Leaky leaky legacy hvac. (passenger's feet wet)

[987687]

So it's rained really super hard for a couple days. In which time I've been driving my GL.

My 98 legacy has been sitting.

 

Today I got in it and there was quite a puddle in the passenger side floor mat, fortunately my rubber winter mats held all the water in. I dumped it out.

 

Then I turned on the fan for the defrost. It made a sound like someone drowning, and dumped at least a quart of water out of the dash.

 

After that got done, everything worked fine.

 

Where is the water leaking in though? I can't see anywhere obvious water is getting in. And I don't remember it doing this before my windshield was replaced, but it hasn't rained this hard since last year.

[Rooster2]

If you have a sun roof, if so, it is common to have the drain hoses plug up, and dump water to the interior.

[johnceggleston]

maybe the air intake under the wipers for the HVAC system. i'm not sure how it works, but if it is full of leaves, maybe.....

 

or the windshield seal is bad.

 

or the sunroof drain.

[987687]

I had a brand new windshield installed professionally last month. I'll be pretty upset if that leaks.

I cleaned out the sunroof drains last year when I had to change the sunroof assy. out. Regardless, this is leaking from the heater box, and I don't think the sunroof drain drains into the heater box. I honestly don't know. I just ran compressed air through the drains from the top.

 

I guess a buildup of leaves could do it, I'll pull the plastic cover thing off and see if I can see anything down there.

[Durania]

On the WRX/STi's there is a drain hose that comes out of the firewall right above the passenger's foot well. It may be the same as yours. Make sure the hose doesn't have a hole in it or something.

[987687]

I have that hose, and I sorta suspect it's clogged up. It drips with the AC running too, I discovered today while getting it charged and running right.

 

But I have no idea how I can actually get the box apart to clear the blockage.

I pretty much hate doing anything that involves laying under the dash.

[brus brother]

I have that hose, and I sorta suspect it's clogged up. It drips with the AC running too, I discovered today while getting it charged and running right.

 

But I have no idea how I can actually get the box apart to clear the blockage.

I pretty much hate doing anything that involves laying under the dash.

As I recall, on my old gl and loyale the hose exited near the rear of the right wheel well.

I took a straightened metal coat hanger and snaked it up from the exit opening unclogging the line. Problem solved.

[987687]

As I recall, on my old gl and loyale the hose exited near the rear of the right wheel well.

I took a straightened metal coat hanger and snaked it up from the exit opening unclogging the line. Problem solved.

 

Right, but then whatever is clogging is now inside the air box. Which means it's going to just clog again.

[brus brother]

But if you sort of just gently loosen the blockage with the wire, the "biofilm" which has likely built up within the confines of the hose will be flushed out. That's what happened with mine. We aren't talking about a cork in a bottle here. The wire will first pass through the center core of the loosely aggregated plug and then once patent, you can further trefine the opening allowing the debris to be washed out.

What have you got to lose?

If the plug is displaced back into the box and this method doesn't work, you can always go back to taking apart the entire front 1/2 of your car.

Oh and you may have missed the part in my post where I said "problem solved".

As they say though, your mileage may vary.

Edited June 7, 2012 by brus brother

[foxgap]

On mine it was one of the pushpins on the plastic screen on the cowl below the windshield. There is a hole right above the defroster inlet that let water drip down into the fan inlet and then onto the floor. Some gasket sealer on the pin and then pressed back into the hole sealed it up. Dry ever since.