My mechanic seems stumped by damp spot in my car and I’m not sure what to do next. I’ve got an 02 Camry, and after two days of heavy rain a few weeks ago, I got into the car and found the front driver’s floorboard, back driver’s floorboard, and back passenger’s floorboard were wet. The mechanic pulled the carpets to dry and cleaned all window, trunk, and door drains which had been plugged with dirt and leaves. Checked moonroof drains. Says all good. The next week it rained a just a bit and I found two small spots of water along the carpet near the back passenger door and a larger spot in the front driver’s floorboard near where it meets the console. Took the car back, mechanic replaced the taillight seals, water tested car, said it should be good (didn’t charge for labor). It hasn’t rained, but I’m still feeling a slightly damp spot only in the front driver’s floorboard where the floor meets the console. It was there yesterday morning, took a day-trip where the car set parked all day, pretty dry at night. Then today, it’s slightly damp again. The mechanic then said it needed new weatherstripping on the driver’s side door—$300. I asked him if it hasn’t rained, and I haven’t gone through a car wash, how could water be getting in through door weatherstripping if there’s no source of water? He agreed and didn’t have any other suggestions. I’m not sure what to do now. Can anyone offer ideas?
Ir sounds like your guy did a good job of ruling out most potential suspects. Using ac? might need a second trip, this guy sounds good. Let him redo the job as accumulated debris could still be present, imhop
Hi, Barkydog. I’ve been using the defrost and heater off and on. I mentioned the heater core as a possibility and he said that would be wet on the passenger’s side, not the driver’s side. I just read this: “A heater core leak usually leaks on the passenger side, and a A/C drain (plain water) leak usually happens on the driver side floor or in the middle center section of the floor.” Maybe it could still be an A/C drain leak?
Do you think it’s a good idea not to spend the money on the weatherstripping yet if the problem is still occurring without rain?
it has not rained and it still got wet. I would wait on the weatherstripping. if the heater core was leaking you would be smelling a sweet smell and the windshield would fog up when you used the defroster. you do use the a/c when you put the defroster on. it comes on automatically to help defog the windshield. I would check the a/c drain line if it was not already done.
Have someone check if the drain holes for the windshield wiper linkage trough below the windshield aren’t plugged.
Tester
I’ll see if he’s checked the a/c drain line—thanks! I’m starting to feel crazy with this spot. I asked another mechanic, who said he doesn’t work on this kind of stuff because “chasing a leak is like chasing a ghost.” Not reassuring!
Thanks, Tester. I’ll add that to the list.
A body shop might be more familiar with all the drainage issues.