I noticed this problem once a long time ago, but my car was mostly garage parked so I wrote it off as a spilled drink. But I've noticed recently that when it rains my passenger side floorboards get soaked. This is a TN car, so there's no rust and the door seals are all in great shape. I've tried to track it down with a water hose but everything seems to be draining properly. I can pour water into the a/c air intake and it pours out the bottom of the car. The evaporator drain is also clear. I've pulled back the carpet under the dash but I can't find the leak! I've felt around the carpet on the side and none of it is wet. I'm guessing the water is coming in under the dash and running behind the rubber sound deadener, but I'm not able to pull it back with removing some trim. As soon as I have a chance I'm going to pull as much of the passenger side trim as I can.

HELP! The car smells like cat piss from the stagnant water! Any tips on frequent leak areas?


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Another thought for a leak would be around the windshield. Not sure what else to say other than get yourself a bucket of damp rid and some fabreeze.

It might help if you just take the carpet completely out of the car, then you could possibly see drip lines.

I think I'll pull the passenger seat and try to pull half the carpet back. Can I do this without removing the trim? I hate to pull trim since my luck it always breaks.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

I'm not sure since I've never tried this myself. There's plenty of guys around here who have though...hopefully one will speak up soon.

im having the same issue wiht mine, cept its the backseat carpet... its insane how wet it gets, and i live in BC canada, so weve had 3 weeks of literally non stop rain... theres standing water in my backseat that i cant get rid of

I was having a bit of trouble with condensation, but I've never had just plain standing water....hope I never do honestly. Good luck guys. I hope for everyone it's an easy fix!

Blackz24 wrote:im having the same issue wiht mine, cept its the backseat carpet... its insane how wet it gets, and i live in BC canada, so weve had 3 weeks of literally non stop rain... theres standing water in my backseat that i cant get rid of

My entire passenger side carpet is soaked from the front to the back. The back is actually the wetest, but I think that's from being parked on a slight slope and all the water ran back. I'm going to drill half a dozen tiny holes to at least help drain some of the water but I've got to track down this leak. It's still a great commuter and I plan on driving it for several more years.......BUT I CAN'T STAND THE STENCH!!!!! Plus it makes for some terrible fog under the right conditions.

I used to have a leak around one of the taillights that filled the spare tire compartment with over 3" of water. I drilled a couple tiny holes in the low part of the spare compartment to drain it and cleaned up the foam rubber seal around the tailights. Then I added some washers to help tighten the lens assembly against the body. I even cleaned and waxed the body to ensure a nice dirt free seal.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

So here's what I just did:

• Pulled the passenger seat - rear carpet is still soaked, front carpet is mostly dry after 2 days and under the seat is totally dry
• Used the steam cleaner to pull the remaining water out and freshen it with some Bissell carpet cleaner
• Popped the rear seat - no water at all so not coming from the rear window or down the rear pillar
• I have my 150 watt drop light sitting on the carpet to dry it some more

I'm still going to drill some tiny holes to help drain it in the future........BUT I'VE GOT TO FIND THIS LEAK!!!!!!

The leak has to be around the fresh air intake cowel somewhere. It's actually a PITA to pull the carpet but I may get on it tomorrow.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Or the windshield seal is leaking somewhere, maybe [hope not]?

The windshield seal could be the problem, but the trim all looks good. It would have to be l running down a pillar but none of the carpet was wet on the side and the headliner is totally dry.

I started looking around the fresh air intake cowel, but couldn't get the wipers off. I'll mess with it some more tonight and post my results.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

I wouldn't go drilling holes through you floor. I had a similar problem in my DD it was behind the drivers seat. My leak was coming from the floor it turned out I had about a golf ball size hole from the factory patch deal they put on the floor boards. Turns out mine just kind of slipped and rotted away. It was like that for awhile even after I noticed it, I wanted to wait for the rain to finally stop and I could get it dry and fix it.

Think about it if I had a golf ball size hole and it was always wet what is a bucnch of little holes going to do for you. Peel the carpet up, bust out a wet and dry vac and a fan and go to town. While your doing that search for the leak and fix it. If you don't fix it your car will soon smell like ass and you will always have a wet floor. Just to let you know the padding will take for freaking ever to dry.


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I looked under the car last night and the floor is in good shape. No rust or holes and the plugs are in place. If I do drill some holes, they will be very small and not big enough for water to splash in. Just enough to give the water somewhere to drain.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Don't drill, it's one more place for rust to form and water can still splash up or flood in if you hit a deep puddle.

Slide81 wrote:Don't drill, it's one more place for rust to form and water can still splash up or flood in if you hit a deep puddle.

this, ur gonna have to simply find the leak and fix it properly.

OK....OK.....I WON'T DRILL HOLES!!! Jesus, you guys really care about these Cavaliers Personally, when I get a new commuter I'll probably drive this thing into a lake!!! j/k......I'll find some chic who will "appreciate" it

I was only going to drill 1/16 holes, which is what I did to drain the spare tirewell. The tirewell has some rust spots from years of standing water and I just spray it with WD40 occassionally. What's worse, standing water or a pin sized hole?




2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Leave it in the garage when it rains and see if it gets soaked...It is probably just the rain coming in from the wheel well or side trim.


"What we do in life, echoes in eternity"

Oddly enough, the last time it sat in the rain the carpet didn't get wet at all!!! I'm wondering whether leaving the HVAC selector knob in a certain position is what caused it. I usually turn it off, but maybe it was set on recycle. I still need to fight the wipers off and check out the fresh air intake for leaves and crap.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Might want to check this out too.

Chris wrote:Might want to check this out too.

Interesting. But the 91 is a completely different design.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

Years ago I had a teal 97 Cav Z24. It had the exact problem as yours. I figured it was the windshield but could not locate the leak. I had a buddy spray the windshield with a hose and nothing.

Next i figured it could be the door seals. I did the same thing with a hose, again nothing. So my next step was to remove the seats and carpet. (It was soaked I needed to clean it anyway). Once the seats and carpet was removed, I hose tested it again. With the carpet missing I noticed water was on the floor. Where was it coming from. The door seals. It was not noticeable until the interior was removed.

Try it out you might like the results.

Good luck.

328eye.

I don't doubt it could be from the door seals, but they are in great shape. I clean them with WD40 and Armor All and the door jams as well.

I just hate the thought or pulling the carpet and all the trim that I'll have to take out. My luck, it will break!


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

If you look at the car from the outside, there is a black plastic vent/cowl thing that the windshield wiper arms are a part of. If you lift that up on the passenger side (remove the clips), you'll probably find it clogged with leaves and sticks.

That's what caused my floor to flood, vacuum it out.

Dry it all out and follow this:

1)remove the trim including the B pillar, all of it just pops out
2)bend the carpet back to expose the floor
3)get a hose and turn on some water, slow flowing
4) begin wetting sections of the windshield, door seals, etc
5) after each soaking check for drips inside... it would be good to have a friend check for u too

I have found 2 leaks using this and fixed them quickly with silicon.

I haven't had a chance to work on it anymore and amazingly it hasn't leaked any through several day-long downpours. I may say screw it for now, put the seat back in and wait for warmer weather. I can't run the hose in the garage!


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"

it could have been a plugged up drain for the A/C... you can even check with a watering can... you don't need much water to see where its coming from, its all about isolating and finding out where the problem is coming from.