Wet passenger floor after rain?

[chowjones]

Hi Everyone,

I recently joined the forum and created a new thread about water leaking on the passenger side of my 2013 Sonic hatchback. I just found this thread today. My car is back at the dealership for the second time since 10/7 for wet floormats and carpet where my passenger's feet would rest. It gets wet every time it rains and was wet after I took it through a touchless car wash. I've been in touch with Erica from Chevy Customer care in a private thread regarding the problem. She is going to contact my dealer on 10/28. Really disappointing- this is my third Chevy and this is the first time I've encountered an issue like this.

 

[Twitch]

??

How can this thread have so many people that have had this fixed (using silicone or w/e) and still no pics (besides the hose one) ? This entire thread seems like some sort of government area 51 deal lol. Someone go outside and freakin take a pic of wat they did and post it please.

 

[ChrisJ]

Mine is now fixed after the 2nd attempt.
We don't have pictures, because we aren't doing the work, it's been a warranty issue at least for most.

I brought mine in for it at 35,500 miles. The 2nd attempt was at 37K but still under warranty being it was an open issue. It got a real good test yesterday where I park at work and not a drop. I've parked in the same spot for years and have been backing in most times to keep it from leaking until now. Point being, I know without a doubt it would have leaked there previously especially with the downpour we had.

 

[infinite_trial]

I thought mine was fixed. haven't had rain in a while until yesterday. they tried to fix this twice...

according to lemon law for my state, I can claim for refund after 4 service attempts within 1 year. but the issue is not reproducible...do you have to wait for rain 4 times in a year?!!

 

[lneff]

I thought mine was fixed. haven't had rain in a while until yesterday. they tried to fix this twice...

according to lemon law for my state, I can claim for refund after 4 service attempts within 1 year. but the issue is not reproducible...do you have to wait for rain 4 times in a year?!!

My car is scheduled to go in for the 2nd time this coming for monday for the issue not being fixed the 1st time. What I did notice is that after drying my car out on a friday night (using the AC/heat/recirculate trick) that 10 minutes of rain the next day caused it to come back. So I have a feeling that all you have to do is wash your car or let a hose drain into your exterior HVAC intake to reproduce. So that's my plan if this persists after this next scheduled service.

 

[lneff]

My car is back after the 2nd service...apparently its been that my AC was draining into my passenger compartment this whole time and not below the car like normal...

 

[infinite_trial]

My car is back after the 2nd service...apparently its been that my AC was draining into my passenger compartment this whole time and not below the car like normal...

Hi lneff, were you able to reproduce the problem by yourself or did the dealership do it?

I took mine last Saturday and was a total waste of time because they need the same tech to look at it. So I brought it in yesterday, same thing, they cannot reproduce the problem. This is getting frustrating.

 

[ChrisJ]

Hi lneff, were you able to reproduce the problem by yourself or did the dealership do it?

I took mine last Saturday and was a total waste of time because they need the same tech to look at it. So I brought it in yesterday, same thing, they cannot reproduce the problem. This is getting frustrating.

Tell them to park the car slightly uphill with the passenger side slightly higher than the drivers side.

And yes, it matters. That is when mine would leak, if the drivers side was higher it wouldn't.

This shouldn't be difficult there is a TSB out on the problem so they shouldn't need to reproduce it. They just need to do what Gm tells them.


Of course, there is always the chance that my issue was only on 2012 models...

 

[infinite_trial]

Hi ChrisJ, I actually told them that the very first time it was sent for service. I even provided the bulletin# for it and it was noted in the service receipt. I was more of wanting to know what I can do myself, record it, and show it to them. I am fed up taking it back for the same issue.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Hi lneff, were you able to reproduce the problem by yourself or did the dealership do it?

I took mine last Saturday and was a total waste of time because they need the same tech to look at it. So I brought it in yesterday, same thing, they cannot reproduce the problem. This is getting frustrating.

Hi infinite_trial,

We've just sent you a private message. When you get a chance, read over it and feel free to touch base with us.

Thanks
Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[infinite_trial]

so we were able to reproduce the problem or at least see where the leak is coming from. Opened the glovebox access, and removed the filter. From the inside, we can actually see a streak of daylight coming in from the windshield base. Hosed it down on that spot and we can see water dripping. It is not enough to make a puddle but when the problem occurs, it's usually a downpour rain. I guess the first people who tried to fix it didn't do a good job sealing the windshield, and the other dealership we went to didn't check that.

 

[ChicksHateMe]

I just went though this problem as well. I wasn't sure what the problem was, so originally posted in the a newer thread here...

http://www.sonicownersforum.com/forum/general-discussion/15670-water-door-2.html#post278215

I had the Fix mentioned in BULLETIN #PI0826 done, but it rained last night and the floor was wet again this morning. It wasn't nearly as hard a rain as the previous two times either.

ChrisJ mentioned in the other thread the fix didn't work first time for him, as others have mentioned in this thread.

So, fix doesn't work until they do some custom (Mickey Mouse) Damming it appears.

I've had to put up with way too many issues for a 6 month old and and lightly driven car. Only 4,500 Miles on it and my 21 year old Jeep smelled better. New car smell is definitely gone and soon the car probably will be too...

