99 legacy wagon rain water leak.

[posit]

I have a leak on the driver side. Water seems to drip down off the hood release lever. Carpet gets soaked also water fills the body of the car. I siphon it out after a rain storm. I dont know where the water is coming from. Sun roof? Door seals? Any ideas?

Thanks

[Fuzpile]

This is a terrible situation for as you know the fuses are right under that area. I don't mean to waste your time because there are tubes which get choked off sometimes under the sunroof channels. They should never back up to the forward area. The windshield is sealed profusely and is quite a piece of work. There is some evidence of that seal you can see under the hood. LOOK before you clean. One here know of a boot or plug that can do this.

[gbhrps]

If water is coming in from where you describe, your windshield has lost its seal, and needs to be pulled and resealed soon. The rust damage that will occur will be swift and expensive to fix correctly if left too long.

 

It is possible that the drain tube to the front sunroof is plugged, or has split and come off its steel tube. This drain tube is located right at the front corner of the sunroof, and exits down the inside of the A pillar to empty out below the front fender in front of the door. With the age of your car, I would expect that the plastic tube has shrunk or split and pulled away from the steel drain tube opening.

 

It is possible that the drain hole is plugged and the water is finding its way into the headliner, down the A pillar moulding and out under the dash.

 

Pull the overhead assist strap, the sunvisor, the A pillar moulding, the weather stripping around the top of the driver's door and down the A pillar, and the moulding around the opening of the front sunroof. You'll then be able to pull the headliner down enough on that front corner to see inside with a flashlight just what the problem is. Good Luck!

[mwatt]

Cowl drains are plugged with leaves, pine needles, other debris. That causes water to build up and overflow from the area near the hood release (left) or glove box (right).

 

The cowl is the area just below the windshield, where the windshield wipers rest when they're off. Water is supposed to run thru the plastic cowl trim at the base of the windshield and drain out thru the cowl drains. These drain holes are located at the bottom rear edge of each front fender...down where the fender meets the rocker panel. They are not easy to find...you'll have to search around the underside of the rear edge of the fender. By poking with a stiff wire (thinner than coat hanger wire), you'll find the drain hole---and chances are pretty good that water will come gushing out when you poke thru whatever is plugging the drain.

[posit]

ok cool, I will start with the cowl drains. Hopefully I can find them. Any pictures of where they are?

[Fairtax4me]

Remove the wiper arms and pull the cowl panel off to get access underneath to clean it out. It's just held on by some clips.

[posit]

How do i pull the wiper arms?

 

Thanks

[Fairtax4me]

Theres a little cap at the base of the arm with a nut under it. Remove the cap and nut, then tug/pry the wiper arm off. Usually takes a bit of effort but wiggling up/down will help pop it loose.

[goof_ball]

Theres a little cap at the base of the arm with a nut under it. Remove the cap and nut, then tug/pry the wiper arm off. Usually takes a bit of effort but wiggling up/down will help pop it loose.

 

 

Push the wiper arm hinge towards the windshield. It makes the arm perpendicular to the bolt making it easier to pull off. If you try to wiggle and pull too hard, the plastic edges on the arm could get damaged. That's how it worked for me. I'm still looking for the drain holes as I found water leaking out from below the glove box after driving on the highway in heavy rain for 4 hours.

[posit]

Is this the end of the drain?

[gbhrps]

Yup! There are 6 of them, three each side, and you just found the bottom end of the front ones.

[flight_of_pain]

That is the sunroof drain, there is one on both sides, clean them out while you are at it

[posit]

they are packed pretty good with grit. Any tricks to getting it all cleaned out?

[flight_of_pain]

they are packed pretty good with grit. Any tricks to getting it all cleaned out?

 

I run a straightened coat hanger in from the bottom to break it all up (usually only the 1st 6in or so is clogged) then open the sunroof and you can see the tops of them. I run a piece of insulated copper wire (romex) down from the top and have a helper flush it with water at the same time.

[syclinsam]

I love this website. Just got water on my passenger side floor mat today. It has been raining like crazy and I was hoping it wasn't the windshield because that has just be replaced. Going after the cowl drains. Thanks!