Interior Getting Wet When It Rains ?

[aprilguy]

This is my first time posting...I just picked up an sc400 love the car...

it seems like there is a hard time getting parts (aftermarket for it) but my question is

and I need to know if anyone else is experincing this...

When it rains my floors get all wet...it seems that water seeps down the door from the outside by the window...right below the speaker there is some carpet all the way down and I touched it after a big rain storm and the bottom of the carpet is all wet and if I run my fingers across a lot of water squezes out. So imagine when the carpet can hold water no longer is seeps down to the floor mat. I had to use a dry wet vack to get all the water out..I'm just worried about the computer and carpet getting damaged. I know there are some drain holes at the bottom of the door panel..I put the end of a coat hanger and all drain holes are clear I dont know what gives. I check for the same think on my accura legend and nothing it's all dry. This is not a good sign for Lexus...!!! I'm reconsidering my purchase..

[JDOwen2]

You should pull the door panel and make sure the plastic vapor barrier is in place. If it's gone you will have to replace it.

[SKperformance]

definatly would get it checked asap as the computer should be safe if it is under the dash like i think

the amp for the stereo is in for truble as is mildew and mould fromt eh moisture.

put [a[er towels and go to a power washer and spray the cars door to find the spot.

get someone to sit inside and either power wash it or spray a garden hose at the door and see where it soaks first if itis a door seal.

it might be from a replacment windsheild or a seal in the firewall. from the hva system/

[osucool]

I had a simlar problem , the culprit being the windshield seal along the upper edge.

On a dry day take a large glass of water out and carefully pour it on the seal area. If this is your problem it will be apparent.

In my case it was leaking from this seal and running down the door trim to the door itself then dripping from the speaker grill on the door to the floor.

[Lex3486]

I'm having the same problem, only I get water in the rear floorboards starting from the back and moving forward to almost under the seats. I've checked the floorpan underneath and no rust or holes or anything. Could it be the sunroof maybe? Seems to happen every time I wash the car, but not so certain it does in the rain...it's only rained on it once since we've had it and I didn't even check then.

[psckrat]

Hi; I had/have a similar problem( Rear dirvers side fllor board wet).

Checked for missing plugs, none found. area of wetness appears to be in center of passengers side rear floor, noting on seat, or doordoes not go int front. very puzzling

[gage]

Hi; I had/have a similar problem( Rear dirvers side fllor board wet).

Checked for missing plugs, none found. area of wetness appears to be in center of passengers side rear floor, noting on seat, or doordoes not go int front. very puzzling

no need to be puzzled. the question was answered in the 2nd or 3rd post. it's the inner door panel plastic sheet(behind the interior door panel). this has to be sealed around the edges or you get water in your floor. this only happens when it rains though.

[psckrat]

Thanks, My first thoughts were something like that (leak around door), however when I did not see/feel any water around door area I dismiised it. Is the water coming in at the door seals or thru the side panel. If thru the panel is that not a sign of a bigger problem. Perhaps I just do not understand what is happening,

also is the VAPOR barrier just a sheet of plastic, or is this a dealer item

[Lex3486]

That makes no sense to me If that plastic sheet (we are talking about the one that's underneath the interior door panel between it and the inside of the actual door, right?) were causing water to get into the car (which I don't see as possible to begin with-why would water be inside the door? And also how would it get to the floorboards from the inside of the door?), then seems to me that the door panel would also be ruined...am I just not understanding what you guys are saying? Sidenote; the passenger side window has had some problems with the regulator or motor going out once I noticed in the repair records, but I highly doubt the window is leaking because I'd think that I could see if it were that. I'm starting to suspect the seal around the lower part of the door, or possibly around the backside of the door... <_< It's worse on the passenger side than the driver side I think. It also gets wet from the opening of the door down the floorboard...it's sounding more and more like the lower door seal to me...

[Ric1001]

This is my first time posting...I just picked up an sc400 love the car...

it seems like there is a hard time getting parts (aftermarket for it) but my question is

and I need to know if anyone else is experincing this...

When it rains my floors get all wet...it seems that water seeps down the door from the outside by the window...right below the speaker there is some carpet all the way down and I touched it after a big rain storm and the bottom of the carpet is all wet and if I run my fingers across a lot of water squezes out. So imagine when the carpet can hold water no longer is seeps down to the floor mat. I had to use a dry wet vack to get all the water out..I'm just worried about the computer and carpet getting damaged. I know there are some drain holes at the bottom of the door panel..I put the end of a coat hanger and all drain holes are clear I dont know what gives. I check for the same think on my accura legend and nothing it's all dry. This is not a good sign for Lexus...!!! I'm reconsidering my purchase..

