Livid!

P71_CrownVic · May 14, 2010

So, today, I'm showing the Silvy some love and giving her a wash. As I do every other wash or so, I take out the WeatherTech floormats and give them a scrub.

Well, I removed the pass. side mat and noticed the carpet was wet just inside the plastic sill cover from the front of the seat (seat all the way back) forward to the front of the door. The carpet was only wet about an inch in.

Doing a bit more detective work, I pulled the plastic sill cover off as well as the kick panel. When I pulled the carpet back, to my surprise, the whole 'flat area' of the passenger footwell was soaked.

Not like standing water soaked...but the pad under the carpet was soaked...you could press on it and water would come out.

Anyway, I haven't the slightest clue as to where the water would be coming from. Everything above this area was/is dry. And I fixed that moonroof leak a long time ago...

Any ideas?

It does smell a bit...soggy under the carpet...if that helps establish a timeline...

bossier62guy · May 14, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

P71_CrownVic · May 15, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

Yeah...no need for AC...it's been in the 40's for the past week.

pm26 · May 15, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

Yeah...no need for AC...it's been in the 40's for the past week.

You apparently do not live in Florida. 90's here all week long.

bossier62guy · May 15, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

Yeah...no need for AC...it's been in the 40's for the past week.

Well if it's just water and you haven't been running your A/C you must have a water leak. Door seal look ok?

pm26 · May 15, 2010

Check all firewall openings where cables and harnesses go through. There could be a rubber boot or seal loose somewhere. I had such a rubber boot slip off in the firewall of my '85 Mercedes 300D and it caused a water leak inside the driver footwell. Pressing the boot back into its groove fixed the leak for good.

P71_CrownVic · May 15, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

Yeah...no need for AC...it's been in the 40's for the past week.

Well if it's just water and you haven't been running your A/C you must have a water leak. Door seal look ok?

Door seal looks ok...but I will get a better idea tomorrow after work. I'm wondering if it may be that round plug in the bottom-center of the first pic.

Check all firewall openings where cables and harnesses go through. There could be a rubber boot or seal loose somewhere. I had such a rubber boot slip off in the firewall of my '85 Mercedes 300D and it caused a water leak inside the driver footwell. Pressing the boot back into its groove fixed the leak for good.

I hope it's something that simple...and I will check it out...however I doubt that's it as the foam under the 'slanted part' (technical...I know...) of the footwell was dry except for the part that met the padding under the 'flat part' of the footwell.

bossier62guy · May 15, 2010

Was it just plain ole water? Been running the A/C hard lately?

Yeah...no need for AC...it's been in the 40's for the past week.

Well if it's just water and you haven't been running your A/C you must have a water leak. Door seal look ok?

Door seal looks ok...but I will get a better idea tomorrow after work. I'm wondering if it may be that round plug in the bottom-center of the first pic.

Check all firewall openings where cables and harnesses go through. There could be a rubber boot or seal loose somewhere. I had such a rubber boot slip off in the firewall of my '85 Mercedes 300D and it caused a water leak inside the driver footwell. Pressing the boot back into its groove fixed the leak for good.

I hope it's something that simple...and I will check it out...however I doubt that's it as the foam under the 'slanted part' (technical...I know...) of the footwell was dry except for the part that met the padding under the 'flat part' of the footwell.

Get in the truck and have someone put some water around the door seal area, etc. Leave the carpet peeled back and the door sill out like you've got it and maybe you'll be able to spot something. None of the carpet/padding in the foot area was wet?

P71_CrownVic · May 15, 2010

Get in the truck and have someone put some water around the door seal area, etc. Leave the carpet peeled back and the door sill out like you've got it and maybe you'll be able to spot something. None of the carpet/padding in the foot area was wet?

The only carpet that was wet was the area where the door sill meets the carpet. But the carpet has a rubber backing so that's understandable.

P71_CrownVic · May 15, 2010

I followed the Clown's advice (Zembonez) and had my brother hose the truck down while I was inside. For good measure, I took the door panel off to get a better idea of exactly where it was coming from (remember, I just swapped my handles).

Now, I'm sure it's expected that some water would get in the door...hence the drains at the bottom of it. But when the water was pouring all over it, it came in like a monsoon. Look at this:

(These pictures will be in order of what route the water would take to getting my carpet wet. That is the first stage above)

Then, the water would splash around and pool between the vapor barrier and the door:

Then, it would find it's way out and run along the interior weather stripping eventually pooling towards the front of the door sill:

So...what do I think is the cause? Well there was a very specific spot that when the water hit it, it would be a monsoon inside the door...I'm talking about a steady stream of water inside my door. That spot is the bottom-rear of the window...here is a pic:

Now compare the pass. side to the drivers side:

And you know the best part? My $2,500 GM "Major Guard", extended warranty I am paying for...will not cover it. It does not cover weather stripping or leaks. Yay me.

---------------------

On a side note...don't you hate it when your camera is so good at focusing...that it focuses on the dust on the end of the lens???

BigBlueLB756 · May 15, 2010

P71, I have NEVER seen better photo documentation of a problem in my life! I'm impressed, although that does nothing to help you with your problem. Good shots, though.

truckofwinandawesome · May 15, 2010

well, this is not as bad as the leak in my Plymouth, there was standing water in the footwell for both the front AND Rear Passenger! and I STILL have a Squishing noise when I press the carpet near the console in the Passenger footwell!

daylower · May 15, 2010

That sucks man, and total BS on the warranty not covering it IMO. Maybe redoing all the weather striping on the door?

2005LT · May 15, 2010

Good troubleshooting Matt. I'd be a little twisted too if my extended warranty didn't cover that.

P71_CrownVic · May 16, 2010

P71, I have NEVER seen better photo documentation of a problem in my life! I'm impressed, although that does nothing to help you with your problem. Good shots, though.

You think that's good...check out this write-up I did on swapping the GMT800 IP clusters:

Truck-Mod Central

BTW...I only use Canon cameras. The shots in this thread were taken with my 4-year old Canon PowerShot S3 IS (that I have dropped TWICE on the concrete...oops)

well, this is not as bad as the leak in my Plymouth, there was standing water in the footwell for both the front AND Rear Passenger! and I STILL have a Squishing noise when I press the carpet near the console in the Passenger footwell!

I would lose my mind.................

That sucks man, and total BS on the warranty not covering it IMO. Maybe redoing all the weather striping on the door?

Good troubleshooting Matt. I'd be a little twisted too if my extended warranty didn't cover that.

Guys...it does suck that the warranty does not cover it...but it's clearly stated in the terms that I signed...but it still grinds my gears.

HOWEVER...I fixed the problem.

Here we are over two hours later. I lost my mind with our hot glue gun and the inside vapor barrier and I used a toothpick to put some sealant where that gap was.

The end result is a dry truck with no evidence anything has been changed that can be seen by the naked eye (unless I show you the sealant).

I feel pretty good...