Help! Leak Into Yaris Car Footwell

[Jan1]

Hello

I've been having problems with a leak into the passenger footwell of my Toyota Yaris. I can see the water is leaking into the car but it is impossible to see where it is coming from. I have read a message on the forum from Kman1 (but it is almost two years old) who had a similar problem which was fixed by the Toyota dealer.

I took my car to my local Toyota dealer and they said that they had not heard of any problems with a leak from the bulkhead and wanted me to leave the car for a diagnostic, which might cost up to £600 (as they'd have to remove lots of parts to find the leak) plus the cost of the repair!! (which is a lot of money for a car that is 8 years old). I'm wondering if my repair would be covered under the warranty for the bodywork - but would I have to pay for the diagnosis??

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do next and would appreciate some advice from members who have been in a similar situation and how they went about solving it.

Thanks very much.

[The_Silver_Slipper]

Lift the bonnet and see if you can see any standing water along the back of the engine bay.

With the last car I had, the rainwater drains used to get clogged up with leaves and the water could overflow into the cabin. Might be barking up completely the wrong tree with the Yaris (only got ours yesterday!), but for the 'cost' of lifting up your bonnet, it might be worth a look before sending it in to a garage.

Is your rear wiper washer working ok? If not, there may be a split in the pipe. Again, not sure where this is routed on a Yaris...

[Bos]

Are you sure that is coming from the bulk head ?

It may be from around the window surround or even the door !!!!

[Jan1]

Hi Silver Slipper and Bos

Thanks for your feedback....

When we tip water in the area, you can see it trickling down into the footwell. I have already paid a visit to the dealer, and they went as far as removing the glove pocket, but more bits need to be removed as the water is coming in high up. It's impossible to tell where the water is getting in (but it's not the door - if only it was that simple!).

Don't think it is leaves, but will double check this - the car still has the original windscreen and has not been involved in an accident (I bought the car from a friend who had it from new!).

Cheers!

[Red Yaris 54]

You say that your Yaris is 8 years old.

Is the radio aerial at the front of the roof ?

If so they were prone to leaks around the mounting which found its way into the footwell.

Do you have a sunroof fitted?

The sunroof drainage pipes tended to block and cause leaks.

Just a couple of thoughts for you to try..................hope that you manage to get it sorted out.........keep us informed

[Jan1]

Ah yes, the radio arial is mounted at the front - will check this out as well as a possible source of the leak.

Thanks!

[U2flyboy]

Ah yes, the radio arial is mounted at the front - will check this out as well as a possible source of the leak.

Thanks!

I had a similar problem in our 1999 CDX. I had to remove the plastic shield under the wheel arch to see what was happening. Water was flowing in through a grommet around a cable (the bonnet release cable I think) and it was beside the duct that takes water from the vent ducts under the windscreen with the result that water was really pouring into the drivers footwell.

The cure was just reseat the grommet and put silicone sealer around it. No problems since in over 1 year.

[PhilGee]

Another possibility is a poor seal around the windscreen. Starting to see a few older cars that have had the screen replaced with poor sealer used when they are replaced.

[kman1]

Hello

I've been having problems with a leak into the passenger footwell of my Toyota Yaris. I can see the water is leaking into the car but it is impossible to see where it is coming from. I have read a message on the forum from Kman1 (but it is almost two years old) who had a similar problem which was fixed by the Toyota dealer.

I took my car to my local Toyota dealer and they said that they had not heard of any problems with a leak from the bulkhead and wanted me to leave the car for a diagnostic, which might cost up to £600 (as they'd have to remove lots of parts to find the leak) plus the cost of the repair!! (which is a lot of money for a car that is 8 years old). I'm wondering if my repair would be covered under the warranty for the bodywork - but would I have to pay for the diagnosis??

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do next and would appreciate some advice from members who have been in a similar situation and how they went about solving it.

Thanks very much.

Hi,

I had similar resistance from the dealer they tried to give me BS about it being a non original windscreen but of course that wasn't true. A quick complaint to customer services and they gave me the relevant reference numbers to give to the dealer. I had partially stripped the car myself to verify the leak was from the bulkhead. You need to remove the passenger side wheel arch liner, pollen filter, passenger speaker, lift the carpets and matting. Get an assistant to pour water over the LHS of the car stick you head up there with a good torch and you will see the water trickling in. Then I just took the car to the dealer as is and got them to sort it all out.

In the end they even replaced the carpets free of charge as the car was so water logged and smelly. My car was over 5yrs old when they did the warranty work. Manufacturing faults have to be remedied! To top it off when I picked up the car they had smashed the windscreen and tried to claim it was already like that, in the end a quick call to the dealership manger sorted that out and they replaced that too!!

Let me know how you got on.

[Stoford Yaris]

This may well be the pollen filter housing situated behind the glovebox (comes off in about 5 seconds). Your car will probably not have a pollen filter but will have the empty housing. The seals perish and this allows water in. You can usually seal them by applying petroleum jelly to the seal.

While you are there you may want to add a pollen filter. They are about £8 as an accessory or over £20 from Toyota (and then you'll get a load of BS from Toyota about your car not having a pollen filter...).

[jaxx]

Has the car got aircon?

If so at the rear of the footwell under the glovebox, there is a rubber tube that should be poked through a hole.

Its possible people can catch it with their feet and knock it out of the hole and then it drains into the footwell.

Its for condenation that builds up in the aircon exchnager unit.

[Robdagnall]

Hello

I've been having problems with a leak into the passenger footwell of my Toyota Yaris. I can see the water is leaking into the car but it is impossible to see where it is coming from. I have read a message on the forum from Kman1 (but it is almost two years old) who had a similar problem which was fixed by the Toyota dealer.

I took my car to my local Toyota dealer and they said that they had not heard of any problems with a leak from the bulkhead and wanted me to leave the car for a diagnostic, which might cost up to £600 (as they'd have to remove lots of parts to find the leak) plus the cost of the repair!! (which is a lot of money for a car that is 8 years old). I'm wondering if my repair would be covered under the warranty for the bodywork - but would I have to pay for the diagnosis??

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do next and would appreciate some advice from members who have been in a similar situation and how they went about solving it.

Thanks very much.

Well thats exactly what they would say isn"t it?

We have not heard of A BULKHEAD LEAK BEFORE???????????

RUBBISH............It"s common knowledge that the drain holes get blocked in the bulkhead and the water then leaks down the back of the bulkhead and into the footwell!!

But of course they are not going to tell you this,they are going to say leave it with us and we will do a diagnostic,,,all for a the princely sum of £600

If you pay it your mad mate?

its an hours work!

[Red Yaris 54]

Hello

I've been having problems with a leak into the passenger footwell of my Toyota Yaris. I can see the water is leaking into the car but it is impossible to see where it is coming from. I have read a message on the forum from Kman1 (but it is almost two years old) who had a similar problem which was fixed by the Toyota dealer.

I took my car to my local Toyota dealer and they said that they had not heard of any problems with a leak from the bulkhead and wanted me to leave the car for a diagnostic, which might cost up to £600 (as they'd have to remove lots of parts to find the leak) plus the cost of the repair!! (which is a lot of money for a car that is 8 years old). I'm wondering if my repair would be covered under the warranty for the bodywork - but would I have to pay for the diagnosis??

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do next and would appreciate some advice from members who have been in a similar situation and how they went about solving it.

Thanks very much.

Well thats exactly what they would say isn"t it?

We have not heard of A BULKHEAD LEAK BEFORE???????????

RUBBISH............It"s common knowledge that the drain holes get blocked in the bulkhead and the water then leaks down the back of the bulkhead and into the footwell!!

But of course they are not going to tell you this,they are going to say leave it with us and we will do a diagnostic,,,all for a the princely sum of £600

If you pay it your mad mate?

its an hours work!

