Please Help: Air Conditioner Leaking

[justcrash]

Ok, I have a 2007 Toyota Yaris S. It has issues. Usually it manages to suck up a piece of paper into the heating system and it sounds like a playing card stuck in a bicycle tire. No idea how to avoid that or fix it.

Now (and I gotta believe this is related) every time I turn a corner I hear water slushing behind my glove box. Water comes out and onto the carpet, and my car smells like mold.

This is the second time this has happened. The last time I took it in and they told me it was clogged?!? How is that possible and how do I avoid it? More importantly, how can I fix this? I don't want to be taking this thing in and paying to have this obvious flaw fixed every 6 weeks (it's been about that long since the last time I took it in). :(

[BDD]

You'll want to take apart the dashboard and get to the heater core. You're looking for broken hose, a bad clamp, or a cracked core. As far as it being clogged, I'm not sure how things are getting into your coolant. Are you changing the coolant at normal intervals? From what I understand, coolant eventually becomes corrosive and can eat gaskets that might end up in your cooling system (please correct if I'm wrong).

I believe the paper being sucked into the vent is unrelated to your heater core being clogged, but with the dashboard open, you might be able to take the stuck paper out.

It's important that you fix this issue fast or you may overheat and ruin the car. Aside from that, coolant isn't all that great to have leaking into your interior either.

[justcrash]

Originally Posted by BDD

You'll want to take apart the dashboard and get to the heater core. You're looking for broken hose, a bad clamp, or a cracked core.

I believe the paper being sucked into the vent is unrelated to your heater core being clogged, but with the dashboard open, you might be able to take the stuck paper out.

It's important that you fix this issue fast or you may overheat and ruin the car. Aside from that, coolant isn't all that great to have leaking into your interior either.

Ok, no idea how to take the dash apart. Any links I can look at? I am pretty good about following instructions. :)

[justcrash]

Originally Posted by BDD

You'll want to take apart the dashboard and get to the heater core. You're looking for broken hose, a bad clamp, or a cracked core. As far as it being clogged, I'm not sure how things are getting into your coolant. Are you changing the coolant at normal intervals? From what I understand, coolant eventually becomes corrosive and can eat gaskets that might end up in your cooling system (please correct if I'm wrong).

I believe the paper being sucked into the vent is unrelated to your heater core being clogged, but with the dashboard open, you might be able to take the stuck paper out.

It's important that you fix this issue fast or you may overheat and ruin the car. Aside from that, coolant isn't all that great to have leaking into your interior either.

Is it possible where I need to be is under the car?

[UTVitz]

There is a drain for your air conditioner coils-as the warm air passes over these super cold coils moisture forms-just like on the outside of a glass with a cold drink in it. The moisture forms enough to drip into a box and should go out a small tube to exit the car. But, if this tube has debris in it, i.e., leaves, paper,or whatever, the water is trapped and starts to grow moldy. I do not know where this tube is located to check-it is usually traceable from under the dash. At most you should only have to take the glove box out just like you were going to change the filter. But if you're not sure the dealer should fix this under warranty. Because, stuff should not get in there to clog it and if it is they need to find out why. Check your intake at the base of the windshield on the outside where the slots are-there should be a screen in it to protect from large stuff getting in there and if you have a filter in your ventilation make sure it's not falling apart-that's the only reason I can think you'd find paper in there. good luck.

[YarisSedan]

Originally Posted by UTVitz

There is a drain for your air conditioner coils-as the warm air passes over these super cold coils moisture forms-just like on the outside of a glass with a cold drink in it. The moisture forms enough to drip into a box and should go out a small tube to exit the car. But, if this tube has debris in it, i.e., leaves, paper,or whatever, the water is trapped and starts to grow moldy. I do not know where this tube is located to check-it is usually traceable from under the dash. At most you should only have to take the glove box out just like you were going to change the filter. But if you're not sure the dealer should fix this under warranty. Because, stuff should not get in there to clog it and if it is they need to find out why. Check your intake at the base of the windshield on the outside where the slots are-there should be a screen in it to protect from large stuff getting in there and if you have a filter in your ventilation make sure it's not falling apart-that's the only reason I can think you'd find paper in there. good luck.

Thats your exact problem. The pipe either is clogged or got disconected and water is now leaking to the vehicle isntead of out the vehicle.

[justcrash]

Originally Posted by YarisSedan

Thats your exact problem. The pipe either is clogged or got disconected and water is now leaking to the vehicle isntead of out the vehicle.

So you guys are saying I can fix this myself? It's behind the glove box? How do I remove the glove box?

[silver_echo]

i am 99% sure that it is just: 1) open glove box 2) gently squeeze at rear of top of glove box 3) gently pull glove box out 4) then you will be looking at your cabin air filter location and if i remember right, your cooler box 4) make sure that there is nothing large sitting at the bottom of the cooler box 4) make sure that the drain hose is going through the appropriate hole in the firewall behind the cooler box... i think that should cover it, sorry that i do not have pictures...

[justcrash]

Originally Posted by silver_echo

i am 99% sure that it is just: 1) open glove box 2) gently squeeze at rear of top of glove box 3) gently pull glove box out 4) then you will be looking at your cabin air filter location and if i remember right, your cooler box 4) make sure that there is nothing large sitting at the bottom of the cooler box 4) make sure that the drain hose is going through the appropriate hole in the firewall behind the cooler box... i think that should cover it, sorry that i do not have pictures...

Hey, that gives me something to work with, I'll give it a shot. :)

[yaris-me]

Originally Posted by justcrash

Hey, that gives me something to work with, I'll give it a shot. :)

I don't think it's behind the glove box. It is in the middle of the dash behind the heater, A/C knobs.

[justcrash]

Originally Posted by yaris-me

I don't think it's behind the glove box. It is in the middle of the dash behind the heater, A/C knobs.

Tore it all apart (the glove box) all I found was the hose that the air drains out of and water did pour out of it. How do I get that part of the dash off?

[yaris-me]

dont think you need to. Youve found the drain tube. Need to stop leak.

[silver_echo]

Originally Posted by yaris-me

dont think you need to. Youve found the drain tube. Need to stop leak.

NO! that needs to drain through the floorpan and pour to the pavement...

[marcus]

maybe that hose got cracks on it..

[CTScott]

The hose is probably partially blocked, causing water to backup in the condensate pan. Find the output of the hose under the car and stick a semi-rigid plastic item up it (long tie-wrap for example).

[silver_echo]

Originally Posted by CTScott

The hose is probably partially blocked, causing water to backup in the condensate pan. Find the output of the hose under the car and stick a semi-rigid plastic item up it (long tie-wrap for example).

good idea... try that... but do NOT force it in there... if it will not free up with GENTLE pressure, try another method...

[nisyota]

no fixes on this? Ive cleaned out my hose twice this year. im thinking of getting a new hose from homedepot...

its an easy job to unclog the hose, but its annoying that i have to do this....

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by nisyota

no fixes on this? Ive cleaned out my hose twice this year. im thinking of getting a new hose from homedepot...

its an easy job to unclog the hose, but its annoying that i have to do this....

After looking at the AC section of the service manual, I am mighty glad that I put the filter in within the first week that I bought the car.

If you look at the picture below, without the filter in place, anything that enters the outside intake has a direct path into the air box. With the filter there, you will prevent particulate from getting into the box, where it then plugs the drain and provides a breeding ground for molds. Even if you haven't had the drain fully plugged, the stuff that enters without the filter will stick to the walls of the box. So, if you've run without the filter for any period of time, before adding the filter it would make sense to disinfect the airbox as well as you can with something like Ozium or Lysol.

AC Box.jpg