water leaks

Asked by Wizardofboz Nov 10, 2012 at 04:21 PM about the 2003 Toyota Matrix XRS

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

The floor on the right hand side of the car is always soaking wet.  could the sunroof have a leak and
water gets in when it rains?

24 Answers

105

Sounds like you might have a heater core leaking..

3 people found this helpful.
55

Could also be the windsheild thats not well sealed

2 people found this helpful.
3,915

Does it smell like coolant? Heater-core. No smell? Windshield leak, sunroof drains, or AC condensate drain.

5 people found this helpful.
190

If it does not smell like coolant and there has been no body damage that could affect door or window seals, then it's probably one of three things. 1. It could be a leak from the sunroof but if it is then the liner should be wet and a seal is damaged or the sunroof drain is plugged. Look online for a video on how to fix. 2. It could be an air conditioning drain hose plugged or disconnected. Pull up the front passenger carpet and you should see a drain tube exiting through the floorboard. 3. Most likely if you have a lot of water on the passenger side floor after a rain or a wash, it's a plugged drain hole at the bottom of the windshield cowling - that part at the bottom of the windshield with slots in it. Open the hood, use your fingers to release the plastic fasteners, remove the rubber and the metal cowling, then look down in the opening near the passenger side for debris plugging the drain hole. Clean it out, reassemble, and you should be good to go.

19 people found this helpful.
20

Could just be a dirty gasket not sealing well. Clean it off with mild detergent & water. Age with these guys about clogged drain hose, too.

2 people found this helpful.
30

My 2009 Matrix had wet floor in passenger side. Checked drain hole in sun roof, completely plugged. Cleared drain, should be the floor leak fixed.

1 people found this helpful.
30

Sorry! Floor on passenger side soaking wet after it rained all night,,so I guess the sunroof drain not the problem after all. I will try the windshield cowling next as per Stan's solution no. 3 above.

2 people found this helpful.
10

Make sure the rubber gasket seal around the glass is clean. Simple accumulated dust over time made mine start to leak. I wasted $40 on a new gasket when it was a simple cleaning and maintenance issue.

1 people found this helpful.
20

What did this end up being because I'm having the same problem?

2 people found this helpful.
40

Clean your gasket with mild soap, water, and paper towels, SHOULD take care of your problem. Make sure the drain isn't blocked with old leaves and dirt, too.

1 people found this helpful.
30

It was the AC drainage hose that came disconnected under carpet on passenger side for our 2007 Matrix.

3 people found this helpful.
40

I have a 2009 matrix. I have water on passenger side. The air condition running also caused a hisss sound with every left turn as water on pipes. The carpet on driver side wet to but mostly passenger. Running from under dash. Today i turned off aircondition and ran air only. Now it stopped as if fuse blown. So looking for a mechanic. But suggestions needed.

4 people found this helpful.
1,770

The A/C condensation drain is clogged with debris.pull the carpet back on the passenger side and you will see the rubber hose coming from the reservoir to the floor. get a pan or a large cup and put it under the reservoir and pull the rubber hose off. if the water does not rush out,push a small piece of wire in the end of the reservoir and push it in/out until debris breaks loose and water comes out(a good bit of water). make sure the rubber hose is free of debris,re-install it on reservoir end and in the floor board!

2 people found this helpful.
70

I have the same problem but with a LOT of water in the rear passenger side floorboard. Also, quite a bit in the front but not nearly as much. There is probably 3 to 4 inches of water in the back. There is NO trace of water from any door panel or the top inside of the car. I checked the AC drain in the front but it is fine. I did not find a plugged drain at the bottom of the windshield cowling. I poured 1/2 gallon of water there and it didn't add to the water. I am stumped. 2003 Toyota Matrix. No accidents, one owner (me).

7 people found this helpful.
40

A dirty sunroof gasket and dirty mating surface (of painted metal) will let water wick through past the otherwise fine gasket. Clean the whole sunroof area thoroughly.

3 people found this helpful.
70

Thanks Guru92TFG, I'll give that a try. Wouldn't I see some evidence of water up there, though? It's completely dry and probably hasn't been opened for at least ten years. Can I pour some water there and see if it doesn't go through?

10

Found this video...will try on my vehicle later...it is summer now and we have the AC running regularly...the water doesn't have a color or odor and there has been no significant rain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1C0GbYjErk

1 people found this helpful.
1,770

If the carpet is wet on the passenger side floor and it's not dripping water steady under the vehicle on the ground while running the A/C,then either the A/C condensation drain tube/reservoir is clogged up or the drain tube has been disconnected by accident with a foot and all the water/condensation is draining in the floor inside the vehicle! simple fix....

1 people found this helpful.
20

pull up carpet. (just yank it.... the screws will pop out but you can put them back in. Plastic, non strip type). find the hose from under the dash which runs out through a hole in the floor. pull it out and stick a hanger all the way up through the hole the hose was on. be ready.... gonna FLOOD big time so have something to catch it even if it's a few towells. put it all back together and get a fan in there for an hour or two to dry everything. (DO THIS cuz the fuses ae all under there and they can rust). No more hiss... no more leak. STUPID TOYOTA engineering if you ask me. The car will run for ever but this sort of stuff is just not right. especially if you call your dealer. they'll offer to fix it for $4-500 or more.

2 people found this helpful.

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