VONBOTTLE

i'm sure most of you have this problem - water leaking into the front passenger side caused by the clogged drain underneath the battery tray....has anyone figured out a solution to either keep it from getting clogged, or making it such that debris is able to be cleared without taking the battery out? after this past week of heavy rain, i've got a pool of water underneath the battery, in fact, one day as i was turning onto a street i heard this huge rush of water in the engine bay and suddenly water started pouring in the passenger side....i tried scraping around underneath with a tape measure (only flexible thing i could find with something that could possible grab onto the clog) and couldn't clear it, so i guess i'm going to pull the battery this weekend and clear out the drain, but while i've got it out, if anyone has come up with a solution to keep stuff out, i'd like to hear it......i wonder if i stuff the entire space below the tray with a spun plastic mesh-like product - the type of product used behind brick walls, called a mortar net, it would block crap from getting down there, but allow water to pass thru - thoughts?

Airbag

hmm . i have NEVER had this issue .. soemthing must be going on .. how is the water even getting in ? maybe that is the problem you need to be solving .. is your cowling at the bottom not sealing ?

zwopunktacht

Easiest way to reduce risk of water getting trapped under the battery: remove the star-cut rubber plug. Depending on the vegetation in your parking areas the opening of the plug is getting covered with just a view leafs.

I left the plug in but check once per year for water in there.

VONBOTTLE

really? you're lucky, i've seen quite a few members on here having that issue.....it only happens after a really heavy rain, once enough water pools up, it comes thru where the cabin filter is. the hard black plastic at the base of the windshield is not sealed against the windshield - never has been as i constantly get junk wedged between it and the glass, but i don't think that's the issue (or maybe it is?), but as i said, it's only an issue with heavy rains....and it must be normal for water to get in that area as why else would there be a drain in there? the worst is the musty smell i get in the cabin until it dries out, and potentially the hidden corrosion taking place underneath the carpet

VONBOTTLE

if i recall i did remove that plug when i had the battery out last time. i had actually cleared the plug the first time about two years ago when i needed to tighten the steering rack bolt underneath the battery which had come loose, probably hadn't been cleared in 10 years and there was quite a decent clog in there, then last year i replaced the battery and it was clogged up pretty good again

Airbag

ah so water in the fresh air intake .. correct ... didnt realize it was coming from the battery tray .. guess coz mine hasnt done it ( yet ) but i will say that lower strip seals really tight in the groove. i think PO may have put a bead of silicone in there . Might expalin why i have never had it .

VONBOTTLE

mines always had a slight gap for some reason, just figured it was how it's supposed to be (annoying as it collects crap and you have to wedge it open to vacuum the stuff out)....i'd caulk it, but i know once i break out the caulking gun, duct tape can't be far behind in my repair procedures.....it sounds like everyone just deals with it and cleans the drain when they can, i'm going to try that mortar netting to block the opening below the battery tray and hopefully it captures the leaves and other junk

Airbag

unfortunately it only takes one blown TCM under the passenger seat to allmost write off the car they are so ridulously expensive.

Huskerbob

I used Mortite rope caulking between the halves of the fresh air intake box. I replaced the failed foam strip that came from the factory. Make sure the other pieces and parts are properly seated and sealed, especially the flat against the glass. Very critical to keep water from getting into the intake box from above. Water into the battery box area should be minimal if all the covers are properly seated.

NWS6

Is there any significant downside to removing the star cut rubber plug?