This page is dedicated to helping you find the source of that water leak. By the end of this video, you’ll understand the common causes of a wet floor mat and how to diagnose them.
Wet floor mats are a right pain, they cause car windows to fog up and a damp moldy smell you just can’t clean away. Finding a car leak is as you may know not so easy. Finding and fixing car leaks often requires interior strip-outs and that’s labor-intensive.
The best approach is to check all the easy-to-check items first, checking cowl drain, the air-cond drains, and sunroof drains is easy and for many, the simple answer will be the right answer.
However, if simple solutions don’t yield a result and you need to go deeper, stop first and think on the problem.
Ask yourself some detective-type questions, like:
- When does the leak seem worst?
- Does it leak after a car wash?
- Does it leak when it rains?
- Does it leak worst on a hill?
- Can you hear water sloshing around?
- Does your car heater work OK?
Stripping a car to find a water leak is often not required and I avoid stripping interiors if possible. Stripping interiors is a ton of work and also risks breaking delicate trim clips and which causes irritating interior rattles.
The usual causes of water leaks include:
- Blocked windshield cowl drain
- Blocked air conditioning drain
- Leaking heating system
- Blocked sunroof drain
- Windshield seal fault
These leaks are all covered in the post “Car floor wet under mat”.
Tools You’ll Need To Fix A Car Water Leak
Here’s a list of tools and supplies that will help the whole job move like butter.
A head-mounted lamp is like having a third hand a real advantage when you are doing battle. This rechargeable LEd head-mounted lamp is conveniently sold and delivered by Amazon.com.
A garden hose is an excellent tool for finding water leaks.
3M make great products and their windshield sealer is top quality. It’s a Urethane sealer and it’s easy to work it cures quickly and has no problem hearing to painted surfaces. You will require a manual or air-operated caulking gun.
US-made Second Skin butyl double-sided sealant tape is excellent for sealing larger gaps. It’s 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick, but workable. It’s waterproof and perfect for gaps of various sizes.
- About the Author
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John Cunningham is an Automotive Technician and writer on Rustyautos.com. He’s been a mechanic for over twenty-five years and has worked for GM, Volvo, Volkswagen, Land Rover, and Jaguar dealerships.
John uses his know-how and experience to write fluff-free articles that help fellow gearheads with all aspects of vehicle ownership, including maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting.