Air Conditioner Noise & Leak?

[Jassa123]

I agree Toyota are absolute A holes... they quoted me $400 to fix and i fixed it myself in 2 minutes the way you said... very very disappointed and angry with them..
Also it shouldnt happen in a new car in the first place

[10Kyaris]

Originally Posted by slick1

1) Lift up the carpets on the front passenger side of the car.
2) Disconnect rubber hose (top right hand corner) from the airbox.
3) Unplug rubber plug in the bottom of the car (underneath the carpet) to allow water to drain
4) Stick a hanger or stiff piece of wire into the hole in the airbox (and shake it all about)

Only took a few minutes to do.

I have pictures if someone would like to see what the hose looks like (this site needs a file area?).

Much simpler than accessing it from underneath the car.

Much cheaper than the dealers who quoted about $300 to do it (said they needed to rip everything out).

The dealers also claimed they'd never seen this problem before.

The smell seems to be mold or something from the airbox/carpet... and starts to disappear after the car has dried out.

I'm really disappointed by the Toyota response. This is obviously a common problem which they should be able to diagnose on the spot.

The solution is probably to fit a larger hose and/or to provide easy access to clean the airbox.

This is a manufacturing issue... and Toyota should address it.

Thanks very much to those who posted information which helped to diagnose this problem.

:-)

i could use those pictures.. thanks

[arizonabay]

I had the same problem explained here happen to me twice on my '07 3 door. The first time I brought it to the dealer for regular service they said it was common and they blew the drainage hose out with an air compressor. It was fine for about 8 months but then it happened again. I found the hose and cleared it myself and everything is ok again.

the dealer also suggested using Lysol to spray the carpet to prevent mildewing if it gets soaked. I pulled back all of the carpet and doused the floor mats and the area underneath the floorboard carpet with the lysol after drying (styrofoam looking stuff) and the smell went away rather quickly. This has been the only issue I have had with this car and considering how easy it is to fix I don't see it as a major deal. However, it would be nice if Toyota would acknowledge it and issue a recall.

[Far out]

Originally Posted by slick1

1) Lift up the carpets on the front passenger side of the car.
2) Disconnect rubber hose (top right hand corner) from the airbox.
3) Unplug rubber plug in the bottom of the car (underneath the carpet) to allow water to drain
4) Stick a hanger or stiff piece of wire into the hole in the airbox (and shake it all about)

Only took a few minutes to do.

I have pictures if someone would like to see what the hose looks like (this site needs a file area?).

Much simpler than accessing it from underneath the car.

Much cheaper than the dealers who quoted about $300 to do it (said they needed to rip everything out).

The dealers also claimed they'd never seen this problem before.

The smell seems to be mold or something from the airbox/carpet... and starts to disappear after the car has dried out.


I'm really disappointed by the Toyota response. This is obviously a common problem which they should be able to diagnose on the spot.

The solution is probably to fit a larger hose and/or to provide easy access to clean the airbox.

This is a manufacturing issue... and Toyota should address it.

Thanks very much to those who posted information which helped to diagnose this problem.

:-)

Please sent me photo of the hose. The carpet was hard to remove, do you just tear it out? Thanks.

[Jassa123]

Hello all, i am very excited to say i just fixed the water leaking from under the dashboard on the passenger side. I called up toyota 2 days ago with my problem and was told it would be an all day job and they would have to remove my dashboard (would cost around $400) They said my air con was blocked and was causing all the water to leak into my heater box and then run onto the floor. Well i thought that sounded like BS and so decided to google the problem and found many people with the same issue. The solution is simple.

Under the dash on the passenger side, pull back the flap of carpet a little bit and on the right hand side, down low, there is a little black soft tube that is leading to the outside of the car. Just pull on it and it will easily pop out. Dont worry it will pop back in afterwards. Then get a stick or something flexible and stick it up the tube being gentle. Water will run out when you have unblocked it. then plug it back in and the problem is fixed. No more water on your floor. I am a 28 year old girl with no expereince in cars and i fixed it so dont go to Toyota for this problem and save yourself $400. Good luck everyone. Hope this helps all with the same annoying problem. :)

[bankrobber]

Originally Posted by Jassa123

Hello all, i am very excited to say i just fixed the water leaking from under the dashboard on the passenger side. I called up toyota 2 days ago with my problem and was told it would be an all day job and they would have to remove my dashboard (would cost around $400) They said my air con was blocked and was causing all the water to leak into my heater box and then run onto the floor. Well i thought that sounded like BS and so decided to google the problem and found many people with the same issue. The solution is simple.