;) I had the same problem and it turned out to be water building up between channels of the lower area of the door seal gasket. It appears that after several years the door seal gasket does not seal as good as when it was new so the water passes through the outer portion of the seal into the inter portion of the seal and then overflows past the inner seal. If you look at the door seal gasket at the bottom of the door jam you will notice it has two raised levels and one lower channel in the center. This is where the water builds up. I fixed this problem by drilling a drain hole through the center channel all the way through the gasket and out the bottom of the gasket. This allows water to drain out and eliminated the water build up forever and you wont have to buy new gaskets.

[project300]

I have this problem too and I have researched it extensively. The leak is not what it seems. If you open your sunroof you can see a small hole at each corner. These holes are connected to drain tubes that can come loose. When the rear corners are loose it leaks to the rear floorboards and when the front corners are loose you get water on the speaker/floor. When the fronts are loose water runs over to the top of the windshield and then down the INNER acoustic door seal (not the seal you can see from outside the car) before finally dripping next to the speaker and onto the carpet. It looks like its a door seal problem or a windshield seal, but I would check the sunroof first.

The fix is to take the headliner out and re-connect the drain tube from inside the car. Not as easy as it sounds. I have not been able to find any good instructions on how to get the headliner out, but I understand it is just held in by clips. I have made a few attempts at this with no luck. I am very concerned about snapping a clip and then having the liner sag so I chicken out.

Whatever you do, DON'T use a pressure washer to locate the leak. Just trickle water from the hose over one seal at a time. First the door, then the windshield and then the sunroof. Check for leaks after each by looking in thru the opposite door. I think you will not see water on the floor until you get to the sunroof.

Thats my $1.02

aprilguy, you made the right purchase. You have a great car with a temporary leak is all. That's why Lexus is the Persuit of perfection. Check with the dealer or a custom/detailing shop and they should have you dry in no time. Good luck and enjoy.

[gage]

That makes no sense to me If that plastic sheet (we are talking about the one that's underneath the interior door panel between it and the inside of the actual door, right?) were causing water to get into the car (which I don't see as possible to begin with-why would water be inside the door? And also how would it get to the floorboards from the inside of the door?), then seems to me that the door panel would also be ruined...am I just not understanding what you guys are saying? Sidenote; the passenger side window has had some problems with the regulator or motor going out once I noticed in the repair records, but I highly doubt the window is leaking because I'd think that I could see if it were that. I'm starting to suspect the seal around the lower part of the door, or possibly around the backside of the door... <_< It's worse on the passenger side than the driver side I think. It also gets wet from the opening of the door down the floorboard...it's sounding more and more like the lower door seal to me...

i dont know why resealing the inner plastic sheet behind the door panel fixes the leak problem. all i know is that my floor boards where getting soaked & i happened to work at a lexus body shop in dallas and a body man said that the plastic sheet was the problem & resealed both sides & i have not had a leak in 4 years since.

[Lex3486]

I'm thinkin that the suggestion of the sunroof tubes is a more liable culprit...now if someone could just determine how to get to them...I hate tearing stuff apart inside; something ALWAYS breaks <_<

[psckrat]

I am leaning towards a missing body plug as the culprit. However I have gotten 2 answers when I inquired about such.

The dealer tells me taht there is no missing plug, they want to take out the carpet, backseat, and charge about $400.00 to diagnose the problem, Then perhaps it mau have to go to the body shop.

Local mechanic who replaced the tranny mount tells me that the plug undder the right front seat is missing. JC Witney sells an assortment of plugs (120) for about $10.00.

Is anyone aware of a 'PLUG MAP' or some such thing.

BTW it rained really hard the past several days (Driving rain), no leaks. If it was the doors or the roof I would have had a pool in the car, but not the case. Has to be coming in underneath

[JRFiero]

I vote for the sunroof drains.

I had a similar problem, not yet sure its fixed.

But my sunroof drains were clogged, not disconnected. I blew them out with compressed air, then checked by pouring water into them (sunroof open).

Do a search on sunroof, you'll find a number of threads.

The rear drains are easily visible behind the rear quarters, big clear plastic tubes. It appears to me that the fronts drain into the rocker panels. I took off the front inner fender liners expecting to find the drains, but no luck. LOTS of mud tho, you'd be surprised.

[Scott Gordon]

.I had the same problem turned out to be clogged drain holes in the sunroof. here is how to fix get a plastic straw as it fits perfectly into the holes located front right and left corners. incert straw just a little now get weed wacker cord which is thick and feed it through the straw (the straw acts to strighten weed wacker cord) so it can feed through the drain tube althe way to the bottom of the car and it will clean it out.

Here is what not to do, do not use compressed air to blow tube clear as it may dislodge the drain tube which then requires taking out the roof liner etc.

[dre1966]

Thanks Scott I'll try your idea.