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liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:50 pm
by cooter
Hi folks.

Just hoping somebody can help me diagnose this problem - when the A/C is on, a clear liquid (possibly water; doesn't seem to have any particular odor) is leaking from below the glove box. This is on a 2003 Vibe.

Likely cause? Potential cost to fix? Thanks!

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 1:19 pm
by Derf
A/C drain tube? Will need more details, see if any of these posts help identify or correct the issue (links below:

viewtopic.php?t=8709" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?t=34131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 1:25 pm
by cooter
Derf wrote:A/C drain tube? Will need more details, see if any of these posts help identify or correct the issue (links below:

viewtopic.php?t=8709" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
viewtopic.php?t=34131" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'll check it out when I get home. It would please me greatly if it is just the drain tube. That would make sense given the lack of odor and amount of fluid being expelled.

Thanks!

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 9:56 am
by alexsa
had the same issue. The drain hose is on the left side of the passenger compartment under the dash. Pull back the rug and you'll see it.
You can see where it comes out thru the firewall in the engine compartment.
I squeezed the hose a few times and I could see it start to drip out ...squeezed it a bunch more times and the water came pouring out.

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 3:10 pm
by Salsa Guy
Yep it's the tube on the passenger side very upper left. Easy to knock off. Flooded the whole right side of my car.

Re: liquid leaking from dash (UPDATE)

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:24 am
by cooter
Well, the source of the fluid (I'm 95% sure it's water) is not the hose mentioned above. That hose is in place and secured; what's more, the water was dripping from the dash, not coming from the floor where that hose is.

More info - when using the A/C this week, the leak has reoccurred, but the water is now dripping on the driver's foot, again from the dash. So, it appears the source may be in the middle of the dash somewhere, if it could migrate to either side of the passenger compartment?

Any other ideas? Thanks.

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:43 am
by Salsa Guy
Then the tube maybe plugged and backing up. Remove the tube get an air line and blow it out. Careful removing the tube because there could be a quite a bit of water backed up. Also check you cabin filter behind the glove box. Willing to bet it's plugged or saturated with water.

Re: liquid leaking from dash (SOLVED)

Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 4:08 pm
by cooter
The drain hose, which passes through the firewall, was plugged, as mentioned above.

Thanks for the help everybody.

Re: liquid leaking from dash (SOLVED)

Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:26 pm
by Zimm
cooter wrote:The drain hose, which passes through the firewall, was plugged, as mentioned above.

Thanks for the help everybody.
out of curiosity, what caused this to plug? seems like something that should not have debris in it, ever. if it's preventable, i'd like to take steps to prevent this from happening.

Re: liquid leaking from dash (SOLVED)

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 5:12 am
by cooter
Zimm wrote:
cooter wrote:The drain hose, which passes through the firewall, was plugged, as mentioned above.

Thanks for the help everybody.
out of curiosity, what caused this to plug? seems like something that should not have debris in it, ever. if it's preventable, i'd like to take steps to prevent this from happening.
I was wondering that myself. There wasn't any foreign object; I think it was just 10 years of whatever sediment that may be carried with the water as it drains. There is a slight bend in the tube, which provides a collection point.

FWIW - I live in a cooler climate, and the A/C is probably only used on perhaps 20 days of the year.

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 10:37 am
by circuitsmith
Extra fine dust that makes it past the cabin filter can form globs of slimy goo that clogs the drain. :mrgreen:

Re: liquid leaking from dash

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:27 pm
by Salsa Guy
You may need to replace the cabin filter if you havn't in the past.