it to be a sunroof drain tube. There’s a frame, or trough, that makes a gutter around the sunroof opening. In each corner, there’s a tube that drains water out (outputs are usually near the respective wheels).

Pouring a cup of water into the right front corner of the sunroof will tell the tale. If it doesn’t go anywhere, or drains slow, that’s probably it.

Best thing that I’ve found to clean them out is compressed air into the drain hole at the sunroof, or finding the output underneath the car and doing some coat-hangar fishing. You’ll probably find a few years worth of leaves, dirt, pine needles and pollen.

Your drain tubes are #’s 4 and 5 in the graphic.

ToyotaFamily > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever 08/30/2017 at 15:09

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That diagram is perfect. Now you said pour a cup of water, do I do that with the sunroof open and directly into the drain?

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 15:18

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Usually I’ll open the sunroof. You should see a black plastic frame around the edges of the sunroof opening, and there should be a small hole in each corner. The frame acts as a gutter, essentially. Heavy rains will bypass the sunroof seal to the roof itself, so this frame catches that water and funnels it out of the cabin.

If at all possible, park it so the left rear of the car is uphill (the right front corner downhill, forcing water to that specific drain). A small cup of water poured into the frame will tell the tale: if it pools up or drains pretty slow you’re more than likely clogged.

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > ToyotaFamily 08/30/2017 at 15:20

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Also, were you running the AC on a hot day prior to the water?

The AC box builds condensation and has a drain to the exterior as well, similar to sunroofs in design, and also the way they like to clog.

ToyotaFamily > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever 08/30/2017 at 15:31

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Didn’t use the ac day before. But I will check out everything you said, hopefully I’ll find the source.