Under the dash on the passenger side, pull back the flap of carpet a little bit and on the right hand side, down low, there is a little black soft tube that is leading to the outside of the car. Just pull on it and it will easily pop out. Dont worry it will pop back in afterwards. Then get a stick or something flexible and stick it up the tube being gentle. Water will run out when you have unblocked it. then plug it back in and the problem is fixed. No more water on your floor. I am a 28 year old girl with no expereince in cars and i fixed it so dont go to Toyota for this problem and save yourself $400. Good luck everyone. Hope this helps all with the same annoying problem. :)

Nice job. I have this problem every fall as my driveway in under trees and I get the falling leaves on my car. Had to clean it 3 times last year. I rarely go to a shop for repairs.

[Far out]

Originally Posted by Jassa123

Hello all, i am very excited to say i just fixed the water leaking from under the dashboard on the passenger side. I called up toyota 2 days ago with my problem and was told it would be an all day job and they would have to remove my dashboard (would cost around $400) They said my air con was blocked and was causing all the water to leak into my heater box and then run onto the floor. Well i thought that sounded like BS and so decided to google the problem and found many people with the same issue. The solution is simple.

Under the dash on the passenger side, pull back the flap of carpet a little bit and on the right hand side, down low, there is a little black soft tube that is leading to the outside of the car. Just pull on it and it will easily pop out. Dont worry it will pop back in afterwards. Then get a stick or something flexible and stick it up the tube being gentle. Water will run out when you have unblocked it. then plug it back in and the problem is fixed. No more water on your floor. I am a 28 year old girl with no expereince in cars and i fixed it so dont go to Toyota for this problem and save yourself $400. Good luck everyone. Hope this helps all with the same annoying problem. :)

How was the carpet held down, when I try to pull back, it was very restricted. I did not go any further from here. Was it velcroed? Thanks.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Far out

How was the carpet held down, when I try to pull back, it was very restricted. I did not go any further from here. Was it velcroed? Thanks.

There is a piece of velcro that holds the corner in place. You only have to pull it back a couple of inches to access the hose.

[rnoelr]

My wife asked me to look at her Yaris which was making a sloshing sound when it turned and there was some condensation seeping onto the passenger side floor mat. I took the bottom cover off and saw the A/C was full of water and was not draining. It was also creating condensation, which in turn, leaked into the passenger compartment. The condensation was easy to wipe up and I pulled the mat out to allow it to dry. I took a basting bulb and sucked out the water from the clogged drainage under the car. Do not blow into the drainage hole because you will only cause more problems. The baster bulb will cost you about $2.75 at your local grocers and you will use it again when you baste that turkey at Thanksgiving. It took about 4-6 squeezes to really get the water to start draining. It beats leaving your car at the dealership too.
Cheers!

[Hank Corbett]

I have the same problem with my 2008 Yaris. Last summer was the first time I noticed the condensatation dripping onto the passenger side floorboard and the "water noise" whenever I made a turn. I took it to my dealer and they said a dirt dauber nest had clogged the drain hose. Fine, no problem for the rest of the season. Now, the first time I used my A/C this spring, the exact same leak returned. I searched the web and discovered that others are having the same trouble with their Yaris. Someone posted the pics of the drain hose under the floor matt and how to ream it out. I did that just now and got the excess water to drain out of the box. I used a ground wire from some Romex I had in my garage to poke up into the hose (apprx. 9 inches into hose and I rounded the tip by bending it back to keep from puncturing the rubber). Turned on the car and the A/C until condensation started dripping freely.....fixed!! I am keeping the carpet pulled up until the pad dries completely because it is starting to smell rank. I took out the door to my glove box, which was stuffed with manuals and what-not as well as a polishing mitt, which, I suspect, was being sucked into the air flow whenever the A/C was circulating. I have emptied the box and will keep my manuals in the upper compartment on the dash from now on to facilitate air flow. I hope this keeps thing operating smoothly. Thanks to the Yaris forum for providing valuable knowledge and tips.

Hank

[mazilla]

For all you guys having this problem, if you don't resolve it in short order you may short the circuit breaker type fuse for the blower motor when it gets too wet. If your A/C suddenly looses 1-3 fan speeds, leaving you with max(4) only and your carpet is wet, it's most likely that fuse. The fuse is attached to the bottom of the blower, and about the size of a playing card. I had to fix this problem when I first bought my car...looked like somebody put some paper towels down to absorb the water and the wet paper towel tripped it, or it could have been the carpet itself.

