Damp Front Floorboards (1 Viewer)

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Feb 23, 2025
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Navarre, FL
I was just gifted a 1996 FJ80. Its previous owner kept it covered from any rain, but I am unable to do so. Recently, I noticed that the driver and passenger side floorboards are wet.

The rear floorboards are a little wet, but only near the door. The moon roof seal is broken, but it was taped with waterproof tape, and I found no dampness after rain up there. I sprayed the driver side door with a hose to see if it was a door seal problem, but no new moisture got in. I also ran the car with AC on full blast for about 10 minutes, but noticed no leakage.

Are there any other reasons for the dampness? Thank you for the help!
 
I was just gifted a 1996 FJ80. Its previous owner kept it covered from any rain, but I am unable to do so. Recently, I noticed that the driver and passenger side floorboards are wet.

The rear floorboards are a little wet, but only near the door. The moon roof seal is broken, but it was taped with waterproof tape, and I found no dampness after rain up there. I sprayed the driver side door with a hose to see if it was a door seal problem, but no new moisture got in. I also ran the car with AC on full blast for about 10 minutes, but noticed no leakage.

Are there any other reasons for the dampness? Thank you for the help!
Is the whole edge of the moon roof taped? By design it is not 100% waterproof, but has drains built into the A-pillars.
Second most likely source is a leak at the wind shield gasket. You can search on "wind shield leak" and read up. Can you tell if the wind shield has been replaced? Many shops have been reported to not do it per the service manual (incorrect gasket or sealant).
 
To add, make sure the weeps holes in the rocker panels are clear. That is where the front sunroof drains drain.
 
The rear sunroof drains exit at the far back of the landcruiser on each side coming out at the rear cargo area should see a black hose just sticking out each side under the landcruiser. Culprits are usually clogged front drains you can access them by opening the sunroof there will be one at each corner opening is about the size of a pencil eraser. I use a little brush on a wire made just for cleaning the front drains can use the same thing for the rear but need to run it up through the back because there isn't a way to get to them unless dropping the headliner and removing the sunroof assembly witch you should do anyway and fix whatever is wrong with the sunroof and get the tape off the landcruiser and fix it the right way poor damn thing sitting outside now give your gift some love and attention.

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If the windshield has been replaced that's the first place I'd double check, it's very common for that not to be resealed properly.
You could remove the kick panels/door sills then watch for water drops showing up back in there after a rain.

The sunroof drain pan is known for overflowing, basically due to one or more possible factors IME: the sunroof glass is out of adjustment front to rear, or the glass has drooped (needs shims to push it up), and/or the drains are plugged, and/or made worse if the vehicle is parked on an incline ie: nose up, nose down, or parked leaning (a lot) to one side allowing water to slosh over the edge of the shallow drain pan.

Another (less common) cause of a wet carpet IME is if there are holes in the vinyl vapor barrier found behind the door panels left
when someone had things apart to work inside the doors.

If the carpet smells like coolant/antifreeze that would come from a heater core leak.

If the slit drains located on the bottom inner aspect of the rocker panels are blocked water can get trapped inside. Get on your back, slide under the vehicle, look up at the backside of the rocker panels. At the bottom were sheet metal comes together you'll find 4 somewhat diagonal thin slit drains along the length of each rocker panel. When you find the slit drains shove a thin/small plastic zip tie in and out to unblock them. Water trapped there IME shouldn't cause the wet carpet but good to check that anyways.

Been discussed a lot in the past: search this forum for sunroof pan leaks drain drains ---. Also Windshield leaks ---
 
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Check where the inner fender bolts to the firewall. There is a box mount there that has a hole in the top, and "drain holes" at the bottom. The drain holes aren't the lowest point, so the box fills up with water/sand/etc and it causes rust. The rusty area is behind the pedals / the same side on the passenger side. The rust is usually under the factory sound deadener so you don't see it. In the rain, the wheels will flick water into that box, it will fill up, and seep through under neath the sound deadener and eventually soak the carpet.
 
Now you know why he hid it from the rain. I guess you can't complain when it's a gift. Pop the plugs on the rocker and check your windshield seal.
 

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