NEED HELP rain water driver floor

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
After several days of heavy rain. I found standing water on driver side floor above level of carpet. Suspecting a cracked / broken / plugged drain hole or tube in sun roof. I blew out the drain with air and than dumped water thru it all coming out end of tube OK. I noted rubber strip top of door near windshield had build up of dirt. I cleared that out. No water found and base of windshield or in side of dash. No water found dripping any where I looked. I sprayed hose on close sun roof, around top of door than rear side door and rear cargo window for 20 mins and could not find any leaks. Maybe I fixed it. Now waiting for next big rain day. Anyone have had that problem and found a fix.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
I had water running in the big wire harness boot through the firewall.
 

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
I will check that. I do not know for sure if it was leaking from driving or while parked. I did not find any path under the carpet it traveled down. The foam block on the left was only wet on the bottom and no wet areas near the brake release or kick panel.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
It took me a while to find mine too because there was no really visible path either. Figured it out only when I went out right after a hard rain and started looking and saw a couple drops of water at the harness but nothing else visible except a soaked carpet and water on the mat.
 

C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
I had a wet floor and headliner on the passenger side after a good rain a few days ago. I should check the drains up in the sunroof before we get more rain. Really odd where it was wet, tho - even the sun visor was wet, which had to be a drip from above.
 

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
I did pull some of head liner open, it was dry. I even watched as I poured water and checked it after both the pouring and spraying of water. The drain tube as I could see and feel was not cracked from the sun roof. I even had air at about 20 psi on and felt for leaks along the drain tube.
 

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
Well I drove it around in some heavy rain and no water was found near the wire harness in engine compartment and even as it sits parked no more water inside. I do not know for sure what I did to fix it. My best guess is clearing the build up of stuff in the drip rail or gutter around the rudder molding near the upper edge of windshield now allows rain water to drain and not being dammed up there. The vehicle was parked with a slight tilt to the passenger side. I think the water was dripping between the drip rail and door top down inside the vehicle onto the floor near the edge of inside of driver door. Than pooling onto the floor which is the lowest point. I also cut a small hole in the rubber plug in the floor. In case it does happen again the rain can run out. I vacuumed maybe 2 pints of water off the floor there. We had a lot of rain those several days. At one point 2 inch's in 1 hour according to the news.
 
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C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
I think the water was dripping between the drip rail and door top down inside the vehicle onto the floor near the edge of inside of driver door.

I have noticed this as well on all of the doors.
 

C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
OK, update. I need some info on where to look for leaks on the passenger front of my TB. I came out to water in the floorboard yesterday morning and noticed that it was dripping from my floor vent opening. The first time I noticed water in the floorboard, my headliner and sun visor were wet on that side. Sunday morning, the headliner was not wet.

For the sunroof vent, are people accessing it via the interior trim piece on the A pillar? How would I get water dripping from my floor vent? It is not a leaking heater core as it is only wet when it rains.

Any advice from folks who have done this would be appreciated.
 
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mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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Recently, I discovered that just beneath the Plastic Cargo Rack at the Far Right Rear Passenger Side Corner displayed some fairly concentrated and advanced Rust-Rot of the Roof Sheet Metal that looked like it had been developing over a very long time frame and which was completely concealed because apparently... the Rack Segments (and I am just guessing here since I am uncertain as to how they are exactly fastened to the roof) must be attached in some manner other than merely being "Bonded or Super-Cemented" in place. It strikes me that those long runners would be an ideal place to look next after any Rubber Grommeted Roof Windows.

I should clarify that my 2002 Trailblazer is NOT equipped with a Sun Roof. Beyond its ability to seek its own level... Liquid Water has a remarkable ability to follow channels in superstructures and beams and wind up in places very far from its leaking Point of Origin and wind up farther front than you might expect it to be. Just ask any Roofer how a small Rain Water leak in the attic can wind up turning the front of a Zerian Stone Chimney and Fire Place into a "Water Fall"...

There are two other places in the Doors that offer another Point of Entry for Wind Driven Rain and/or In -Dwelling collected Rain Water to funnel down inside and that is at the two Exterior Mirrors Posts where they bolt up to both sides of the doors. Sometimes... depending upon whether your vehicle is parked at a particular angle in your drive way... the position allows Rain Water to pool and run down inside of the hollow cavities inside the Mirror Wells.
 
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Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
Regarding the sun roof. Since I was checking that out just weeks ago. I found that the drain holes are at each corner front sides of vent. If you remove the a piller plastic molding you will see a rubber drain hose. That hose exits in the door frame between the 2 door hinges. Pulling down the header just a little will allow you to see the inside area of the drain hole, vent. I blew air thru the drain hole at the opening area while standing on the seat as the vent was open. Also checked along it's path with my hand feeling for leaks caused by cracks. And watched for stuff blow out the end. Than I poured water thru the drain hole. I found if I poured a quart of water real fast. The drain line hole and lip area was over flowed. Water would than leak around the drain into the head liner and drip out at the point between where the plastic trim and head liner connect. Lastly I closed the vent and sprayed water around that area for 20 mins. with a garden hose. It would never leak when the vent was closed on mine during that test.
So, much sure the drain is not plugged and test it after. Hope that fix's it. Just maybe the vent was not closed 100% and water overflowed thru the drain area.
 
