When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The area of CT I live in got hit pretty bad with a tornado. It had some pretty heavy showers and I had to drive thru some pools of water to get home. I woke up the next morning and noticed only my passenger side carpet was soaked in water. I did my best to dry the area and suck up water with a wet vac. The carpet wasn't exactly soaked in water, only some areas were wet more towards the front where the glovebox is. I noticed my air filter was also wet. I checked my sunroof drains and they looked fine. Any clue how I got water in the passenger side cabin? This is a pic of the carpet and the area that is soaked. It's more towards the glovebox area. Passenger side sunroof drain. Peeling windshield trim. Could this be the problem?
peeling trim could be the problem, pour some water on it and see!
perhaps a drain line could be clogged?
Thanks for the quick reply. After the tornado the next day there was a pretty big down pour from the last of Hurricane Laura. Carpet was completely dry. I feel like an idiot driving thru a large pull of water but it was in front of my driveway. I'll try the water trick and see what happens. This is the carpet now. It's completely dry. I left my windows open at work and I've been driving with them down to get rid of any moisture remaining in the area. This is the cabin filter that I pulled out and noticed it was wet. I replaced it with a new one as of now just to be safe.
+1 on checking the drain, how were you able to determine that it "looked fine"? pop off the A pillar and examine
I just did a visual inspection and saw the surrounding area was pretty clean. I didn't know the sunroof drains clogging up were an issue on this car. So basically a pry tool will remove this pillar?
interesting about the cabin filter. maybe your first instincts were right, maybe the rain gutter?
Yes it was pretty soaked on that side of the filter. To access the rain gutter I'll have to remove the front cowl and wiper assembly. I do park under a tree since my apartment complex has one in every parking space so it might've clogged from the leaves and spiders have been building webs all over the car.
Looks like it has happened again. The cabin filter is also soaked in water. Dealer says it could be the sunroof drains and they want $150 to clean them out for me.
I just washed car this morning to pin point where the leak is coming from it seems to stem from the cabin filter area. My cabin filter is soaked in water. I could see water dripping into this area. The wet spots area from me pulling out the soaked cabin filter.
The leak starts dripping into this area of the passenger carpet which is towards the center console area. A zoomed out pic of where the leak is dripping. I think I'm the first 4G TL ever with this issue.
I ended up getting the windshield replaced. The cause of my leak was not the sunroof drains. It ended up being sand and pine needles that clogged up the drain underneath the windshield cowl. The drain hole underneath the windshield cowl.
damn so you replaced the windshield before finding that?
Yes. Actually the upper trim on my windshield was the result of a previous hack job and over spray was found all underneath the trim when removed. Seems whoever owned the car had the entire car painted. Remember that lifted trim corner I posted on here? We'll that actually was result of it, and since it wasn't properly laid flat water was getting in that edge and caused rust.
I have a 2016 RDX with same issue, car stays outside and constantly pulling leaves out of cowel. How hard was it to take plastic cover off to get to plugged hole? I’m in CT to northwest corner.
I have a 2016 RDX with same issue, car stays outside and constantly pulling leaves out of cowel. How hard was it to take plastic cover off to get to plugged hole? I’m in CT to northwest corner.
I had the entire windshield replaced so the technician removed everything for me. It's seems over time the windshield cowls on these vehicles started to expand from heat and let in leaves and debris which clogged the drains. I used Premier Auto Glass in CT. There number is +1 844-577-3643.
I had the entire windshield replaced so the technician removed everything for me. It's seems over time the windshield cowls on these vehicles started to expand from heat and let in leaves and debris which clogged the drains. I used Premier Auto Glass in CT. There number is +1 844-577-3643.
thanks for the quick reply. I’m suspecting the cowl drains. But not sure how to get them off yet
thanks for the quick reply. I’m suspecting the cowl drains. But not sure how to get them off yet
Yes that is definitely the issue and what happens is it leaks into the cabin filter area and drips into the carpet. Here is a series of videos I made and the fix as well.
Yes that is definitely the issue and what happens is it leaks into the cabin filter area and drips into the carpet. Here is a series of videos I made and the fix as well. https://youtube.com/shorts/qqNxlo2jE...be/rcFfaeZwFSc
did all that water that soaked your cabin air filter get to your Blower fan below the filter? All components under the filter had to get wet
So I ran water slowly into the cowl area without taking any of the trim off. Water seems to find its way down to the ground without building up. No dripping in or around cabin air filter. I think I’m chasing a different demon.
So I ran water slowly into the cowl area without taking any of the trim off. Water seems to find its way down to the ground without building up. No dripping in or around cabin air filter. I think I’m chasing a different demon.
I would still clean those drains in-between the windshield and possibly have that windshield replaced.
It takes a lot of water for it to over flow into the cabin filter area. You can test it with a car wash as well. Use my videos on YouTube for clues.
So I found where the water is entering the RDX (see attached video). it's entering thru a rubber boot in the firewall upper right corner of passengers side.
I systematically poured colored water anywhere I thought it could come in from, the water you see is was poured into the passenger side corner of the cowl area.
What I don't understand yet is how its getting to that point. In my next post (couldn't upload both photos in one post) you'll see that the boot is under the cowl are. So how the water is getting from the cowl to the boot is where I need help. I am getting the windshield replaced (on order) the glass man said he will look into it when he takes the cowl off. But I'd like to have a plan in place before hand. By the way, the windshield is getting replaced for scratches and pitting from 6 years of highway driving.
No. I have a new windshield on order, glass man said he’d clean out any debris in cowl area after he takes cover off. And look seal anything that looks suspicious.
No. I have a new windshield on order, glass man said he’d clean out any debris in cowl area after he takes cover off. And look seal anything that looks suspicious.
08-31-2020, 02:57 PM
