Driver side floorboard SOAKED (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Threads
6
Messages
90
Location
Mandeville, LA
It rained pretty hard for a long time the other day, and now I discovered my driver side floorboard is soaked. Where would this be coming from?
23EF523D-FF5D-4F93-BB8C-89D1F48BBBE7.jpeg

please excuse the birds nest of wires the PO did.
582A1CBA-2C28-46CC-B7B3-627932AA3480.jpeg

I don’t see anything wet under the dash (had to contort my body and had limited view).
From what I understand, if it was the sunroof, I’d have issues higher up, right?
So cowl or windshield? I’ve only had this thing for 3 weeks.
 
Edit- the floor mat is completely dry
 
Good point... I guess get to work with a hose and hope I see something
 
CHECK THE SUNROOF DRAINS UNDER THE TRUCK.
They get caked up with mud sometimes. There are 2 or 3 along the pinch weld if I remember correctly.
 
image1.jpeg


So here is a view from under the dash, looking up. Nothing is wet right now, but i did see this little rust spot. Can't see in the picture, but there is a rust spot on this metal bar higher up in the dash. I also noticed that I do have a factory Lexus windshield.

What are my likely suspects now? Cowl? Windshield?

Going to get the wife to spray down the outside again while I investigate. We did this the other day, but low pressure...may need to use a nozzle
 
Last edited:
Check your sunroof drains. If they're plugged water will overflow out of the sunroof tray into your roof liner and down the pillars, depending on how you normally park. The drain openings are in the front corners of tray.
 
Sunroof drain. Open sunroof to see them. Use compressed air or a piece of wire to remove debris.
 
Drains are clear. That’s the first thing I checked. That control box pictured is centered on the driver side, that’s why I’m thinking cowl. And the foam backed semi hard rubber running up the firewall is bone dry
 
Soap bubbles are your friend. Some say you can turn on HVAC on high vent in outside air, I've not tried. Windshield installers use spray can of window cleaner applied heavy around windshield and then compressed air blowing around windshield from inside watching for bubbles..

Factory windshield does necessarily mean factory install. Post up clear pictures of side and top molding, especially upper comers. I may spot if it is or isn't factory.

If it still has the original factory install, well I've never heard of one leaking. But installers mess these up (aftermarket or OEM glass) more often not.

There is and inner molding within the side molding that covers the rivets. I feel along it for 4 rivets. If screws are used, they have larger heads and very easy to feel through molding. You can easily pull that inner molding ( "L" shape 1/2"x 2' thin strip) out of side molding and look. Note orientation (upside down L) of the L shaped molding.
Windshield removal (3).JPG

Here you see inner molding out which exposes rivets.
Prep (3).JPG

You can also pull molding from interior and watch for water, as you run sprinklers on windshield. Do this first with front end higher than rear. Consider angle vehicle sits at. If parked with front lower. A leak at roof rack bolt holes, water may flow forward to and down "A". It vehicle leans right or left it change flow of water.
Prep (6).JPG

As look at molding under the hood. These installers rarely replace all plastic fasteners that hold down windshield lower molding and rubber seal, every hold is used at the factory.
 
Soap bubbles are your friend. Some say you can turn on HVAC on high vent in outside air, I've not tried. Windshield installers use spray can of window cleaner applied heavy around windshield and then compressed air blowing around windshield from inside watching for bubbles..

Factory windshield does necessarily mean factory install. Post up clear pictures of side and top molding, especially upper comers. I may spot if it is or isn't factory.

If it still has the original factory install, well I've never heard of one leaking. But installers mess these up (aftermarket or OEM glass) more often not.

There is and inner molding within the side molding that covers the rivets. I feel along it for 4 rivets. If screws are used, they have larger heads and very easy to feel through molding. You can easily pull that inner molding ( "L" shape 1/2"x 2' thin strip) out of side molding and look. Note orientation (upside down L) of the L shaped molding.
View attachment 2120049
Here you see inner molding out which exposes rivets.
View attachment 2120024
You can also pull molding from interior and watch for water, as you run sprinklers on windshield. Do this first with front end higher than rear. Consider angle vehicle sits at. If parked with front lower. A leak at roof rack bolt holes, water may flow forward to and down "A". It vehicle leans right or left it change flow of water.
View attachment 2120025
As look at molding under the hood. These installers rarely replace all plastic fasteners that hold down windshield lower molding and rubber seal, every hold is used at the factory.

Great info man. I'll do that this evening. Here's a few pics
image0.jpeg
image1.jpeg
image2.jpeg
 
Just did the bubbles and compressed air...nothing
 
Had this exact issue when I purchased mine after the first rain we had. It was the windshield. Both side moldings had screws, not the rivets. Also, each side only had 2 screws. There are 4 holes on each side that should have special silicone coated rivet heads. When I took mine to my glass guy he knew what it was even before he pulled the first piece of molding. Sure enough, he was right. After he installed the correct rivets, my floors have been bone dry. Like @2001LC pictures show, you can pull that trim and see if the rivets are there. My bet is the windshield was replaced and screws were used.
 
I think that windshield came with the truck. I have had several cars with that etching on the windshields. It was supposed to be for theft prevention. It was a dealer installed, highly marked up accessory. You can even see the 1-800 number to call and report your stolen windshield or windows.
 
A3FB2464-D0CB-4266-A1D3-CCF0E66FC079.jpeg

It’s got rivets. 4 of them
 
Had this exact issue when I purchased mine after the first rain we had. It was the windshield. Both side moldings had screws, not the rivets. Also, each side only had 2 screws. There are 4 holes on each side that should have special silicone coated rivet heads. When I took mine to my glass guy he knew what it was even before he pulled the first piece of molding. Sure enough, he was right. After he installed the correct rivets, my floors have been bone dry. Like @2001LC pictures show, you can pull that trim and see if the rivets are there. My bet is the windshield was replaced and screws were used.

^^^^

Tell me about it!

And in my case BIG, honking screws. Like you'd use for a gate hinge or something. A prior poor installation (and that's being charitable) caused me to have body work done before the new windshield could be installed. Mine wasn't leaking...but there was rust around the screws, screw holes and pinch weld.

WS screws.jpg


windshield rivet.jpg
 
I'm not seeing as much of molding or rivets as I'd like. But you very well "may" have a factory installed windshield.

Hp Air/ soapy bubble test can miss spots very easily, unless the entire cabin pressurized. But if factory installed windshield I'd look elsewhere at this point. You can come back to windshield if need be.

Notice in picture I posted with inside molding off. That clear tube is the sun roof drain. Make sure it doesn't have holes from someone installing mods or rodents sampling dinner.
Is your roof rack factory install.

Do you have a rust bucket with any body rust.

Have you cleaned the leaves out of fender, behind plastic shielding in front wheel well close to the door.

How are door seals.

Isolation and angles can really help. Example, isolate sun roof drain by only filling one drain hole at a time. Don't let water run anywhere else.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom