# Help me find a mystery leak. Getting wet floormats on an '02.



## jrplt4 (Aug 14, 2007)

- Front floormats are wet, but all carpet is dry.
- Driver's side appears to have dripped onto a spot under the brake pedal & then pooled on the flat part of the mat.
- Pass. side not nearly as bad, just a small spot near the front of the door.
- Happens after heavy rain. I had my wife spray the car while I was inside and no new water appeared. Lesser storms & washes have been no problem, even being parked outside 24/7.

Searching turned up the following ideas:

1) I ruled out a leak at the door speaker (per a TSB) because the door & all carpet are dry, and the bulk of the wet area was not near the door.

2) A/C drain clogged or disconnected. Does this fit the above description? * Service manual is no help in finding the drain itself - where is the dang thing?*

3) *Best guess after much searching & thought:* The rain might be entering at the cowl intake at a faster rate than can be drained. How is the intake ductwork protected from rain intrusion? Is it covered under the cowl or does it simply use a drain tube? If there is a drain, is it the same one as used by the evaporator?

Any other suggestions? It seems to me that a windshield leak would travel down the firewall first and get the carpet wet.


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## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

the ac drain tube is on the left side. Are you sure its water?? If it is then I would guess you have a leak around the windshield, other wise, my first thought was a brake master leaking....


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## jrplt4 (Aug 14, 2007)

SPEEDO said:


> the ac drain tube is on the left side. Are you sure its water?? If it is then I would guess you have a leak around the windshield, other wise, my first thought was a brake master leaking....


I need to know exactly where to look even though it's probably been right under (over!  ) my nose all along. I've crawled under both sides of the dash several times and the only things I see passing through the firewall are a couple of electrical harnesses and the brake pedal piston. Will it be necessary to remove any trim or dash panels?

It's definitely water - no grease, oil or coolant evident & no staining after the mats are dry. If the windshield or other seals were leaking, I still think the carpet would also be affected.


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## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

sorry, brain cramp, the a/c drain is on the RIGHT side...
I dont believe anything that is water related runs on the left side, so I would look at the windshield. Water travels in mysterious ways, it could be following wires or a trim panel.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Actually, the drain tube is more towards the center of the firewall. Unlike previous Nissans the had the evaporator case on the right side of the dash, the 02 Altima moved the evaporator closer to the center of the dash. It's easiest to find the drain from under the car...it's not particularly easy to get to.


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