# Spilled the coffee...again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 6, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221 "2007-09-06T13:27:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WVQuilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/87869e/32.png) [@WVQuilter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/WVQuilter)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/1 "2007-09-06T13:27:03Z")
I have a 2007 Toyota RAV Sport and spilled about 4 ounces of coffee down the shift console. I know there is electrical and mechanical “stuff” down there, but I’m hoping that the folks who designed the car would have put a drain hole for spills like mine. Could you give me some advise??? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/2 "2007-09-06T13:45:18Z")
You asked for advice: Be more careful! There is no drain under the console. Anything and everything you spill there will be absorbed by the padding/insulation under the carpet. This material does not dry well, due to its location and the material from which it is made, and all that retained moisture may eventually lead to the growth of mold/mildew, which you will notice by its smell. As far as electrical “stuff,” yes there is some, and depending on where the coffee goes it may or may not be affected. The trick is NOT to spill coffee into the console. ---
**Author:** ![lprocter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lprocter/32/40_2.png) [@lprocter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lprocter)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/3 "2007-09-06T13:46:32Z")
I’ve got an 02 Hyundai Accent, and I spill coffee all the time on my shifter. Nothing bad’s happened yet. I doubt it will. Of course, there’s a big difference between my Accent and your new Toyota. But I imagine it won’t damage anything. People spill coffee all the time. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/4 "2007-09-07T21:31:51Z")
Stop at the local grocery store and get the disposable cups with the sippee lids. I use them and they work great. ---
**Author:** ![Craig58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3da27b/32.png) [@Craig58](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Craig58)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/5 "2007-09-07T22:11:22Z")
The worst was my saab 900, spilled coffee ended up in the ignition. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/6 "2007-09-08T05:38:49Z")
Was it with cream and sugar? That stuff could gum up in there, I will take the top off and clean the stuff out. Friend had a soda spill and shifter got stuck. It took me half an hour to figure it out/he had completely forgotten the incident. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/7 "2007-09-08T15:00:11Z")
It doesn’t have a drain, but the moisture will evaporate, especially if you use the AC. One or two spills shouldn’t hurt anything, but if it happens a lot, and if you use cream and/or sugar, it could gum things up after a while. Wires are insulated and the connectors are waterproof. The only things that would be affected are mechanical. like switches and linkages. ---
**Author:** ![TJScott2012](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e68b1a/32.png) [@TJScott2012](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TJScott2012)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/8 "2007-09-08T18:10:15Z")
my dad literally had spilled cofee in his old s10 ac vents every day, i have no doubt at least a gallon, i dont know how that helps but anyways. ---
**Author:** ![DARTMAN69](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dartman69/32/29_2.png) [@DARTMAN69](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DARTMAN69)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/spilled-the-coffee-again/4221/9 "2007-09-08T19:04:02Z")
Waterproof connectors are not usually used on the inside of a vehicle. ~Michael