2002 Toyota Sienna Water leak

CNNAIDU

MEMBER
2002 TOYOTA SIENNA
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
74,000 MILES

I had purchased a used 2002 Sienna. First I did exterior water cleaning after two weeks when I went for carpet cleaning I found some wetness on the driver and passenger side carpets. After carpet cleaning I did exterior water cleaning again. After two days after rains when I checked the carpet is too wet. Then I found the padding under driver seat carpet is soaked. I could see same problem, the padding under back (trunk area) carpet is soaked and nuts have some rust.
I removed the drain cap under driver seat and some water drained out. I went to Toyota service they said the Sun/moon roof drains are Okay. They tested with forcing water on windshield and they could not find any water leakage. They also tested back side and they could not observe any water leakage. But they told me that the hatch is little bit loose near the base, but they don't know how water is coming inside. There is some rust and water at base of the rear hatch. Immediately after Toyota service testing I put back the drain cap back. Then after few hrs I removed the drain cap again and pressed the carpet under the driver seat and some water drained. Unfortunately it is raining today so I don’t know if this b/c of their water or rain water.
The rubber seal side of windshield is loose but Toyota said that should not be a problem.
So we want to know exactly where the water is entering in. If it is front side why rear side carpet padding is wet.

6 Replies

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Check the cowl area just at the bottom of the winshield, there should be a drain on each side, these ca get clogged with leaves and dirt, clear them out. Also I would seal all the way around the windshield with butyl, or black trv, butyl is prefered because it will not corrode the metal.

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Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 AT 7:53 AM

CNNAIDU

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Today we went to windshield service centre, they put water with pipe on Sun/Moon roof area and windshield area by covering the sides with plaster- tape. They checked from inside and they could not find any leakage. They opened some covers under windshield area there is no leakage, they also checked draining from windshield.. They confirmed that this NOT due to windshield leakage. After 15 mins I could find some water collected in padding are under driver seat. So because of the earlier water test this water is collected. So they assume that once water drains from windshield it is leaking. In padding area. Any new suggestions.I have already asked to do these test from "TOYOTA" Technicians but they said everything fine. What would be the next possible area. From front side...

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Friday, November 27th, 2009 AT 7:46 PM

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Only way to find a leak sometimes is to strip out the trim and crpets, and have an assistant run water. There is no known water leak, or common problem listed by Toyota, this is a hunt and seek method, looking for water trail on the sheet metal. Some are tough to find. On my 98 Lincoln, and 03 Lincoln it was running down the insde of the "A": pillar, that's the windshield and where the front door closes, this leak was not listed in Lincoln manual as a known leak for 03 but it was still there! Sealing around the entire windshield, which only takes a few minutes, solved the problem, then peeling the carpet back and sealing the area at the side of the A pillar and the floor. Finding these leaks required me to remove passenger front seat all carpet in front and all trim on right front side. Wife ran garden hose while I took a high powered light inside, then wife shinned light inside frome suspected areas. Found leak at A pillar running on insde of the pillar.

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Saturday, November 28th, 2009 AT 8:34 AM

CNNAIDU

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3 POSTS

Today we did one more testing. We opened the sunroof-glass and put some water(Half Gallon) directly into the sun-roof drain tube, and water going down at different places of the car. We also observed some water is coming into the carpet padding (Under Driver seat). But we couldn't find how they entered there.

I started pressing(twice in a day) the carpet under driver seat to remove any accumulated water thru drain hole under driver seat.

Then after two days we just poured some water at center of the wind shield glass to make sure that water is not going sides of wind shield and it is directly coming down. Then we checked the padding area under driver seat... Yes it wetting again and if I press there water is coming thru drain hole.

I believe the drain system broken some here after collecting the water from windshield. Since I don't know how Darin system inside front panel, I could not proceed further. I appreciate suggestion

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Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 AT 4:26 PM

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

Dying the carpet involves removing the seats and carpet, then you can hang it out to dry use a fan or heat lamp to speed up the process. While the rug is out, do your water testing, then you should be able to find the exact location of the leak, plug it, and retest. The drains for the sunroof are at the four corners of the opening, if they disconnect, or break, look in the back of the front wheel wells, you should be able to find the drain tubes. They run down the inside if the "A" pillar, thats the post between the windsield, and the door.