Wet floors

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum. I just bought a 1999 Tacoma Prerunner last Sunday. It's been a great truck so far and I love it. It has been rainy here the past couple of days and I picked up the aftermarket floor mats and noticed moisture on the bottom of them. Felt the carpet and it is soaked. This only happens on the front floorboards on the flat spots on both driver and passenger sides. Any ideas on how to fix this or what my problem could be? Thanks for the help.

 

I had that problem with my 03 as well. I believe it is fixed now but I would have to pull up the carpet to double-check. What I found to be the problem was the plastic/rubber plugs under the carpet on the driver and passenger side. Water would leak in when sprayed with a hose. To fix this all I did was seal the plugs with silicon.

 

Do you have a picture of what plugs you are talking about? Do you think I could just spray over these plugs with some flex seal?

 

I don't have a picture but if the floor boards are the same as the 03 it will be really clear when you pull up the carpet, it's hard to miss.

 

Okay I'm at work right now so I can't check. I think I know which ones you're talking about. On the passenger side is it on the front right hand side covering a bolt head?

 

The one that was leaking for me went to nowhere. When I pulled the plug i was looking at the ground under the truck.

 

That's kind of the point of a drain plug

We used to leave them out of our off-road rigs. It made getting the mud out of the interior simpler, just hose off everything and let it drain out.


I wouldn't recommend doing that in your DD.

 

Okay thanks. I'll look after work. Did you have to take the carpet out to get to it?

 

Yes. They're holes in the body, so under the carpet in the foot wells. There's usually 1 or 2 in every vehicle. They're just rubber plug filling about a 3/4 - 1" hole. Unless you're doing water crossings all they have to do is keep water from splashing in. Even if they're missing entirely you shouldn't see much water coming in through them just driving around.

 

Thanks y'all. When I got home from work I pulled the soaking wet carpet up and put some fans on both sides to dry it out. After a while I went back out and sprayed the drain plugs with some flex deal. Supposed to rain tomorrow so we'll see if that fixed my problem or not.

 

Is it both sides or just passenger? If just passenger, your heater core could be gone. Check of the coolant level will verify.

 

Also, check to be sure the evaporator core drain on the A/C isn't plugged.

 

It was wet on both sides. I think I've got it fixed but I will check these other suggestions out too. Where is this drain you are talking about? And where is do I check the coolant level for the heater core?

 

If the cooling system coolant is holding level, and doesn't need constant topping up, then your heater core isn't leaking. it's all the same system. Also, coolant has a particular "sweet" smell.
I believe the evaporator core drain is a small tube coming out through the firewall. if you turn your A/C on, and see water dripping onto the ground it's not plugged.

 

Everything y'all have mentioned has checked out but the floors are still wet

 

The passenger side is more wet than the driver side but the driver side is damp also

 

You might have a leak around the windshield, or rear window that is letting water seep in and collect on the floor.

 

Okay is there anyway I can check that? Will it be fixed if I replace the windshield? I'm planning on replacing it soon just waiting a few weeks before I claim it on insurance being that I just bought the truck.

 

I forgot to mention that the truck was parked for a couple days outside without me driving and it rained and when I got back from out of town the floors were wet. Sounds like the windshield could be the problem.

 

Let the truck completely dry out, then go to the car wash, and use the spray around the windshield, check the floor, then do the back window. Also, check for leakage from the cowl vents in front of the windshield. They have drains, but not sure where they are. Just have to hunt for them. Maybe have someone hose off the outside of the truck while you sit in the front seat, and look for any obvious leaks or water spotting on the carpets.