07 Equinox Leaking on BOTH floorboards

[Gary335]

Hi all, new to the forum and have a problem that is stumping me. Hoping someone else with an 07 (or any year really) Equinox might have had a similar problem and can shed some light on a possible cause. My wife has an 07 Equinox. For a few weeks now we've had a considerable amount of moisture leaking on the driver side floorboard of the vehicle. To the point where it is visibly puddling. Sometimes it also puddles on the floor of the backseat on the driver side as well. Initially assumed our little girl had spilled something and didn't worry much. But we noticed this continued happening. The floorboards on the drivers side were literally constantly wet. Read that this could be caused by the sunroof drain hose being clogged and/or disconnected due to shrinkage. Turned out it was disconnected, so I reconnected it and there is no water appearing inside the car when I pour it down the drain. The other three drains are also checked and confirmed to be in good working order. So I know its not that.

I've pulled up the carpet of the drivers floor and the padding below was absolutely sopping wet. This gave me some hope. I thought maybe I was just seeing residual moisture seeping up from the padding, seeing how wet it was. I sucked a fair bit of water out from both the front and rear with my shop vac, and have left everything to air out for several days now. I've even used a fan to try and aid the process. I thought things were going well. The rear floor seems to be mostly dry now, and the front seemed to slowly but surely be heading that way. We had a heavy rain Monday night, and yesterday afternoon I checked and didn't see any moisture anywhere. But then this afternoon I checked, and there was a small puddle on the bare metal floor of the car, and the padding felt almost sopping wet again. The backseat, thankfully, still seems to be dry. At this point, it seems fairly obvious water is getting in somewhere. Anyone have any idea where it might be coming from? I have no idea at this point, I am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Gary335]

Water, not coolant?
the steering column boot seal is small and you’d have to be underwater for that to be an issue.

Definitely water, not coolant at all. I have worked in a GM facility and am intimately familiar with coolant. It is not that at all. It looks like dirty water, it has a slight yellowish/brownish tint to it, but has no odor. I have lifted the entire carpet off the driver's side floor, and the floor itself seems to be wet all the way up to the center console. With these facts in mind, where might water be entering the car from the area of the center console? And by center console, I'm talking about the area where the radio/climate controls and so forth are, the water seems to be entering from somewhere up around there. I have felt all around the emergency brake and the area of the center where the armrest is, but it does not feel wet back that far.

Also, I want to add that I've discovered that the passenger side is also soaked. And like the drivers side the water seems to be coming from somewhere around the center console.

 

[Metal Flake]

It’s the vent tube for the A/C water drain.

Not too bad to get to and clear. Look on YouTube for a video on where it’s located on the firewall. Once you get to it, it’s 2 minute job.

I found out that it was a big bug that climbed in it.

 

[Gary335]

It’s the vent tube for the A/C water drain.

Not too bad to get to and clear. Look on YouTube for a video on where it’s located on the firewall. Once you get to it, it’s 2 minute job.

I found out that it was a big bug that climbed in it.

Don't think that was it. Poked up in it with a small object, then blew air up in it and nothing happened. Seemed an odd problem to have in the middle of February. The AC has not been used in months.

 

[Gary335]

So upon even deeper investigation, I have found that there is a black cover underneath the carpet and padding. On the bottom side of this cover is foam, and that’s where all this water is coming from. I pressed down on it and sent a cascade of water onto the floor. It’s no wonder nothing can dry out. I’ve included photos. Clearly water is penetrating from somewhere it shouldn’t be. Anyone know if this piece can be lifted so I can get a better look at what’s going on underneath?

 

[cavell]

the wiper cowl area has to drain water somehow. I’ve never heard of issues from this “trough”. Maybe use a hose to soak this area and see where water drains?
I tried to clean salt stains from carpet in this area yesterday. The sill carpet is really hard/crusty. But dry.

