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Passenger FULL of full of water!!

115609 Views 86 Replies 41 Participants Last post by  incubus421
I heard a "sloshing" sound coming from the right rear footwell, inside the cabin. I took a look and found an inch of water in it!

I immediately checked the other footwells and found them dry.

I took the vehicle in after making an appointment. They kept the vehicle for three days (Tues- Thurs). They stated that the A/C evaporator was not sealed "properly" and that even thought we had not used the A/C for two weeks, that water comes in through the cowl (where air comes in, in front of the windshield, outside the car) and could be making the leak inside the cabin.

The told me they re-sealed the evaporator, (I had water spots all over the INSIDE of the windshield when I picked the car up!!??)

It has now been two weeks and the problem has returned in spades. The front passenger footwell is wet and the rear passenger footwell is FULL of water once again. It smells too.

What can I do? Where is the water coming from? I have NOT been through any standing water, floods etc.

One more item..........they asked me (when I made the appointment) if I had purchased the vehicle from their dealership (I did not). The dealership where I purchased the vehicle has closed its doors and is no longer in business.
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Hi I recently sold my Chevy and went and bought a Ford. I was so upset by the flooding and the lack of response that I got from Chevy. Also the lack of responsibility. The dealership did not do a good job cleaning up the mess at all. My car stunk. Anyway so before I sold the car my husband drove himself crazy and discovered the source of the problem. After MANY hours he discover that under the top of the hood where the windshield wipers rest on that rubber piece that is vented once you pry it back there is ANOTHER vent slowy over time stuff falls through the fist vent (leaves sticks pine needles) and builds up in the second vent. Blocking the drain and causing water to back up into your car. YOU will know this is happening if you have a slight moldy musty smell when you switch on your air conditioner. I even took my car to the dealer about this smell and they told me they fixed the problem, which they didn't and I was to busy to take it back right away. Of course that's when it rained for a week causing the flood. When I took it back to be cleaned and told them what happened the dealership could care less. So I took my money to Ford. I love my Flex and it is flood free.
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I'm sorry your old 2005 Malibu MAXX soured you on GM. And, I'm glad you are happy with your new Flex. At least you didn't succumb to a foreign automaker who promised some fictitious reliability records (none are as spotless as they claim). We do have the Other Rides section. Please feel free to visit us and let us know how your Flex is fairing.
Add our Malibu to the puddle list. It is a March 2008 build date and we've had it since new. We kept getting condensation inside the windows at varying temperatures, which I have never encountered in any vehicle I have ever owned. When I first mentioned this to my dealer during a oil change over a year ago, I was told that it's probably just because of the high humidity in the Atlanta area.

As this has kept occurring, I Googled it and found this thread. Last night I decided to pull the fuse panel on the passenger side of the console tunnel, put my hand under the carpet between the floor board and the foam backing of the carpet and it is soaked. It is at least a gallon of water from the front passenger footwell to the back and only on the passenger side. As others here have said, the water flows toward the rear passenger footwell from the front as there is a straight channel from the front foot well to the back along the center console/exhaust tunnel. While there is a crossmember under the seat, where the rear footwell HVAC vent is, water can pass under this crossmember near the tunnel. Note that there is no water present on the drivers side front or rear.

I am hoping that this is a result of the HVAC condensate line going through the firewall. I have an AllData DIY account, which provides owners access to all of the recalls and TSB's for their cars. There is an active TSB for this one. This is probably a problem with most Malibus and most owners probably aren't even aware that it is occurring, as the carpet has a rubber/plastic backing that is waterproof, preventing the large amounts of water from seeping through the carpet in most situations. The hint for me was the continuous moisture content inside the car, resulting in water spots on the inside glass, especially in the heat of the summer.

Why GM would engineer the condensate line like this is beyond comprehension.
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Add our Malibu to the puddle list. It is a March 2008 build date and we've had it since new. We kept getting condensation inside the windows at varying temperatures, which I have never encountered in any vehicle I have ever owned. When I first mentioned this to my dealer during a oil change over a year ago, I was told that it's probably just because of the high humidity in the Atlanta area.

As this has kept occurring, I Googled it and found this thread. Last night I decided to pull the fuse panel on the passenger side of the console tunnel, put my hand under the carpet between the floor board and the foam backing of the carpet and it is soaked. It is at least a gallon of water from the front passenger footwell to the back and only on the passenger side. As others here have said, the water flows toward the rear passenger footwell from the front as there is a straight channel from the front foot well to the back along the center console/exhaust tunnel. While there is a crossmember under the seat, where the rear footwell HVAC vent is, water can pass under this crossmember near the tunnel. Note that there is no water present on the drivers side front or rear.

