Large Water Leak - Ideas?

[Subaru_Nation555]

After a while of driving in heavy rain there will always be a pool of water (often times several inches deep) in the back left foot well which will eventually spill over into the drivers footwell. The water only collects on the floor, the seats and headliner are not getting wet that I can see.

I have the front seat out and have pulled up the carpet in the drivers footwell to dry things out. I cannot tell if water is somehow leaking from the sunroof into the cabin and collecting on the floor, coming up through a hole in the floor pan or somehow coming through the foot ventilation system.

Each time I think I've sealed up a leak in the sunroof, the water finds another path of least resistance and leaks again.

Any thoughts on what I should do or placing I should check out? Which scenario seems most likely do you think?

[gijonas]

The sunroofs in these things suck and my car had problems with the headliner causing interior rain . Have you tried clearing out the drains for the unit with compressed air?

[Subaru_Nation555]

I'm in the process or running a vacuum line as a snake through all of the drain pipes at the four corners of the sunroof. I can see into the fender on the drivers side where the drivers front tube exits but I cannot see the one on the passengers side. Should the tube exit in the same place?

[gijonas]

Im pretty sure the passenger side one comes out underneath almost in the trans tunnel firewall area,kind of under where the turbo is but at the bottom,should be easy to spot if you look in that area.

[Subaru_Nation555]

Well the sunroof assembly is out awaiting cleaning/resealing. The carpet and padding are drying. Hopefully this will cure my water problem, I hate hate hate getting into a damp car.

[93forestpearl]

An often overlooked leak point is the rails themselves. Resealing the rails has eliminated leaks that persisted with cleared drain tubes.


Something to keep in mind.

[Subaru_Nation555]

Yeah the rails will get sealed tomorrow so I hope that takes care of the roof leaks. I just can't figure out how inches of water pool up in the footwells. If it is the sunroof where would the water be dripping down, I can't see any obvious spots in the cabin.

[gijonas]

It must be running down one of the pillars on the inside,not leaving any trace on its way down.

[dscoobydoo]

My bet is that one of the rear lines is clogged and it is getting past the seals and running down by the C pillar.

trust me, it does not take much for a good rain to put an inch or two into the car.

My truck ( quality GM mind you) was only spot welded in the upper seams over the rear supercab windows, so over time, the filler they used shrunk and the .5 mm cracks in a heavy rain are enough to let in about 2-4 cups of water.

[Subaru_Nation555]

Thanks for the responses guys, I was thinking more along those lines too but I finally figured it out.

I was wondering why the sound proofing layer (or whatever the coating is under the carpet) was cracked. I removed a piece and there was a small hole which must be factory because it is perfectly round. There is one on the other side but it is sealed with the undercoating stuff. It's been patched and I'm looking forward to a dry car.

[asc_up]

How could THAT much water shoot up through that little hole though?

[magicmike]

Thats probably not the cause of the flooding in your car. Get in the car and have someone sit there with a hose on it until you see where the water is coming from.

[rallyguy_777]

had the sma ethings happen to my car. Blew some air through all the sunroof tbes and she is all nice and sealed

[zzGUY46]

Anyone have pics of where drainage tubes are on a 2002 Outback wagon? I can't find em...please help

[rallyak]

The drain exit is on passenger side behind bumper I believe.