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C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
Thanks for that info, @Moore . I'll pull that trim piece off and check for blockages in the drain.

I edited my post above to reflect that the leak was from my floor vent opening in case that helps anyone. I'll try to see how air gets there and see if there is any way for water to do the same thing. Just seemed really odd seeing water drip from that floor vent.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Oh, when you said vent I was thinking dash, wondering how that would even work.

I'm really not sure how the ductwork is plumbed back there.
 

C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
Well, I'll see what happens when it rains tomorrow. I poured water down the drain on the passenger side of the sunroof and it backed up. I pushed a short length or wire down the drain and it started flowing out the drain in the door between the hinges. Some chunks came out, so I think it was just clogged somewhere near the top.
 

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
More rain and more water on driver's side floor only. I finally did find the reason why. So, the drivers side is parked higher than passenger side. Most wind and rain here hits the drivers side. Some of that rain is going inside the door at the (window slot between door and window where window slides into door). It does go out thru the door drain holes fine and than outside. But, also some was found dripping thru the lower side of door panel onto rubber door molding than into the vehicle. I removed door panel and found the plastic inner cover lose across the bottom in the area of the leak. Without any sealant in the garage, I used gorilla tape across the area. If that fails than I will reseal the plastic later. Just ran out of time between rain storms and other projects.
 

Moore

Original poster
Member
Sep 8, 2016
42
Oregon
FYI, I just wanted to update this post as winter is about done. We have had days since this post of inch's of rain per day. Vehicle still gets parked at a slight angle. Driver door facing the wind and rain. It seem that the resealing of the inner door moisture seal as stopped water flowing into the drivers floor area. That gorilla tape worked, for now.
 
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mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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For the sake of any and all "Leak Emergencies"... whether from a Rear Window that lost its Power Connection and will not roll up or drops down without notice during the heaviest of rains... or damage from body corrosion or rust on the roof area... or even from auto accident damage that opens the interior compartments to Weather... Keeping a Roll of THIS Stuff will solve all of those immediate problems:

Nashua Aluminum Air Conditioning Water Proofing Repair Tape:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047XXZ7Q/?tag=gmtnation-20


61kLI5Td53L.jpg


Think of this item as a "Roll of Protective Non-Rusting Metal" that will stick to ANY Clean Surfaces.... Once it is bonded to whatever area for at least 1" -2" adjacent the open area... it will NOT Break down like Organic Tapes that absorb sunlight, heat up and become a Gooey Mess only a few days after being applied around the seam of a Hot Roof. It won't solve the actual underlying problems...but it will seal off areas and hold things in place to buy you some time until you can think straight about what and when to do the actual needed repairs.

Once it is shaped and formed around an area... it will maintain that very shape... so applying
multiple layers... laminates and strengthens their shapes... reinforcing the area as well. It won't Rust, Rot or dissolve in the presence of normal environmental exposures, too. If you apply this tape around an opening covered with thick Plastic Material... it will remain in place. The only precautions about using it are NOT to allow this highly conductive metal material around ANY Electrical Circuits or Power...and the Edges of this Tape ...are Razor Sharp.
 
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Ilikemy3s

Member
Dec 3, 2011
367
Have a water leak that whenever it rains, my passenger side front floor is wet. I am see a small tiny but steady stream of water trickling on the inside plastic kick panel close to where it meets the door. This is recent and has never had it do this before. trying to find where the #$%^ it is coming from
 

SirRobin53

Member
Apr 27, 2014
118
The rubber gets full of mold, mildew and dirt. It's hollow so a little bit of air is ok too. Took me a little while to find the post with the solution to the problem. I can't remember which member posted it but I thank him for it.
It werkt fer me. ;-)
 

Chickenhawk

Member
Dec 6, 2011
779
One more place to always check is the drain hole for the air conditioning condenser. In every vehicle I have owned or driven in that had water on the passenger floor (that was not coolant) it was always a plugged air conditioning drain line.

Remember that the air conditioner still runs in cold, wet weather and even in the winter. Even if set to off, it automatically comes on whenever the HVAC control is set to the defrost position. This helps keep condensation off the inside of the windshield.
 

Reprise

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Jul 22, 2015
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I'd recommend a check of the door weatherstripping - I had an issue a few months back after a heavy rain - after some investigation, I saw that a chunk of the driver's door weatherstrip was out of its channel.

Re-inserted it, and no problems since (I realize that I may be a bit lucky, here.)

Unfortunately, our door weatherstrip is easily dislodged from its channel. It's been stable in the months since, but if it pops out again, I'll rig up something to help keep it in place (but still allow for removal / replacement, if needed. Probably something like spray adhesive or double-side tape.
 
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