Expert: William Forster - 8/14/2007

Question
I have a 2005 Sienna AWD. The trunk floor on the right side is very wet and is emitting bad odor. This seems to have happened within the last 2 weeks. How can I dry this out? Is this indicating some bigger problem?

Answer
You need professional help. The vehicle has developed a water leak, and it's not going to go away. It could be a leaky window, a miss-aligned door or hatch, or split body seam caulk. I would remove the entire trunk interior carpeting, and sling it over a fence post or some saw horses for it to dry. Remove the spare tire, if it has a spare tire trunk well. If it's full of water, remove a drain plug to drain it. Or, drill a small hole drain the water. No sense in putting back in the carpet until the leak is fixed. It will just get wet again. Leaks are pesky, and sometimes hard to locate. Let a pro do this, we are trained in the art of leak diagnosis and repair. Bill