[DaveTFL]

So glad I found this site. A lot of good info. I have had this problem and eventually the blower would slow down or completely stop. Toyota replaced the blower. Now about a year later these symptoms have returned. The blower started first by making a noise like it was hitting something. Also the classic sloshing noise on left turns, and the blower speed (was on 4) would slow and when I came out of the turn and going straight again would run again at high. Later the symptoms got worse and would also slow down when stopping or accelerating, as it did last year. Now the blower does not run at all. Occasional it would come on briefly at 4 with just a trickle of cold air coming out. Removed the drain hose and found that it was clear. Ran a tie-wrap up into the unit and no clogs has been found. Water does not drain. Perhaps it has already leaked out as the carpet and pad are saturated with water. Pulled up the carpeting on the passenger side to allow pad, etc to air dry. Could not find the circuit breaker fuse referred to by mazella. As I said I had this problem before and Toyota replaced the blower and all was well. Has this water backup damaged the blower again? Is the clog now gone? Ran the 8 inch cable tie the entire length into the unit without getting any water out. Other than having the dealer replace the blower, AGAIN, and handing Toyota more $ for this issue, any other suggestions?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by DaveTFL

So glad I found this site. A lot of good info. I have had this problem and eventually the blower would slow down or completely stop. Toyota replaced the blower. Now about a year later these symptoms have returned. The blower started first by making a noise like it was hitting something. Also the classic sloshing noise on left turns, and the blower speed (was on 4) would slow and when I came out of the turn and going straight again would run again at high. Later the symptoms got worse and would also slow down when stopping or accelerating, as it did last year. Now the blower does not run at all. Occasional it would come on briefly at 4 with just a trickle of cold air coming out. Removed the drain hose and found that it was clear. Ran a tie-wrap up into the unit and no clogs has been found. Water does not drain. Perhaps it has already leaked out as the carpet and pad are saturated with water. Pulled up the carpeting on the passenger side to allow pad, etc to air dry. Could not find the circuit breaker fuse referred to by mazella. As I said I had this problem before and Toyota replaced the blower and all was well. Has this water backup damaged the blower again? Is the clog now gone? Ran the 8 inch cable tie the entire length into the unit without getting any water out. Other than having the dealer replace the blower, AGAIN, and handing Toyota more $ for this issue, any other suggestions?

I have no idea as to what Mazilla is talking about with the under carpet circuit breaker (unless it was something added by the prior owner of his car), as no Yaris has such a thing from the factory.

The blower resistor, which is a metal package with a 4 pin connector, is attached it the bottom of the blower housing. It has an internal fuse, which if blown will only allow the blower to run on the highest setting. If the fan will only run on high, then that fuse is blown and the blower resistor needs to be replaced.

If the fan will not run on any setting, including high, then the fan motor may be bad or either the 40A HTR fuse or the 10A GAUGE fuse may be blown.

[mazilla]

Originally Posted by CTScott

I have no idea as to what Mazilla is talking about with the under carpet circuit breaker (unless it was something added by the prior owner of his car), as no Yaris has such a thing from the factory.

The blower resistor, which is a metal package with a 4 pin connector, is attached it the bottom of the blower housing. It has an internal fuse, which if blown will only allow the blower to run on the highest setting. If the fan will only run on high, then that fuse is blown and the blower resistor needs to be replaced.

If the fan will not run on any setting, including high, then the fan motor may be bad or either the 40A HTR fuse or the 10A GAUGE fuse may be blown.

I was talking about the blower resistor...I forgot it was attached to the blower and not the floor board directly behind it. It was the first day I got the car, sorry for the confusion. :)

[jward1366]

I went round and round with the toyota service manager about this same problem of water dripping from under the dash and soaking my carpet. He had the nerve to try and make me believe there was some sort of neglect on my part when this is clearly a Toyota defect. Seriously considering hiring a lawyer.

[bankrobber]

Originally Posted by jward1366

I went round and round with the toyota service manager about this same problem of water dripping from under the dash and soaking my carpet. He had the nerve to try and make me believe there was some sort of neglect on my part when this is clearly a Toyota defect. Seriously considering hiring a lawyer.

Water dripping onto carpet from passenger side is because the drain pipe is clogged with dirt or leaves. You need a thin piece of pull carpet back and slide the wire through the rubber hose. You will probably see water dump out on ground

[nopk]

Alright, so I'm having this problem too.

I've pulled off the drain hose, and I'm not seeing anything blocking it.

I tried sticking a wire into the air box it connects to, but it wouldn't go in.

I actually saw the condensation dripping from the white plastic components directly below the glove box.

Can anyone help?

For the record: I had my windshield replaced just before this happened. That could have had something to do with it? I had the windshield resealed and it's not leaking.

[Matthewces]

I had this problem last week. If your car is RHD just remove the carpet from under the passengers seat, and pull back the insulation from under the dash, you will see a black rubber pipe going from behind the dash to the floor. Now start squashing it so if the is sludge obstructing it, it just moves along, if you manage you'll hear the the water draining under the car. If this doesn't work you have to pull it out, BUT you have to keep your finger on the opening behind the dash or you will ruin your carpeting. Once you removed the pipe just blow compressed air though it until its clean. Then just assemble everything as it was. The longer you leave it not draining the more you risk ruining your compressor unit. IF you go to your dealer they will still charge you for the work (cause its a serviceable item thus not falling under warranty).