I am hoping that this is a result of the HVAC condensate line going through the firewall. I have an AllData DIY account, which provides owners access to all of the recalls and TSB's for their cars. There is an active TSB for this one. This is probably a problem with most Malibus and most owners probably aren't even aware that it is occurring, as the carpet has a rubber/plastic backing that is waterproof, preventing the large amounts of water from seeping through the carpet in most situations. The hint for me was the continuous moisture content inside the car, resulting in water spots on the inside glass, especially in the heat of the summer.

Why GM would engineer the condensate line like this is beyond comprehension.
We just had my wife's car done a few weeks ago. I used it on the weekend to go out with a few buddies after not driving it for about two weeks and noticed a smell as soon as I opened the door. Wife most likey didn't notice it since it got worse over time. Dealer said it is"common" LOL. The line under the glove box is where the leak was. They had to replace the foam and have the carpet cleaned. Pain in the ass this car is becoming. That is dealer trip 11 in about a year and a half and only 29K.
Add our Malibu to the puddle list. It is a March 2008 build date and we've had it since new. We kept getting condensation inside the windows at varying temperatures, which I have never encountered in any vehicle I have ever owned. When I first mentioned this to my dealer during a oil change over a year ago, I was told that it's probably just because of the high humidity in the Atlanta area.

As this has kept occurring, I Googled it and found this thread. Last night I decided to pull the fuse panel on the passenger side of the console tunnel, put my hand under the carpet between the floor board and the foam backing of the carpet and it is soaked. It is at least a gallon of water from the front passenger footwell to the back and only on the passenger side. As others here have said, the water flows toward the rear passenger footwell from the front as there is a straight channel from the front foot well to the back along the center console/exhaust tunnel. While there is a crossmember under the seat, where the rear footwell HVAC vent is, water can pass under this crossmember near the tunnel. Note that there is no water present on the drivers side front or rear.

I am hoping that this is a result of the HVAC condensate line going through the firewall. I have an AllData DIY account, which provides owners access to all of the recalls and TSB's for their cars. There is an active TSB for this one. This is probably a problem with most Malibus and most owners probably aren't even aware that it is occurring, as the carpet has a rubber/plastic backing that is waterproof, preventing the large amounts of water from seeping through the carpet in most situations. The hint for me was the continuous moisture content inside the car, resulting in water spots on the inside glass, especially in the heat of the summer.

Why GM would engineer the condensate line like this is beyond comprehension.

Once i found a dealer that knew what the problem was, it was fixed. I had several dealers play the dumb card. I also found this site because of seaching for answers. My car got fixed last summer. It never leaked again and had no musty smell. The repair took less than a half hour.

It was hit by a lady that ran a stop sign in Nov and totaled, so, I don't have data past then. I went with an Impala to replace it. The Malibu was a good car, except for this persistent problem. I didn't want to have to go through that again.
Can you please post the TSB?
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After MANY hours he discover that under the top of the hood where the windshield wipers rest on that rubber piece that is vented once you pry it back there is ANOTHER vent slowy over time stuff falls through the fist vent (leaves sticks pine needles) and builds up in the second vent. Blocking the drain and causing water to back up into your car. YOU will know this is happening if you have a slight moldy musty smell when you switch on your air conditioner. I even took my car to the dealer about this smell and they told me they fixed the problem, which they didn't and I was to busy to take it back right away. Of course that's when it rained for a week causing the flood. When I took it back to be cleaned and told them what happened the dealership could care less. So I took my money to Ford. I love my Flex and it is flood free.
My finance got home last night and said that a ton of water had come pouring out of her passenger heat vents onto the floor when she left work and turned out of the parking lot (it had rained most of the day yesterday). I went out and took a look and she had a good two inches of water filling the front passenger footwell. I noticed the location of the heater box intake under the hood as you mentioned. I called the dealership and they said it sounded like that's where the water was gettign in. When I asked what to do about it they said we'd have to bring it in for them to look at.

They're going to end up charging an arm and a leg and after poking around the internet and reading here (this is the only post I've seen mentioning this by the way), as I suspected I have a feeling it's just the drain being blocked since we've had the car for a couple of years now and this is the first water issue she's had. Plus it's only mid-April here in New England and she hasn't used the AC in months.

I'm hoping we can get the carpet dried out enough that it doesn't stink since we caught it early and most of the water seemed to stay above the carpet. In the meantime I'm curious if there's a way to get that cowling up/out where the wipers are so I can clean out the area underneath and make sure the water is draining? I'm going to take a closer look at it after work today but if anyone has any guidance I'd appreciate it.
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Your issue sounds more like the cowl didn't drain so the water filled up and came in the fresh air intake. Possibly the gasket sealing the air horn has also failed partially.

The issues you've read about in this thread occur in dry weather or wet. The AC condensate drain is the principle cause.

