5000fingers Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 We just had a bomb cyclone of rain dumped on us, and the bottom of our 2011 Outback has waterlogged. I can't find any possible source, I can't see any coming in from the sunroof, or anywhere else. But it's getting in somewhere. So, are there any good ideas for what to look for, where water might be getting in? Secondly, it's causing some weird electrical problems. Even when the stereo is off, I'm hearing lots of cracks and pops coming through the speakers, that are somehow related to engine speed. Weird warning lights coming on and off, seemingly randomly. Are there any ideas as to what's going on there, and whether or not that might be a clue as to where water might be getting in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forester2002s Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Is there water in the spare-wheel well in the back? That might indicate a roof leak near the rear. Or are the front carpets wet? Might be a leak from the windshield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 blocked drain line from cowling? wet carpets front? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 On 1/6/2023 at 5:32 PM, 5000fingers said: the bottom of our 2011 Outback has waterlogged. Are you absolutely positive all the windows were all the way up and fully seated/sealed shut? The most common issue is you got unlucky and a window wasn't fully shut during a torrential downpour. Door locks and speakers (which are inside the door). can get glitchy from water. They can also return to nominal functions once dried out, more on that later. That's wild guessing based on very little information so let's get serious: Describe exactly where and how much? Both front seat foot wells, rear seats too? Which one of those is most wet? How deep was it? Like there was water standing above the carpet? Ideally you don't ever turn the car on with that much water and humidity in the vehicle. You pull up all the carpets as much as possible without removing them - fronts can "roll back" so to speak from the front of the car and thenn just flop them over on the seat cushion. Sop up any water with water proof vaccuum and/or towels and air dry with fans/dehumidifier. Get the moisture our immediately and dont' turn the car on as much as you can avoid it. The humidity and dampness can cause erratic electrical behavior. If you get it dried it they can go back to functioning normally with a thorough dry out. Or of course it could be damaged, you never know. If it's that saturated it's probably the sunroof. Could be a windshield leak through the gasket. Check very closely around the sunroof and windshield perimeter, search every inch looking for dampness. There's no wetness on the center console, around the shifter, on the seat, on the front dash below the windshield? Go to a spray car wash and sit inside while someone blasts the sprayer around the sunroof and windshield - where's it coming in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daskuppler Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 When you peel back linings and remove panels, look for water trails. There are.almost always visible paths where water as been. Especially if there was dirt anywhere nearby. It can be a tedious process and you have to look very closely, but use common sense in where to start and be methodical. You may want to disconnect the batter while you are searching and drying out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azdave Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 95% of all water leaks in the multiple vehicles I've owned over the years have come from clogged sunroofs drains, roof seams with cracked sealer or failed windshield seals. In all cases, I've temporarily sealed off these suspect areas first with clear plastic cling film/vinyl tape and observed the results during the next rain or with garden hose flooding. There are cases where I have used clear paint protection film strips as a way to seal some areas where RTV would have looked crappy . That PP film can be left in place for years if you wish. The latest leak was on our 2006 Jeep sunroof. I hate sunroofs but when you only buy used cars you sometimes get options you don't really want. I taped up all sunroof gaps with the tape shown below and during the next rain it was dry as could be. I then went to YouTube, found how to best clear the drain tubes and removed the temporary tape and problem solved. The tape has been pretty easy to remove unless you leave it on for weeks. Where some residue remained I used mineral spirits or Goo-Gone to clean. I often seal the seams myself with 100% clear RV silicone sealer or 3M seam sealer depending on the fault. To help dry soaked carpet that is not easily removed, I carefully (by hand) thread many long drywall screws into the carpet to help lift the carpet and padding up and away from the metal floor and then some small fans can help circulate air and carry away moisture. Temporary Tape: https://www.amazon.com/Greenhouse-Plastic-Permanent-Repair-Clear/dp/B072LTV5PT/ref=asc_df_B072LTV5PT/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216532910363&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3376595623790788721&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030087&hvtargid=pla-348901632142&psc=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Removing adhesive tape, road tar, stickers etc and other petroleum based residue can be accomplished with plain old vegetable oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocei77 Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 16 hours ago, brus brother said: Removing adhesive tape, road tar, stickers etc and other petroleum based residue can be accomplished with plain old vegetable oil. Never knew that!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.