Vehicle: 1996 4Runner Limited

OK so while cleaning the 4Runner this weekend I found my driver side floorboard carpet was damp. Pulled the carpet back and sure enough the pad is soaked and dripping what I can only guess is some ancient form of coffee spilled many years ago.

Anyways, I checked the sunroof drains and they're draining fine. The pad behind the foot pedals was dry but I can't exclude that area from water intrusion at this time.

I have been wanting to remove the carpet to give it a thorough cleaning ever since I bought it so no better time than now.

We've been having a lot of rain here but I don't ever recall any water in the floors with the same amount of rain prior to this.

Has anybody else run into this and if so what did you find to be the cause?

Thanks
Jason

 

Same here. Never did find the source.

 

I just read a few posts here after searching and the most common place is a grommet on the drivers side of the fire wall about 14" down and 3" over from the corner. I'm going to check that first.

Funny, I work for an auto repair shop and we subscribe to Identifix to help trouble shoot problems and there were "0" hits on wet floorboards.

 

Where does the vent intake in front of the windshield drain to? The amount of water seems to be too much to come from the firewall grommet but I will certainly look at it.

Edit: I took a look and sure enough, that could be the source of my water intrusion. There's not much above it to channel the rain water away. If the carpet is dry the next time it rains, I will post back with results. I ran some wires through the grommet for DRLs and fog lights and both wires had no drip loop. I just put a heavy coat of silicone on the wires to seal it.

 

I had the same issue but it turned out to be a tiny little hole in the rubber floor mat right where my heel rested (accelerator foot). I guess I was adding the moisture from the bottom of my shoe (it rains here a lot) every time I got in. The water would seep through the hole and soak the carpet underneath, and to compound the problem, the rubber mat would not allow the moisture to evaporate and so I'd always have a wet spot there. So i have a new mat now and no more dampness.

 

If this was a 5.0 forum, I'd say "heater core"!. But it's not.

I had some water penetration the last time I stuffed my 4Runner into a creek (it came around the steering column, of all things), but I'd bet it's that firewall grommet. Everyone routes stuff through it and the rubber fatigues and doesn't block moisture like it used to.

STICK

PS> He said drip loop.