Water leaking on to passenger floor

dobeonguard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Location
Canton, OH
TDI
98 Jetta TDi
Hello,

I tried searching for this but so many different topics came up. I have a MkIII Jetta and when I use the A/C for an extended period of time I get water that drains on to the passenger floor. It comes from from the very back close to the center divider. I can feel a pipe behind the carpet, I haven't torn into anything beyond that. I am sure this is the condenser draining, but I didn't know this drain was there. What usually needs replaced? And how much is it?

Thanks
 

john.jackson9213

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Location
Miramar, Ca. (Think Top Gun)
TDI
1996 B4V
First thing I would do is go under the car and look for the hole that the drain hose should be comming out of. Perhaps the drain hose has moved into the cabin?

Next I would check the other end of the drain hose. Is it still properly connected to the evaporator housing?

Then I would pull up the carpet and see if the hose was still OK. If not, replace the hose. Should not cost an arm and a leg
 

dobeonguard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Location
Canton, OH
TDI
98 Jetta TDi
Thanks John. I went out and took a look. The leak seems to be a little bit further up because the water is dripping down on the foam/rubber covering that is under the glovebox. I am not the smallest guy in the world and don't feel like hanging upside down at the moment to take that off. I will dig into it next week.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
While there are several possibilities, my guess is the A/C drain is clogged.

A little compressed air or some string trimmer line can clear the drain. Be careful however you don't want to damage the drain line.
 
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57ringo

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Location
kansas
TDI
2006 jetta TDI DSG , 2011 Jetta TDI, 2015 Passat TDI,2008 duramax k3500,2022 Duramax 2500, 92 Kenworth T800, numerous John Deere's
I just checked mine yesterday. It was leaking inside since I put a new heater core in. The problem was it has a plastic drain tube that is part of the A/c-heater housing that barely protrudes through the firewall. There is a rubber grommet that seals the firewall and the plastic tube. When I put the plastic tube through the firewall, I didn't get it in the hole of the grommet and thus blocking the drain tube and running back in the car. I put it on the lift, worked the grommet in place in the firewall and around the drain tube. There is a little flap on the firewall insulation you can fold up to see this rubber grommet...the rubber grommet also has a flap on it. I had to take the big plastic shield off that's under the engine to get to all of this.....hope that helps
 

visionlogic

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Location
Daphne, AL, USA
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI
I once was given an old Camry due to a clogged condensate drain. The car kept dying on the folks that owned it, wouldn't restart unless it sat for a couple of days. Their mechanic couldn't figure out the problem and the owners didn't want to spend any more money on the old car so they ask me if I wanted it. I took it, drove it without any problem until the weather warmed and I started using the A/C.

One day I took a right hand turn and spit-sputter, the engine died and couldn't be restarted. For some reason I looked down at the footwell and noticed dampness around the go pedal. Ran my hand around the center hump under the dash and everything was soaked. And what do you think was installed in that area? The ECU! I pulled it out, took the case apart, and it was full of water. The centrifugal force of the right turn caused the full condensate pan to dump its water out through a seam on the left, right onto, and into, to ECU. I dried out and cleaned up the ECU and she started up and ran fine. Unclogged the drain hose and put some sealant along the condensate pan seam and never had that problem again.
 
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