Expert: Roland Finston - 8/9/2011

Question
Roland,

I'm still not having problems with the fuses!  THANKS

2007 Sebring Convertible

I have a new one for you.  The back passenger floor remains wet.  We have not had any rain for about two months, so thats not the problem.  We drove from Indiana to North Carolina when we got there the rear passenger floor was soaked!  I vacuumed it and enjoyed our vacation.  It didn't seem to get wet while we were there.  Drove back home 500 miles and soaked again.  vacuumed it, and it sat for two days it was nice and dry.  My wife drove to work and home a total of 20 miles and it's soaked.  Yes we have been using the AC.

Answer
Hi Pat,
Assuming that neither rain nor a car wash occured during the time between when you dried the carpet and you discovered it to be wet, I have to believe that the water is coming via the condensation of humidity in the air that flows through the ac evaporator fins under the dash.
If it only gets the floor wet when the air conditioning is used and as well the fluid doesn't have any odor of antifreeze, then I suspect that what is happening is that when the ac operates it has the normal function of causing moisture in the air which it cools to condense on the cold surfaces of the cooling fins in the housing under the dash. That moisture becomes frank water when you turn off the system and drips off those surfaces into a drip pan at the lower front edge of the housing. There is a drain hose connected to the pan that is supposed to allow that water to drain out of the pan and pass through a hole in the firewall (floor board or panel that separates the engine compartment from the cabin). Likely that lumen of the drain hose has become clogged so that the water doesn't drain out but rather overflows the drip pan and lands on the floor below it and then runs along the floor under the rug to the rear. So I would jack up the right front wheel or put the vehicle on ramps or a lift so that you can get under it and find the end of the drain hose. Then take a stiff wire and run it up into the lumen of the hose so as to loosen the debris that is blocking it from draining the water and that will then allow the pan to resume the draining process for which it was designed. You will often notice that when cars leave a parking spont there is water on the ground, just above where the cabin/firewall joint is located, about mid-body side to side. You want the convert to do the same thing. There is nothing wrong with the ac or heater as such, if I am correct. It is an easy fix once you find the outlet on the under side of the car. But someone will need to get under to look for the hose outlet and put the wire up into it to clear the blockage. I looked through the manual and found no specific location as to location. You might ask at a dealership if they can point you toward the location of the drain hole.

Roland
PS Thanks for the rating and nomination, Pat. I hava an afterthought about the fact that the wetness occurs at the back passenger floor. Usually what I described produces wet floor mats in the front of the passenger side.  It may be that water from earlier rains/car washes that has intruded at the rear of the vehicle and drained onto the floor pan back there has built up to such a quanity that it sloshes around even though you dry out the carpet and no new intrusion occurs. There are drain holes along each side of the vehicle which I believe are located along a body metalwork seam that is approximately located on a 'line' that projects between the center tread of the front to rear tires. Again there would be holes visible from underneath that would have mud flaps and you would want to insert a wire into the lumin of each drain tube. There should be at least two holes, one before the door opening and one aft of the  door opening. and on both sides of the vehicle. So give that a look as well. If you find something interesting please let me know.