 

[TopHat]

Hi all, new to the forum and have a problem that is stumping me. Hoping someone else with an 07 (or any year really) Equinox might have had a similar problem and can shed some light on a possible cause. My wife has an 07 Equinox. For a few weeks now we've had a considerable amount of moisture leaking on the driver side floorboard of the vehicle. To the point where it is visibly puddling. Sometimes it also puddles on the floor of the backseat on the driver side as well. Initially assumed our little girl had spilled something and didn't worry much. But we noticed this continued happening. The floorboards on the drivers side were literally constantly wet. Read that this could be caused by the sunroof drain hose being clogged and/or disconnected due to shrinkage. Turned out it was disconnected, so I reconnected it and there is no water appearing inside the car when I pour it down the drain. The other three drains are also checked and confirmed to be in good working order. So I know its not that.

I've pulled up the carpet of the drivers floor and the padding below was absolutely sopping wet. This gave me some hope. I thought maybe I was just seeing residual moisture seeping up from the padding, seeing how wet it was. I sucked a fair bit of water out from both the front and rear with my shop vac, and have left everything to air out for several days now. I've even used a fan to try and aid the process. I thought things were going well. The rear floor seems to be mostly dry now, and the front seemed to slowly but surely be heading that way. We had a heavy rain Monday night, and yesterday afternoon I checked and didn't see any moisture anywhere. But then this afternoon I checked, and there was a small puddle on the bare metal floor of the car, and the padding felt almost sopping wet again. The backseat, thankfully, still seems to be dry. At this point, it seems fairly obvious water is getting in somewhere. Anyone have any idea where it might be coming from? I have no idea at this point, I am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated!

Glad you got the drains working. Open the front doors and clean out leaves etc at the bottom, it might be diverting the water inside. Use toilet paper to detect where the water is coming from; lay it gently anywhere there might be a source.

 

[Autoworker 74]

Hi all, new to the forum and have a problem that is stumping me. Hoping someone else with an 07 (or any year really) Equinox might have had a similar problem and can shed some light on a possible cause. My wife has an 07 Equinox. For a few weeks now we've had a considerable amount of moisture leaking on the driver side floorboard of the vehicle. To the point where it is visibly puddling. Sometimes it also puddles on the floor of the backseat on the driver side as well. Initially assumed our little girl had spilled something and didn't worry much. But we noticed this continued happening. The floorboards on the drivers side were literally constantly wet. Read that this could be caused by the sunroof drain hose being clogged and/or disconnected due to shrinkage. Turned out it was disconnected, so I reconnected it and there is no water appearing inside the car when I pour it down the drain. The other three drains are also checked and confirmed to be in good working order. So I know its not that.

I've pulled up the carpet of the drivers floor and the padding below was absolutely sopping wet. This gave me some hope. I thought maybe I was just seeing residual moisture seeping up from the padding, seeing how wet it was. I sucked a fair bit of water out from both the front and rear with my shop vac, and have left everything to air out for several days now. I've even used a fan to try and aid the process. I thought things were going well. The rear floor seems to be mostly dry now, and the front seemed to slowly but surely be heading that way. We had a heavy rain Monday night, and yesterday afternoon I checked and didn't see any moisture anywhere. But then this afternoon I checked, and there was a small puddle on the bare metal floor of the car, and the padding felt almost sopping wet again. The backseat, thankfully, still seems to be dry. At this point, it seems fairly obvious water is getting in somewhere. Anyone have any idea where it might be coming from? I have no idea at this point, I am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated!

Glad you got the drains working. Open the front doors and clean out leaves etc at the bottom, it might be diverting the water inside. Use toilet paper to detect where the water is coming from; lay it gently anywhere there might be a source.

Not sure where you live but has the A/C been running. I think the manufacturers have solved this problem mostly but it was always issue when the AC condensate drain got clogged. I've already felt it run in on my foot when pulling away a little quicker than normal.

 

[TopHat]

I see that you poured water down the sun roof drains in the front. Did the water actually hit the ground through the drain tubes on both sides? If so, then you truly eliminated that aspect.

That is unless the tube didn't stay attached.

 

[TopHat]

BTw, here is a few tips from this guy...worth checking out. He suggests several different possibilities.