Other sources of wet floorboard/ carpet? (not clogged sunroof or evap drains)

[raab02]

Hey all,

Just like the title says... I got into my truck a couple of weeks ago to the smell of "I left my well worn soccer cleats in the truck after a workout in the summer with the windows up" smell. You know the one, musty and mildewy.

I felt passenger carpet and it was wet. A few days of running the AC and leaving windows down in low humidity helped. But next time I got in my truck, it was back.

Cue me removing trim and pulling up front passenger carpet. Yep, it's wet.

I do not have a sunroof, and I checked the evap drain. No evidence of clog, no evidence of a leak emanating from that area.

I have Weathertechs, so it's unlikely a spill happened that soaked the carpet. Likewise, I don't think I left the window down for any appreciable amount of time.

There was some heavy rain on a few short drives, but I've never had water intrusion issues before. All body plugs and door gaskets over there seem to be in place.

Any ideas on what else could cause this? Thanks in advance!

 

[rageandlove]

Hey all,

Just like the title says... I got into my truck a couple of weeks ago to the smell of "I left my well worn soccer cleats in the truck after a workout in the summer with the windows up" smell. You know the one, musty and mildewy.

I felt passenger carpet and it was wet. A few days of running the AC and leaving windows down in low humidity helped. But next time I got in my truck, it was back.

Cue me removing trim and pulling up front passenger carpet. Yep, it's wet.

I do not have a sunroof, and I checked the evap drain. No evidence of clog, no evidence of a leak emanating from that area.

I have Weathertechs, so it's unlikely a spill happened that soaked the carpet. Likewise, I don't think I left the window down for any appreciable amount of time.

There was some heavy rain on a few short drives, but I've never had water intrusion issues before. All body plugs and door gaskets over there seem to be in place.

Any ideas on what else could cause this? Thanks in advance!

I had a crack in a weld where the fender met the firewall in an old Tacoma once, which let in water during rainstorms that ended up in the passenger footwell. I "diagnosed" it by pulling up the carpet, putting a sprinkler on the car, and then sitting there until I saw where the drip was coming from.

Another thing you might check is if the vapor barrier in the door failed. I had that problem in my wife's Honda Pilot once.

 

[raab02]

I had a crack in a weld where the fender met the firewall in an old Tacoma once, which let in water during rainstorms that ended up in the passenger footwell. I "diagnosed" it by pulling up the carpet, putting a sprinkler on the car, and then sitting there until I saw where the drip was coming from.

Another thing you might check is if the vapor barrier in the door failed. I had that problem in my wife's Honda Pilot once.

Thanks man, good tips. Sincerely hoping it's not a crack in the firewall!

Doesn't the door have its own drains though? I guess I'm having a hard time picturing how water would run out of the door (in front of the vapor barrier if it failed) and into the cabin.

But I'll check!

 

[Humble Leader]

I "diagnosed" it by pulling up the carpet, putting a sprinkler on the car, and then sitting there until I saw where the drip was coming from.

pretty much this. have someone sit in the car and get a home depot landscaping bucket full of water or a garden hose and test different areas one at a time. check the windshield cowl drain too on the passenger side and the windshield itself. sometimes water can seep down the A pillar and end up in the footwells

 

[Too Stroked]

Has your windshield ever been replaced? Installation technique on replacement windshields varies wildly and if somebody installed one incorrectly, you can end up with a leak. Worse yet, if that leak is coming down the driver side A Pillar, you can do some serious damage to your wiring.

 

[raab02]

pretty much this. have someone sit in the car and get a home depot landscaping bucket full of water or a garden hose and test different areas one at a time. check the windshield cowl drain too on the passenger side and the windshield itself. sometimes water can seep down the A pillar and end up in the footwells

Yep, good call. Drying everything out now and will monitor for it happening again. If so, I'll resort to this if I have to.

 

[raab02]

Has your windshield ever been replaced? Installation technique on replacement windshields varies wildly and if somebody installed one incorrectly, you can end up with a leak. Worse yet, if that leak is coming down the driver side A Pillar, you can do some serious damage to your wiring.

Yes it has, by the previous owner. I've been side-eying it for some wind noise, but it's never given me any water intrusion issues in the 2 years I've owned it.

Good thought for sure.

 

[flyrv9]

The other possibility for a wet passenger footwell carpet would be a bad heater core. One way to tell is that it would smell like antifreeze in that area. Other than that the windshield seal seems suspect.

