Wet cabin filter

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jamesbe

jamesbe

10 Year
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Threads
3
Messages
41
Location
Ottawa, On, Canada
Well it happened again. Cold raining day all day and my cabin filter is soaked.

Only happens in spring and fall and only if its cold, well only then I notice maybe because I drive home freezing my ass off.

I built a little cover over the cowl area where the filter is, which I thought solved it, but apparently not fully.

I checked drainage holes etc, I don't understand why it gets soaked, it's almost like the fresh air cover should close when you shut the vehicle off to block the water.

Any insights into this? Remove cowl and you can see the airfilter right there, so I don't see how it doesn't always get wet..... but my other car also a lexus is the same design with no issues.
 
jamesbe said:
Well it happened again. Cold raining day all day and my cabin filter is soaked.

Only happens in spring and fall and only if its cold, well only then I notice maybe because I drive home freezing my ass off.

I built a little cover over the cowl area where the filter is, which I thought solved it, but apparently not fully.

I checked drainage holes etc, I don't understand why it gets soaked, it's almost like the fresh air cover should close when you shut the vehicle off to block the water.

Any insights into this? Remove cowl and you can see the airfilter right there, so I don't see how it doesn't always get wet..... but my other car also a lexus is the same design with no issues.
Click to expand...
What issues does this cause?
 
Maybe....this is a big maybe....you could install a K&N cabin filter. It may not hold as much moisture. Idk.
 
It was pre-owned but not in an accident, everything was/is perfect on the vehicle. Windshield has lexus logos on it and well based on the amount of pitting I'll say it's never been replaced.

Anyways, yes removing the filter solves the issue, or just take it out dry it with a hair dryer and put it back and done. Just annoying really and concerns me that water gets into the HVAC system because of it (at least some moister).

I don't think a K&N would help unless it's made of different material. I have replaced the filter a few times now with a FRAM.

Here's a link to others with the same issue and a good explanation of the issue.
Water in Thru Cabin Air Intake - My Solution - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums
 
Here is a pic of what is under the cowl (this is a taco but it's the same). The cowl has a rubber edge to it that pushes against the windshield. That rubber gets stretched from heat, drying out etc over time and then doesn't seal it perfectly. Seems like a dumb design really, all Toyota's / Lexus seem to use the same design though.

I suppose a small bead of silicone right along the bottom of the windshield would help where the cowl sits. Or covering that hole. I covered that hole about 3 years ago, seem to fix it for awhile but not anymore. But perhaps it moved as it was just taped in place. I'll take it apart again soon and see what's going on.

cowl.webp
 
We had a huge huge downpour last night. Filter not wet, but floor is, ugh ugh ugh. I can't leave the damn truck outside if it's raining hard as it always leaks. Hope it doesn't affect any electronics, cause that would be a nightmare.
 
jamesbe said:
We had a huge huge downpour last night. Filter not wet, but floor is, ugh ugh ugh. I can't leave the damn truck outside if it's raining hard as it always leaks. Hope it doesn't affect any electronics, cause that would be a nightmare.
Click to expand...
It’s very easy to pull the trim along the bottom of the door jamb and look for pooled water.
Did you ever try the silicon along the bottom edge of the windshield? After reading this my gut is the snap-in seal that holds the cowl cover to the windshield isn’t holding back water like it should.
 
The weather stripping on the bottom of the widnshild on the cowl is not supposed to be water tight. The water pours in that exact area through all of the venting within that cowl and the wiper blade cutouts.

The cowl itself should have a shroud that sits directly over the HVAC intake. This shroud directs any water away from that area and dumps it to the main collection area shown in your picture and out of the wheel well drains.

Check to make sure that shroud is present and fully affixed to the lower windshield cowl.
 
I was thinking a picture of the bottom of the cowl cover would be useful here. Searches for the part number 55701-0C020 don't bring up much that is helpful.
 
04UZJ100 said:
The cowl itself should have a shroud that sits directly over the HVAC intake. This shroud directs any water away from that area and dumps it to the main collection area shown in your picture and out of the wheel well drains.
Click to expand...

This is also important to check. I had my windshield replaced a couple months ago (did it in my garage), and I did all the prep of removing the wipers and cowl shroud. My OCD wanted to clean everything under there before they started working. I was shocked at the amount of crap (leaves, pine needles, general dirt) down in this area where water that gets under the cowl has to escape. Maybe yours is clogged and the water pools up under the cowl so it eventually overflows the fresh air intake.

It's actually pretty easy to get the cowl cover off, especially once you've removed the wiper arms the first time.
 
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