Water in the door

[Gary Grist]

I noticed water dripping from the driver's side front door today. Upon closer inspection it was coming from a small rectangular hole located at the very front lower corner of the door. I estimate that about 10cc dripped out. There are similar holes in each of the doors. The front passenger side hole was damp, but not dripping. Both back door holes were dry. I understand that doors can have drainage holes. But the thing that bothers me is the fact that when the doors are closed, the drain holes are positioned directly above a body seam that feeds directly into the rocker panels. This seems a perfect set-up for a rapid rustout.

Are there any 'body men' out there who know if this is the way it is supposed to be or is it a design flaw. I have a 2013 RS turbo MT HB. Should the rocker panels be drilled and filled on these cars?

 

[RMinNJ]

I know my parents fusion may or may not have those holes at the bottom of the doors..
but what the fusion doors do have is a bent out lip of sheetmetal running along the entire
door bottom... I guess this may keep the water off the rocker/side pannel of the car but it seems to me the water will just sit in this lip....don't get it.

So to me the drain holes of the sonic door should be regularly checked for clogs. I honestly don't know if its the best design. My rocker/side panel seems free of crevices and places for water (and stones) to sit so I think that metal is ok.

More worrisome to me ..I have a white car.. I noticed the bottom of the rocker/side panels is not all white..its grey like they they stopped painting it and left the primer. I suspect this area will rust before the doors.

 

[Stew]

Those are definitely drain holes, don't drill additional holes because you will expose bare untreated metal. Just periodically poke a paperclip or something in the hole to make sure it's not clogged, as was mentioned.

Don't worry about where the drain holes are located, that was all taken into consideration when the doors were designed.

 

[ChrisJ]

One of the reasons doors rotted out in the 1970s-80s was the lack of those drain holes. They tried to undercoat and seal everything up and it failed probably because you can never totally seal against the windows no matter how hard you try.

You may have noticed newer cars don't have issues with the bottoms of their doors rotting out. That's because of the drain holes.


Rapid rustout? It's dripping on a painted and prerhaps galvanized joint.
I don't think I've seen a single car rapidly rust in 20+ years and by rapid I mean rott in 2-3 years.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

I was browsing new posts and came upon this one. I browsed the other day and found another one, so I posted there. Here's the link to that.

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/interior-ice-discussion/2354-odor-problem-7.html#post276701

Basically, I park on a 15 degree angle to the left and during two major storms over last few months my Passenger floor mat got soaked. Rug under it only slightly. I'm glad it has a plastic bottom, and I am probably lucky I park on the angle, making it only drip on it.

But I don't know where it's coming in. First time the water sat of the rug for a few days and that wet rubber smelled nasty. Took some work to clean the smell out of the mat.

Just happened Sat night again. I emailed local dealer and waiting for them to call me. Issues are starting to add up fast and I've only had it 6 months. My 93 Jeep went YEARS without issues... Love the car, but hate the problems that seem to keep coming.

Not sure how to find or fix it yet. Gonna try air compressor first, then car wash.

I have a feeling that it's getting around the rubber seal somehow. Maybe even getting by it on the top and then the seal on the bottom isn't letting it back out, so it's coming in.....

Freakin car....

 

[RMinNJ]

There was the passenger side getting wet from the under that dash.. there is some seal problem by the cabin air filter. Possible the slope makes it worst.

For you to tell it that is it..maybe if you check the cabin air filter it will be wet? Easy to do ..its behind the glove box..take the glove box out and you'll see the cabin air filter door with tabs to open it..

 

[ChrisJ]

I was browsing new posts and came upon this one. I browsed the other day and found another one, so I posted there. Here's the link to that.

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/interior-ice-discussion/2354-odor-problem-7.html#post276701

Basically, I park on a 15 degree angle to the left and during two major storms over last few months my Passenger floor mat got soaked. Rug under it only slightly. I'm glad it has a plastic bottom, and I am probably lucky I park on the angle, making it only drip on it.

