We have a 2000 mitsubishi galant that has the drivers side floor that stays almost perpetually wet. We have taken it to our mechanic who works extensively on these vehicles and they can’t find the source of the problem. They say the A/C lines are dry and that it would take several hours to take eveything apart to get closer to the wet area. We have kept the car in the garage for several weeks to eliminate the idea that there is a windshield or door seal problem but the water still acccumulates. A web site I went on said that the heater may be causing this…only this is Florida and the heater is almost never used. If someone has a similar issue or knows something, please let me know. Thanks!
A coolant leak from the heater core can wet the floor with coolant (antifreeze, antiboil/ water mixture) even if the heat isn’t used. This usually feels a little sticky or slimy.
Also, a drain tube from the A/C is designed to drain clear water condensate from the A/C’s evaporator to the outside and be dripped on the ground. Sometimes these drains clog and deposit the waste water inside, instead.
You can look under the hood for the end of the drain on the firewall (wall between engine and passenger compartment). There may be just too much stuff back there to see anything, but it should be a short tube that just ends without connecting to anything. Sometimes the end has to be squeezed to get it to open. Spiders and bugs, algae and whatever can clog it up. When you squeeze it water should try to drip out. If you think it’s blocked, carefully get something to use to clear it like a golf tee or short stick.
I took a look at the (NHTSA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s service bulletin data bank and found one bulletin pertaining to a 2000 Galant A/C drain problem.
However, most A/C water leaks I have seen occur on the passenger side floor, but maybe your’s is different. A Mitsubishi dealer could probably tell you which side a leak would occur on. They also have more information than what is in this summary.
This is only a possibility!
Service Bulletins Summary
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
MITSUBISHI / GALANT 1999-2002
Service Bulletin Number : 0255006
NHTSA Item Number : 634577
Summary Description :
SUBJECT REGARDING AIR CONDITONER WATER LEAKAGE AT EVAPORATOR DRAIN TUBE OPENING. *JG
This is a link to where I looked:
Maybe the AC lines are dry because the water is not flowing through them but onto your floor??? I would take a second look there.
The only other test would be yourself is getting car dry and then putting a hose to it on the windshield and door area. You will find that leak source quickly.
Good luck, water problems inside cars are miserable.
???
Water does not flow through A/C lines. Water is not used in the air conditioning system! Water removed from ambient “air” is supposed to be expelled outside through a drain.
No need for a hose test. Reread the original question. The car has been kept inside to eliminate the possibility of water entering the car from “outside.”
Does it have a sun roof? Does it do it after a l-o-n-g dry spell. How long has it been doing it? Do you park under trees? Is it related to using the A/C? Could the drain under the air intake (those vents right in front of the windscreen) be blocked? Pour some water in there and see if it comes out UNDER the car like it should.
Have they checked the draining system at the base of the windshield? There might be some water there and trickling down gradually. Also are you loosing any coolant or other fluid for that matter?
Did you ever get this resolved? I am having the same problem. Need to do some more diagnostic work, but floor board seems to get wet when car sits (static) in rain. Car does have a sunroof.
I checked the sunroof and vent drains this afternoon. Both seem to be working properly (i.e. water drains under car). Any other ideas???
Hi
I’m just comming in from my garage. I have the same problem, my galant 2001 gets wet in the driver’s side.
I removed the driver’s seat and the carpet.
used a hose to see if the water was comming from the outside and nothing.
Turnes the ac on and after a few minutes I saw the water comming from the hose that is supposed to drain the water out from the a/c.
so it looks my problem is related to the bulletin published by common sense.
It’s late and dark so I can’t keep working now, but I can sleep great tonight at least. This was killing me, it’s really stressing this ater inside the car.
I hope I can help someone else.
good luck and wish me some trying to fix it. I have no clue of what to do from now on…
UPDATE - I found a TSB for the seal around the condensate drain tube, but the dealer wants ~$540 to replace the $7 part (lot of labor). Subsequently, I realized I was missing the 90 degree fitting on the end of the condensate drain, which serves as a firewall seal also. I replaced that, and I no longer have water infiltrating when I pour water on the firewall.
However, I still have moisture coming from somewhere because the rubbery foam insulation on the floorboard incline below the pedals remains damp, more so towards the left side (away from condensate drain). I have verified that the sunroof and air intake drain lines do drain underneath the car (i.e. not clogged).
Not sure what to do now.
I had this same issue. It drove me nuts until I had a mechanic extend the AC evaporator drain out from the firewall and problem fixed.