Rob.....The original post was way back in 2009

I think that the problem would have been solved long ago..........Just a pity the OP did not report back at the time! :)

[suffolk40]

Rob.....The original post was way back in 2009

I think that the problem would have been solved long ago..........Just a pity the OP did not report back at the time! :)

Or more likely the car was sold on or traded in during a dry spell............................................ :)

[plumbr]

hi, I found with the same issue on my 04 Yaris that the bulkhead leak was where the lip of the gulley outflow from inside the engine compartment sits on the wheelarch bulkhead. If so you need to wiggle your little finger inside (from above) , clean the weld as best you can with a rag and white spirit, then smear in some silicon sealant along that 50mm or so length using the tip of your little finger again . Andy

[MaureenViolette]

Water in footwell (drivers side). I’ve just bought a 2002 automatic Toyota Yaris. It’s my first own car so I really don’t know the first thing about fixing them. I took it to the garage and they thought it was the sealant around the back lights that was letting the water in. But it still fills up every time it rains.... and it rains everyday in Cornwall right now! I’ve read The fragmented comments on a pin type hole etc and have no idea what it all means. Can somebody explain again, so that I can then take this page/comments on my phone to my garage, and ask them to do this for me please...? 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Front or rear footwell?

[MaureenViolette]

Leak is in passenger footwell, drivers side. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

So rear.

[YarisMark]

On 1/25/2009 at 10:42 PM, Red Yaris 54 said:

You say that your Yaris is 8 years old.

Is the radio aerial at the front of the roof ?

If so they were prone to leaks around the mounting which found its way into the footwell.

Do you have a sunroof fitted?

The sunroof drainage pipes tended to block and cause leaks.

Just a couple of thoughts for you to try..................hope that you manage to get it sorted out.........keep us informed

Hi! New Member!

2004 Yaris w/sunroof

Can anybody point me to where the sunroof drains are and what I need to unblock them?

 

Thanks IA

 

Mark

 

[sproutdreamer]

Lots of possibilities - one is that the drain at the bottom of the heaterair duct is blocked with leaves etc and the intake air pan has filled up and overflowed.

I think the only certainty about this problem is that taking it to a garage for them to mess about and find the leak will cost as much as the car is worth, if you are unlucky!

Careful inspection with a torch should show a water trail and backtracking this should identify the source of the leak.

[Samg1990]

I have a 55 plate Yaris I have a serious problem with water leaking into my car in the driver and passenger footwell and the rear footwells it’s sloshing around the car there’s mould growing aswell I got a rug doctor to it and so far have got 5 tanks of water out it’s deivig me mad any suggestions to where it’s leaking from ??

[HeatherB]

We have an 08 plate automatic Yaris with the same problem, water in the front passenger footwell. My son thinks it smells of washer fluid? Carpets are starting to go moldy. He says he uses the aircon a lot. I've read the posts above,  so will check the advice so far. Any new help gratefully received. 

[Madasafish]

ALWAYS FIRST  check the drains under the front winscreen wipers at the rear of the bonnet.. and clear out dead leaves etc..

[JF Harris]

Toyota Yaris 54 plate, passenger footwell full of water. This is what I have done to (hopefully) stop the problem. Did everything that has been stated before, but with carpets pulled back water still evident after rain. jack car and remove front passenger wheel. Remove internal mud guard to wing. Some retaining clips will have to be cut, new can be acquired from Vehicleclips.co.uk (great service). You will find when water drops through the drain hole from the air intake / wiper compartment it drops straight onto the seam where the wing joins the main body. With the internal mud guard  in position and is tight to the body it channels the water down this joint. The joint is spot welded and caulked with a filler. Some of this caulk was brittle and perished. Chipped the caulk away, then raked along the joint to clear out what I could. Applied a sealant into the joint, then another layer on top and dressed up with thumb. Used a sealant, 4Trade from Travis Perkins which can be applied to a wet surface , although better to be dry. Everything back together, allow sealant to cure. Poured  water onto windscreen from watering can. No leak into footwell. Time will tell.  Hope this might help someone. Presume this problem may also apply to the drivers side