But I don't know where it's coming in. First time the water sat of the rug for a few days and that wet rubber smelled nasty. Took some work to clean the smell out of the mat.

Just happened Sat night again. I emailed local dealer and waiting for them to call me. Issues are starting to add up fast and I've only had it 6 months. My 93 Jeep went YEARS without issues... Love the car, but hate the problems that seem to keep coming.

Not sure how to find or fix it yet. Gonna try air compressor first, then car wash.

I have a feeling that it's getting around the rubber seal somehow. Maybe even getting by it on the top and then the seal on the bottom isn't letting it back out, so it's coming in.....

Freakin car....

There was the passenger side getting wet from the under that dash.. there is some seal problem by the cabin air filter. Possible the slope makes it worst.

For you to tell it that is it..maybe if you check the cabin air filter it will be wet? Easy to do ..its behind the glove box..take the glove box out and you'll see the cabin air filter door with tabs to open it..

My car had this issue until the dealer fixed it.
There is a TSB out for it. If you park on a slight up hill with the passenger side higher than the drivers side it will leak on the passenger floor if it rains.

It is also known to soak the cabin filter in the process. Not sure where but there is a long thread on this.

 

[Sailurman]

My car had this issue until the dealer fixed it.
There is a TSB out for it. If you park on a slight up hill with the passenger side higher than the drivers side it will leak on the passenger floor if it rains.

It is also known to soak the cabin filter in the process. Not sure where but there is a long thread on this.

So this thread should be locked and redirected to the pre-existing thread by our overeager non-sonic owning house admin

 

[ChrisJ]

So this thread should be locked and redirected to the pre-existing thread by our overeager non-sonic owning house admin

No, this thread is about the OP noticing water leaking from his doors which is normal. Someone brought up the water on the floor problem.

Personally I think one of the admins should redirect your rearend somewhere else. opcorn:

 

[Eric Smit]

someone needs a timeout.

and it's funny, I still know more about the Sonic than him.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

My car had this issue until the dealer fixed it.
There is a TSB out for it. If you park on a slight up hill with the passenger side higher than the drivers side it will leak on the passenger floor if it rains.

It is also known to soak the cabin filter in the process. Not sure where but there is a long thread on this.

Yes, that's exactly my issue....

Sorry OP and all. I replied to this and another thread cause I thought they were somehow related to my problem, but I now see there are others more closely related, but for others reading this like I did, but finding their issue is closer to mine, here's some info.

The other threads

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...sion/3999-wet-passenger-floor-after-rain.html

and

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/interior-ice-discussion/8013-2013-sonic-wet-floor-issue.html


This is what I was told from my dealer. GM has a bulletin out #PI0826. And here's some of it....

"This condition is most prevalent when the vehicle is
parked on an incline and the right front of the vehicle is elevated".

"This condition may be caused by water intrusion
through the HVAC fresh air inlet assembly, located in the plenum at the base
of the windshield. The water may be flowing along the edge of the front
windshield glass and dripping into the fresh air inlet. If the water
intrusion is in this area, the passenger compartment air filter may also be
saturated".

First time I found it, car had sat 3 days. Those mats stink when left wet. Laundry detergent wouldn't even remove the smell. I had to soak it in White Vinegar to get the smell out.

I don't drive much so this time I was actually lucky I went out the morning after the storm. Last time I drove was 9 before that, so I got lucky it didn't get wet and sit that long.

I am taking it in now and leaving it overnight. They said they had all the parts needed and it would be done for tomorrow.

Good luck with yours...

 

[Sailurman]

someone needs a timeout.

and it's funny, I still know more about the Sonic than him.

So you banned me for three days for my post which still sits in place and did not give any warning? Nice. May I direct you to this:

2. Be respectful to other users. Friendly discussions/difference of opinions between users will be tolerated but anything out of reason and the posts will be deleted and possible infractions/bans will be imposed on the users. Treat others how you want to be treated! This includes things such as profanity, direct insults, belittling and other disrespectful talk to members, companies and moderators. Infractions will be given and are to be taken seriously!! If contacted by a Moderator consider this a strict warning and being banned from the forum is a possible and appropriate next step.