To test and then fix yours you should be able to turn on a garden hose and let all of its water run into the cowl. Watch it and see if the water level starts to rise. That's your clue that the cowl has accumulated enough debris to clog the drains - one on each side. Is the car parked under pine needles or small leaves? They will penetrate the screen more easily than larger leaves will, but large leaves will cover an opening more easily, allowing other small debris to fill the rest of the openings. Voila! and you have a clog.

Check it out and you could save yourself a bunch of dough. Post what you find and share it with us.
Your issue sounds more like the cowl didn't drain so the water filled up and came in the fresh air intake. Possibly the gasket sealing the air horn has also failed partially.

The issues you've read about in this thread occur in dry weather or wet. The AC condensate drain is the principle cause.

To test and then fix yours you should be able to turn on a garden hose and let all of its water run into the cowl. Watch it and see if the water level starts to rise. That's your clue that the cowl has accumulated enough debris to clog the drains - one on each side. Is the car parked under pine needles or small leaves? They will penetrate the screen more easily than larger leaves will, but large leaves will cover an opening more easily, allowing other small debris to fill the rest of the openings. Voila! and you have a clog.

Check it out and you could save yourself a bunch of dough. Post what you find and share it with us.
I'll be posting an update here.
4
To all,
I've had the same issue with water in the rt rear floorboard. And I finally singled it out to the AC drain tube that sticks out from the dash through the firewall. After trusting the local dealership with $600.00 and four attempts -- they failed to fix the problem. In fact they left my car in worse shape than before (imagine 1/4 inch holes drilled into your floor under the carpet to drain the water -- and nothing to seal or protect the underbody from the elements). I decided to fix it myself, and so far (going on almost a year) dry as a bone.

Here what I used:
  • 1 small tube of rubberized sillicone
  • 1 roll of waterproof tape (I guess what is used for fixing leaks in pipes)
  • Torx Sockets and ratchet for removing front passenger seat
  • Gerber multi tool (although I hope you have better tools than I did at the time, such as a Dremel), for cutting away part of the plastic moulding under the dash to get to the drain tube
  • Hate and Rage (courtesey of GM)

I removed the front passenger seat just to get more room to work. I pulled up the carpet and the padding to reveal part of the floorboard and the underside of the dash. There will be some foam insulation glued to the upper part of the floorboard and the firewall as it angles up behind the dash. Using Hate and Rage, I pulled that stuff out (see first thumbnail).

The AC drain tube is hidden behind part of the lower dash. Its basically plastic moulding that holds some crappy foam disc in place intended to stop water from coming in. You could use a Dremel tool for this part, but at the time I only had my Gerber multi tool (and Rage of course) to pry away the moulding to eyeball the drain tube (see second and third thumbnails). That gap you see around the AC drain tube is where water would seep in and run down the firewall and pool in the back of the car. This is where I focused my attention.

I used the waterproof tape to bridge the open gap of the pre-cut hole in the firewall as best as I could. The space between the firewall and the dash assembly is very tight and I could only get my banana hands in so far. What I couldnt completely cover with the waterproof tape, I figured I could get with a liberal application of rubberized sillicone. I coated the waterproof tape, applied some down around the AC drain tube and overlapped onto the firewall. I admit it looks like a spastic Bobcat did it, but I figured

1) I paid some joker 600 bucks to drill holes in my car so screw aesthetics
2) The carpet will cover it up
3) I was very angry and it made me feel better

(see fourth thumbnail)

After letting the sillicone stiffen, I replaced the padding, carpet and seat. Then I hoped I actually did something right. As I said earlier, after a year no more water.

Hope it helps:D

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Thanks for sharing your successful repair. I'm sure it'll help anyone who falls victim to this issue.

Wow, with a story like that, I'd be back at the dealership with a demand: Fix the freakin' holes you just put in the car!
We have had this water issue too.

It started with a smelly wet passenger seat belt that I noticed one day. It has now turned into an occasional Malibu with a soaked carpet AND HEADLINER. The headliner gets wet all the time which is something that no one else seems to have as a symptom. When the car is on a pointed down, the water collects at the front right corner of the headliner and goes down the a pillar. GM actually told us "to not park it in that spot in your driveway" WTF?!?! So we parked it on a flat spot in our driveway and this Sunday, the water collected at the right b pillar and rans down to the seat belt roll. We had the windshield replaced by Safelite and GM is saying that it's the windshield, basically because that is the easy way out for them. How can water collect at the middle of the car with no evidence of water at the front of the car if it's the windshield?? How can it be the windshield if we had a wet seatbelt over 5 months before the windshield was replaced. Does anyone have some ideas???

BTW, GM, you are welcome for bailing your asses out with my tax money. This is the thanks I get. Those FORD's are looking better everyday!!
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Got a sunroof?
Yes, we have a sunroof.

