Water leak on driver's side carpet & rear seat when rains. Windshield drain problem?

[missosa]

Water leak on driver's side carpet & rear seat when rains. Windshield drain problem?

Hey there fellow Chevy Sonic Owners! I'm glad to have found this forum and even more glad to have joined among your rank

So, I have a Chevy Sonic that was previously wrecked, totaled, salvaged, and now rebuilt and legal to drive. It looks perfect, drives perfect, and in great condition. It was hit on the passenger side. Keep that in mind.

However, I noticed that when it rains, the carpet on the drivers side is damp wet. And it is always a puddle of sorts in the exact middle. There is no particular trail from which I can trace the water leak path, or so it seems. I then noticed this water escaping back to the rear seat and making the carpet back there wet too. This is ONLY on the drivers side.

I suspect a bad windshield drain hose? Maybe? It can't be HVAC because it's been cold and I have not used the A/C and besides, it happens when it RAINS.

Or could there be some sort of structural issue, maybe a bad weld that is missing due to the previous impact? Maybe the guy never re-installed a windshield drain house when he was repairing everything else?

Anyhow, SORRY for the long post! I really appreciate any and all input. And I know I know, before I hear it, people will trash me for buying a rebuilt car. Trust me, it was a pretty damn good deal Heck, the great MPG by itself is a good enough reason (I used to drive a gas-spilling Range Rover LOL)

 

[missosa]

^^IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE:

I also did notice that on many a morning, there is abnormal amounts of dew on the insides, almost rain drop size. Maybe windshield is not sealed well? But would this have some correlation with the wet carpet? Jeez! Ha!

 

[jmbull]

I was just coming to post about this. I recently noticed it over the weekend. The puddle of water on the drivers side. Anyone else with this problem?

 

[ChrisJ]

Already a thread about this.
http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...orum/3999-wet-passenger-floor-after-rain.html

 

[missosa]

Already a thread about this.
http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...orum/3999-wet-passenger-floor-after-rain.html

But that is referring to the passengers side whereas my problem is with the drivers side. And if you notice, between the windshield and hood, the black plastic cowling that serves the purpose of windshield drain is pure plastic on the passenger side and vented/perforated near the drivers side, so it obviously drains to the drivers side. I am wondering if my correlations are adding up. Does the Chevy Sonic have a windshield drain hose?

 

[ChrisJ]

But that is referring to the passengers side whereas my problem is with the drivers side. And if you notice, between the windshield and hood, the black plastic cowling that serves the purpose of windshield drain is pure plastic on the passenger side and vented/perforated near the drivers side, so it obviously drains to the drivers side. I am wondering if my correlations are adding up. Does the Chevy Sonic have a windshield drain hose?

OOOops

I'm sorry I missed the drivers side part.

 

[Stew]

I had a car doing something similar years ago and it turned out to be the plastic sheeting behind the door panel. That stuff is a water barrier to be sure and if the rope caulk stuff has a spot where it isn't sealing it can cause this kind of leak.

I know you mentioned it was hit on the passenger side but it would be worth a look behind the driver side door panels.

 

[missosa]

I had a car doing something similar years ago and it turned out to be the plastic sheeting behind the door panel. That stuff is a water barrier to be sure and if the rope caulk stuff has a spot where it isn't sealing it can cause this kind of leak.

I know you mentioned it was hit on the passenger side but it would be worth a look behind the driver side door panels.

Thanks for the advice, but could you clarify to me what you are referring to when you say "plastic sheeting behind the door panel"?
Do you mean along the bottom of the door on the car's body?

Or are you referring to the door jamb area where the door is hinged onto the body?

Thanks

 

[missosa]

^^I just did some googling and I think I know what you mean so nevermind

Behind the actual door panels where the window buttons and handle are and etc.

Thanks, I will look into that too!

 

[missosa]

**Update**

It turned out to be a leak in the top left corner (driver's side upper corner) of the windshield. It looks like the guy who did body work on my previously totalled Chevy Sonic replaced the windshield, but when he applied the adhesive sealant, he places the windshield in at an anlge which then scraped off adhesive sealant as he was placing it in.

The way I detected where the leak was is that I placed paper towel in the crease between the windshield and the A-pillar and the body on the inside of the car. I then sprayed water on the outside and saw the paper towel suck up the water instantaneously.

The windshield repair man detected the leak by spraying a foam product on the outside of the windshield and then blew compressed air from the inside of the windshield. Pretty neat idea!

Anyhow, I am now leak free! Woohoo!

 

[chowjones]

water leak front passenger side near feet

Hello,

I purchased my 2013 Sonic hatchback in April. Over the past couple months, I've noticed my passenger side floor mat has been wet on the left side near the foot area. I contacted the dealer this morning and the service rep. said he hadn't heard of this problem previously. Bringing the car to the dealer on 10/19/13- keep you posted.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

chowjones,

Please keep us posted. If you would like for us to look into this further, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can always send us a private message including, your name, VIN, phone number, and the name of your GM dealership.

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[chowjones]

water leak

Hello,

It rained overnight. I checked my car this morning and the passenger side carpet and mat are wet near where a passenger's left foot would be.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Hey chowjones

Please send us a private message if you would like our help getting this issue resolved. We are available to call the dealership for you and create a Service request and stick with you until the issue is fixed.

Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[JaimieEileen]

I am having the same issue with my 2012 Sonic, driver's side only, front and back. The carpet is soaked, you can see standing water and I left my car with a dealership for 10 days. They tried to tell me they were just going to seal up some areas without actually having found where the water was coming in from. I saw someone else posted about an AC hose never getting installed at the factory and when I brought it up to them they were insulted as they employ certified technicians who don't read anything off the internet. I gave them a service bulletin that referred to water getting in through the HVAC inlet but according to them that wasn't it. They ended up saying it was a rear fender letting water in so they sealed it and here I am again with water soaking the carpet. I never had this many problems with my BELOVED Aveo so I'm incredibly let down.

 

[teginder81]

so if i were you i would be checking drain plug or drain opening in front of wind shield. probably it is under plastic grill next to wipers. it transfers the collected rain water infront of windshield and direct it to ground. if it is clogged flooded water can drain into cabin.

 

[GumbiRock]

I am having the same issue with my 2012 Sonic, driver's side only, front and back. The carpet is soaked, you can see standing water and I left my car with a dealership for 10 days. They tried to tell me they were just going to seal up some areas without actually having found where the water was coming in from. I saw someone else posted about an AC hose never getting installed at the factory and when I brought it up to them they were insulted as they employ certified technicians who don't read anything off the internet. I gave them a service bulletin that referred to water getting in through the HVAC inlet but according to them that wasn't it. They ended up saying it was a rear fender letting water in so they sealed it and here I am again with water soaking the carpet. I never had this many problems with my BELOVED Aveo so I'm incredibly let down.

Did you ever figure this out? I have a 2014 and this has been happening since 2015. I've cleared the sunroof drains and felt I had the windshield drains cleared too but it's still happening 8 years later. Driving me crazy!