But I'm good. Guess I'm not in the "in crowd". Good Day.:sadbanana:

 

[Eric Smit]

does it say I'm required to give warning?

bash a mod, take a timeout. welcome to our house.

 

[ChrisJ]

Yes, that's exactly my issue....

Sorry OP and all. I replied to this and another thread cause I thought they were somehow related to my problem, but I now see there are others more closely related, but for others reading this like I did, but finding their issue is closer to mine, here's some info.

The other threads

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...sion/3999-wet-passenger-floor-after-rain.html

and

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/interior-ice-discussion/8013-2013-sonic-wet-floor-issue.html


This is what I was told from my dealer. GM has a bulletin out #PI0826. And here's some of it....

"This condition is most prevalent when the vehicle is
parked on an incline and the right front of the vehicle is elevated".

"This condition may be caused by water intrusion
through the HVAC fresh air inlet assembly, located in the plenum at the base
of the windshield. The water may be flowing along the edge of the front
windshield glass and dripping into the fresh air inlet. If the water
intrusion is in this area, the passenger compartment air filter may also be
saturated".

First time I found it, car had sat 3 days. Those mats stink when left wet. Laundry detergent wouldn't even remove the smell. I had to soak it in White Vinegar to get the smell out.

I don't drive much so this time I was actually lucky I went out the morning after the storm. Last time I drove was 9 before that, so I got lucky it didn't get wet and sit that long.

I am taking it in now and leaving it overnight. They said they had all the parts needed and it would be done for tomorrow.

Good luck with yours...

If it still leaks after they fix it don't be disappointed.
It took my dealer twice and I was so sure the second time wouldn't work but not a drop since.

For the longest time I had been parking in ways i knew it wouldn't matter but it's nice not having to worry about it. When I told the dealer I could just keep doing what I'm doing he said "No, I think you should be able to park on a hill, we'll look at it again".

Something about they had to really build up a dam using rubber.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

If it still leaks after they fix it don't be disappointed.
It took my dealer twice and I was so sure the second time wouldn't work but not a drop since.

For the longest time I had been parking in ways i knew it wouldn't matter but it's nice not having to worry about it. When I told the dealer I could just keep doing what I'm doing he said "No, I think you should be able to park on a hill, we'll look at it again".

Something about they had to really build up a dam using rubber.

Ah, Good to know. I thought it would be a one and done fix. They showed me pics and explained how it would be fixed. Now that you said that, I will watch after the next storm.

 

[Sailurman]

does it say I'm required to give warning?

bash a mod, take a timeout. welcome to our house.

Nope it doesn't. And I must say that I was surprised at how classy and mature your reply was. Congrats on that growth,

 

[$ub$onic]

 

[ChicksHateMe]

If it still leaks after they fix it don't be disappointed.
It took my dealer twice and I was so sure the second time wouldn't work but not a drop since.

For the longest time I had been parking in ways i knew it wouldn't matter but it's nice not having to worry about it. When I told the dealer I could just keep doing what I'm doing he said "No, I think you should be able to park on a hill, we'll look at it again".

Something about they had to really build up a dam using rubber.

You were right. Had the mod done. Rained last night. Wet Passenger floor this morning. I had enough with this thing....

 

[ChrisJ]

You were right. Had the mod done. Rained last night. Wet Passenger floor this morning. I had enough with this thing....

I told you it would likely take them another attempt and yet you're still surprised

Eh whatever, go buy another brand of car and maybe get lucky or get a worse car.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

I told you it would likely take them another attempt and yet you're still surprised

Eh whatever, go buy another brand of car and maybe get lucky or get a worse car.

Not surprised. I believed you. Disappointed. Wet on the inside will only make it deteriorate faster.

Get Lucky? Lucky is I didn't crash because of my failed brakes. It's not just one thing like this that concerns me, it's ALL the things adding up.