 

[wcjeep]

Previous vehicle I removed the carpet to dry it out. Had someone on the outside slowly move a garden hose with no nozzle (low pressure) all around the outside of the vehicle. I was inside looking for leaks. With no carpet leaks were easy to spot. Found two separate leaks. Be sure to have assistant hose down everything twice. Easier to double check now versus later. Used by steam cleaner to remove standing water before using a fan on the carpet.

 

[Whathaveidone]

I had that smell in my less than year old 4runner. I could not tell where it was coming from. I looked here and there for a couple weeks. None of my carpet was wet thaf I could find. While filing up one day I tilted the rear seats forward and found water on the painted metal floorboard between the carpeted boards and the back of the rear seats.

Long story short was it was hard for them to find the leak. But it turns out it was the rear hatch seal letting in significant amounts of water. When I drove it sloshed around going forward to all parts of the vehicle. They replaced the seal and everything seems to be fine now.

 

[raab02]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'm in a condo so am asking around for friends with houses to use their hoses and second set of eyes.

In the meantime, I'll take a watering can down there and do my best solo for now. I'll report back in case what I find helps anyone else out.

 

[John in NC]

Any chance it could be coming down through the roof rack mounting bolts/ recesses?

 

[Jakeepoo3]

The other possibility for a wet passenger footwell carpet would be a bad heater core. One way to tell is that it would smell like antifreeze in that area. Other than that the windshield seal seems suspect.

Check your ac system. Clogged condensate drain. Faulty heater core or condenser. Mine did this after an accident the condenser got damaged.

 

[2021nightshade4x4]

Wait until the vehicle has dried, then take a single sheet of paper and make sure your gaskets are tight enough to “grab” the paper when the doors / hatch is shut.


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[Humble Leader]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'm in a condo so am asking around for friends with houses to use their hoses and second set of eyes.

In the meantime, I'll take a watering can down there and do my best solo for now. I'll report back in case what I find helps anyone else out.

do you have any DIY carwash stations you can use. watering cans will take forever.

 

[spartacus]

Check the firewall rubber grommets that let the wires through from the engine bay into the cab also.

 

[JL-2022]

Mine ended up being the windshield. One area came unsealed. Had a windshield place pull it and reseal and no more problems

 

[raab02]

Mine ended up being the windshield. One area came unsealed. Had a windshield place pull it and reseal and no more problems

Same.

Thought I'd resurrect my own old thread to share findings in case it helped anyone else.

I had been parking in an underground garage from '20-23, and so I only ever drove in heavy enough rain a few times to get the windshield to leak. Last year I moved and parked outside on a slight incline with the nose of the truck downhill. This was the right circumstance to introduce the leak, which was due to an improperly installed replacement windshield.

Of course the replacement to fix it was also improperly installed and leaked from the OTHER corner. The technician returned twice to "fix it" which didn't, so I finally gave up and installed another brand new windshield.

That job's tech was able to point out where the other two had gone wrong. It's frustratingly simple, but the bead of adhesive has to be perfect before the glass is laid down or it won't seal.

My troubleshooting method was to park the truck with the nose slightly downhill and run an open garden hose on each top corner while i sat inside. I had the a-pillar trim removed to watch the inside of the top corners closely. I also had the kick panel trim removed and the carpet pulled back to view those areas but fortunately that proved to be unnecessary.

Water would enter in steady drips and run down the a-pillar toward the dash. It would find the firewall and turn down the kick panel (where lots of BCMs and fuses and relays are) and pool in the floor. Once that carpet pad is wet it will never full dry unless you pull it up and run a fan underneath. I have lots of practice doing that.

Anyway, all buttoned up now and watertight again. Hope this helps someone.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

I get water on the passenger side floorboard. Of course when I'm ready to go after it with towels and the trim out, there's no leak. I also have a rear hatch leak but I bought a new seal ready to go. Both areas I messed with the seals when pulling trim to run amp and dash cam wiring so I'm chalking it up to my fault which is why i haven't gone in for warranty.

 

[Humble Leader]

I get water on the passenger side floorboard. Of course when I'm ready to go after it with towels and the trim out, there's no leak. I also have a rear hatch leak but I bought a new seal ready to go. Both areas I messed with the seals when pulling trim to run amp and dash cam wiring so I'm chalking it up to my fault which is why i haven't gone in for warranty.

where did you run wires near the passenger side floorboard that could cause a leak? that insulation below the carpet is probably toast. I'd at least pull out all the insulation on that side if it's soaking through