 

[Llia]

How can this thread have so many people that have had this fixed (using silicone or w/e) and still no pics (besides the hose one) ? This entire thread seems like some sort of government area 51 deal lol. Someone go outside and freakin take a pic of wat they did and post it please.

lol area 51.
Yeah, I want to see pics as well, or at least the area in question. Not much rain but I washed my car so maybe that was the cause.

 

[bvz]

I am having a similar problem with my '13 hatchback (no sunroof). It has only 15K miles on it, but has been having issues with a moldy smell and soaking wet passenger floor.

Today, while driving, some seriously hot water dripped out of the dash right next to the center stack on the passenger side and fell on my wife's foot. She was so shocked she thought she had been stung. But quickly we figured out that it was dripping water. The water seems to be dripping from a larger plastic object that is IN the center stack, but also pretty far forward in the dash (i.e. it is just forward of where the glove box is).

I took out the glove box and found that the white insulation at the bottom of the dash is kind of damp (the floor is soaking wet). There is also lightly speckled rust on all of the metal. But the air filter is bone dry. I am also losing a little bit of coolant (it is low, but I have never added any over 15K miles).

I'll try to post a pic of the "thing" that seems to be leaking as soon as I can figure out how to post pictures. But even before I do that, any thoughts on how to keep diagnosing it? It really doesn't seem to be the same issue that some others were having in this thread (i.e. my air filter is dry). A couple of other data points:

1) We have finally had some rain here (Northern CA) though it has been a few days.
2) My car occasionally makes the sound of running water (almost like a tiny brook) coming from the passenger floor area. I read that that may have something to do with low coolant?
3) My car lives outside permanently, and is under the most pernicious tree. That tree drops leaves and these little tiny tiny leaf-like things year round (to the point that there are leaves all over and inside the car). Could that have clogged something up (I don't have a sunroof)?

Thanks!

 

[bvz]

Ok, dug around in there a bit more and it *looks* like it is coming from the heater core (or what I think is the heater core).

Here is a pic:

The water comes out very hot (I've been running the heater). It seems to be leaking from seam that is right below that tube/hole thing in the side of what I think is the core. It *might* be coming from higher up, but I don't think so. When I feel further up the side it feels dry.

The weird thing is, I have had cars where the heater core has gone bad and it always smelled like radiator fluid. This smells just like water and nothing else.

Could this be a plugged drain somewhere? Maybe the ac drain even though I am running the heater?

I'm going to be taking it in this week, but if anyone has any other suggestions let me know!

Thanks


Edit: A little more research tells me that what I am looking at is not the heater core, but probably the evaporator case. That seems to be filled with water for some reason and is not draining? So I am going to try to see if I can find the AC drain hose and see if it is clogged up. I'll post back here.

 

[bvz]

Hehe. Looks like I'm having a conversation with myself!

Ok, updates: I jacked the car up, located the AC drain hose, and then hit it with a few shots from an air compressor. A ton of water suddenly came shooting out! Yay!

But let's not get too excited too soon.

1st, how did that water get in there in the first place? In the three years I owned the car I have used the air conditioner maybe a dozen times. Who knows. Maybe that is enough to generate that amount of water and it has no real way to evaporate while in the system because there isn't enough air in there?

2nd, since I drained it about an hour ago, it is still dripping. I used a rag to try to dry off that plastic evaporator case. But as soon as I dry it off, it appears to get wet again and start dripping. That is way too much water to just be the residuals from what was in there before I drained it.

3rd, the water is hot even after just a short 5 minute drive. The water that is in the evaporator case should have been sitting there, cold. I can't see why IT would heat up.

4th, when I reach up higher behind the evaporator case I think I can feel it wet up higher.

5th, when I run the blower for a while it defrosts the windows. But when I come back to the car (after I had run the blower for a while) the windows are all fogged up. If I let the car sit for a few days that goes away. But then when I drive again for a bit with the blower motor on, it will fog up again when I park.

6th, I am low on coolant.


So... successful drain of the evaporator case, but I still have a leak. Anyone want to hazard a guess where hot water would be leaking from that is somewhere above and forward of the evaporator case? It really doesn't smell like coolant as far as I can tell, but my only (fairly uneducated) guess at the moment is that it is leaking from a hose that connects to the heater core?

 

[Maddmatts]

The A/C is also activated when you turn on the front window defrost (only when above 3 Celsius). That might explain the extra water if you've been using that setting.

The heatercore is the only thing I can think of inside the dash that gets really hot. I don't think the radio/infotainment system gets too far beyond "a little warm".

 

[bvz]

The A/C is also activated when you turn on the front window defrost (only when above 3 Celsius). That might explain the extra water if you've been using that setting.

The heatercore is the only thing I can think of inside the dash that gets really hot. I don't think the radio/infotainment system gets too far beyond "a little warm".

Ah, that might explain all the water because I've been using the defrost a lot (and it is always above 3 degrees Celsius here).

Gonna keep an eye on it to see if it dries up over the next day.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[bvz]

So I rarely drive the car, but so far it appears that the leak has, in fact, been fixed!