The dealer has run water over the car for hours (garden hose, "rain shower" head and car wash) and cannot get anything to leak. It only leaks during rain storms.

For some reason, even though they never found a leak, they blame the windshield...isn't that convenient??? >:[
We have had this water issue too.

It started with a smelly wet passenger seat belt that I noticed one day. It has now turned into an occasional Malibu with a soaked carpet AND HEADLINER. The headliner gets wet all the time which is something that no one else seems to have as a symptom. When the car is on a pointed down, the water collects at the front right corner of the headliner and goes down the a pillar. GM actually told us "to not park it in that spot in your driveway" WTF?!?! So we parked it on a flat spot in our driveway and this Sunday, the water collected at the right b pillar and rans down to the seat belt roll. We had the windshield replaced by Safelite and GM is saying that it's the windshield, basically because that is the easy way out for them. How can water collect at the middle of the car with no evidence of water at the front of the car if it's the windshield?? How can it be the windshield if we had a wet seatbelt over 5 months before the windshield was replaced. Does anyone have some ideas???

BTW, GM, you are welcome for bailing your asses out with my tax money. This is the thanks I get. Those FORD's are looking better everyday!!
If you don't have a sunroof, or that turns out not to be the issue, this thread may be of some help - http://www.chevymalibuforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=60040#post60040

We just went through a months-long witch hunt to find the source of a leak that turned out to be the roof seal on the passenger side of the car.
Most of the evidence seems to point to something other than the windshield, so I can bring this up to the body shop as well. Thank you.

Oh, and I did send this thread to the dealership and mentioned it to Abigal, the GM service 'person'...their responses..."You can't believe what you read in those threads." "There are members from other companies that join the threads and make things up." "We have an extensive database to cross reference your issue and blah blah blah." I am also a part of Camaro5.com and I find it funny when I communicate with members of that forum who work for GM and then see and talk to them at car shows. I guess that's make believe too.
We have had this water issue too.

It started with a smelly wet passenger seat belt that I noticed one day. It has now turned into an occasional Malibu with a soaked carpet AND HEADLINER. The headliner gets wet all the time which is something that no one else seems to have as a symptom. When the car is on a pointed down, the water collects at the front right corner of the headliner and goes down the a pillar. GM actually told us "to not park it in that spot in your driveway" WTF?!?! So we parked it on a flat spot in our driveway and this Sunday, the water collected at the right b pillar and rans down to the seat belt roll. We had the windshield replaced by Safelite and GM is saying that it's the windshield, basically because that is the easy way out for them. How can water collect at the middle of the car with no evidence of water at the front of the car if it's the windshield?? How can it be the windshield if we had a wet seatbelt over 5 months before the windshield was replaced. Does anyone have some ideas???

BTW, GM, you are welcome for bailing your asses out with my tax money. This is the thanks I get. Those FORD's are looking better everyday!!
Have you contacted customer assistance regarding your concern? I can also look into this further for you. In order to do so, I will need some more specific information from you. If you could please send me your full name, address, phone number, the VIN for the vehicle, current mileage, and dealer name via private message, I will be able to take further steps. Thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you.

Tricia, GM Customer Service.
Most of the evidence seems to point to something other than the windshield, so I can bring this up to the body shop as well. Thank you.

Oh, and I did send this thread to the dealership and mentioned it to Abigal, the GM service 'person'...their responses..."You can't believe what you read in those threads." "There are members from other companies that join the threads and make things up." "We have an extensive database to cross reference your issue and blah blah blah." I am also a part of Camaro5.com and I find it funny when I communicate with members of that forum who work for GM and then see and talk to them at car shows. I guess that's make believe too.
Dang, how'd they find me out? They're right, I don't work for GM!

But that picture of my car with the painted grilles - what does that prove to them?

Sounds like a vain attempt to discredit anything they didn't think of themselves instead of a desire to actually help you. Regardless of where you got the idea, a forum, BB, Wikipedia, or a fortune teller, the idea is in your head and now it's a question they need to answer. Sounds like you don't let them stop you, so that's good!
I too had a water problem in my '08 Malibu. Water was getting on top of the carpet, not underneath. After checking the seam between the roof and body side, the weather stripping around the doors and windows, I found the drain hose from the sunroof (right/front) was never connected.
I accessed the area just behind the right top edge of the windshield, by pulling the weatherstrip around the door and sunroof, removing the visor, and pulling the A pillar cover back slightly. This let the headliner droop enough to see that the exposed drain hose (bright green) was not connected to the sunroof drain.
I connected it and put all the trim pieces back in place in about 15 minutes total.
Should be good to go!

Joe
@JoeII, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I apologize that you had to experience this with your 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Have you experienced leaks since you connected the drain hose or is everything go good now?

Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service
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