20th_Anniv. Max

Looking for some help to determine what is causing water to leak into the passenger floor board after a heavy rain. The water is coming from behind the glove box dashboard.

I've tried to search for causes and have found some references to this problem but haven't found enough direction on how to mitigate the problem.

I've got a 2001 20th Anniv. with sunroof. I'm suspecting it's a sunroof drain that is clogged and it only leaks after a heavy rain. I don't believe it's the a/c condensation drain nor any problem with the heater core as it's not leaking when running the a/c and no antifreeze is leaking into the px compartment.

Any guidance on how to trace this problem and fix it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

to see if the sunroof drains are plugged, open the sunroof and pour some water in there around the opening and see if it drains out quickly.

Bossmanreuben

I've had this problem and fixed it. If your sunroof isn't clogged I would open up the hood, take off the windshield wipers, and remove the cowl. In my case there were like 3 clips on the passenger side that seemed to have had the rubber grommets around them dry up and water would pass through them every time it rained. I would test it out by pouring water over them until I could see the water flowing in from underneath the dash. To fix it, I went to autozone and grabbed some rtv silicone and went around the clips.

20th_Anniv. Max

Thanks guys. I'll try your suggestions and will post on this thread the outcome.

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

I just developed a leak from the exact place on my '03 SE, only I do not have a sunroof. I have narrowed it down to definitely being caused by rain.

Lived in FL before this where it rains like hell, and a month after getting the car out to Portland here it develops this leak.

I removed the cowl today, and I found a spot at the bottom of the windshield where the seal has pretty much detached from the glass and you can see airspace/moisture under it. I'm going to attempt to seal this up with RTV.

clive

Yep. On any car 10yrs or more of age, the screen seals get brittle and pull away from the glass, letting rain past. My daughter's 96 Sentra has had to have all the screen seals replaced, it was like a swamp when it rained.

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

update: it was not the windshield; however, since I had the cowl removed I tried pouring a bunch of water inside the enclosed area to see if it would drain out properly and found that the drain that leads to the passenger fender was a bit clogged, and that the seals that go around the clips that hold the cowl and windshield on the passenger side had gone bad, so i unblocked the drain and put new seals under all of the clips.

The issue is that the fresh air intake is not accessible from the cowl, and it sits right under those clips. If my actions did not fix the issue, I can almost tell with 100% accuracy that the leak is a broken seal where Nissan saw fit to use epoxy to attach the metal fresh air stack to the body. If that's the case, the dash is definitely going to have to come out and it's going to get super expensive fast.

KWAK

Did your repair fix the problem, or does it still leak? Is there a specific procedure to remove the cowl? I am having the same type of leak on my '00.

maximatech12

I found a link to another thread that sounds like the problem https://maxima.org/forums/5th-genera...ger-floor.html

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

Still bone dry even with the heavy rains we've had this year.

fat_kid

iTrader: (13)

There are some clips above the air intake for the climate control below the cowl. You really can't see in there without a camera and hard to get to if you have big hands. That's where my leak was.

maximatech12

What a pain in the neck that sounds like. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

maximatech12

It's been dry and everything has been great but could the moisture that built up have effected the passenger side airbag?
They replaced it under a recall a year or two before the leak.
I had an airbag lamp begin flashing around the same time this leak began..I'm concerned.
Edit. The lamp began a bit after the airbag install and a bit before the the leak I think

Apparition

iTrader: (5)

It was definitely those damn clips that are directly above the a/c intake under the cowl. you remove the clips and seal them, and it will be bone dry from then on as long as your cowl drains properly (take pressure washer and blow the water out towards the fenders on both sides and you'd be amazed how much crap will come out).

maximatech12

It comes close to the ECU because the water accumulates right by the thing! This could cause ECU failure!

Derrick2k2SE

iTrader: (3)

I don't see it causing ECU failure since it drops onto the floor and the ECU is smartly placed higher on the tunnel.

Either way, ANY water intrusion should be addressed immediately. This is such an easy fix that there's no reason not to do it. In fact, if I were to purchase another 5th gen I'd probably seal it up proactively.

maximatech12

Well the light here I figured out was the middle connection into the SECU(smart entrance control unit) loose. I had pulled it a while back when I confused it with the Engine control Unit. When I plugged it back in I didn't have the middle connection clicked in.
I watched a You Tube video where it was explaining that 90percent of airbag lights are caused by a loose connection

04BlackMaxx

Slop some tar on it, its not worth doing more IMO.

NC5thGen

maxinout93

Are these the plastic clips you guys are talking about that need to be replaced or glued down? So glad i came across this thread! Had the same problem of water getting in the car from near the glovebox everytime i take the car to the automatic car wash, or after heavy rain. Smells like mold and i hate it! Definitely going to try this.