Why is my car soaked !!!! HELP.

[A-Train]

Its been raining cats and dogs here in the Bay Area the past week. Left my car outside in he rain, and the interior footwell for both the driver and passenger side is Totally Soaked!!! Like at least 1/2" of standing water! I've since soaked up 4 large towels. All windows fogged up real badly due to the moisture and cold.

Can anyone solve this mystery? Help! I'm taking my car in to the dealer today. But they do not have an appointment until next week.

-Alex
03' BLK SRT10

 

[vincent_esq]

I washed my car a couple weeks ago and the water got through and soaked both my seats. I am assuming your car was soaked through the window gap as well. I would bet you that the dealer would say that this is normal. Eventhough you can't bring it to the dealer right away, can't you just consult with the service rep, drive it by and see what he or she has to say? In the mean time, I would get a cover for it since it will rain the whole week.

 

[madman]

Hmm, I was driving my 05 SRT in these Bay Area storms and was dry and warm. If the interior fotwell gets soaked and the car was sitting it means that the water made it to cabin probably through fenders/windshield area. (assuming 'most wet' were outside edges) I would say pop up the hood, pour water on the windshield and see where it goes. You can also take out little triangle fins on each side (from doors to front) to inspect. Takes 2 minutes to unscrew.

 

[FrankBarba]

How can this be? The STR-10 allowing H2O in? When i took a tour i was told all SRT's go thru the high pressure Car wash to check for leaks. I even hung around to watch this procedure. Do they have a TSB out for this?

 

[Kai SRT10]

I've never had this problem, and I wash my car with a pretty high pressure washer. Something is wrong. Somebody forgot to put in some weather stripping or a seal or something.

 

[VIPER52USA]

This is going to be no help but...

I have a '91 Camaro with t-tops and whenever it rains I get the sae standing water on the passenger side. I'm sure it has to do with the weather stripping. Anyway, don't waste your towels, go to a gas station and **** it out.

 

[quick2tr]

Maybe the auto-adjusting windows closed on the outside leaving a gap?

 

[CTViper]

Doesn't sound right to me. I wash mine all the time and no water inside. Its been in the rain a couple of times also. I would get it checked out. I do know one thing, if you drive it the heat in the foot well area will dry it out fast. I had a XM radio installed and the installer put one of the componets in the footwell area under the carpet up high and it fryed it!

 

[JGK95]

I want to be helpful here but don't recall on which site or forum (Alley or here GenI/GenII or Gen III) I found this tidbit. Didn't someone state that an opening from the underside of the car had allowed water into the interior of the car? I think it may have been in the footwell or directly underneath the seat somewhere?

Again, I don't recall the thread but if this sparks someones memory then I feel I've assisted in some way.

Jay K.

 

[VIPER52USA]

EXACTLY! But when you get out of the car and pull it out, water still gets in. I'm not to sure how the inside top of the Viper looks, but it might be leaking through the actual car. If you can remove the inside-top piece, look for rust on the car.

 

[BigCarrot]

I stopped by a dealership last night to look at a couple of new ones, and one of the ones I looked at had water all over the door and seat from the rain.

 

[madman]

They could have not close the windows entirely. I noticed that at some situation (I don't recall) the windows won't slide all the way up when you close the doors. I guess when there is a block or it has something to do with some strange combination of what you do in the car (switch off engine, turn off lights, pop up windows, then open doors so that the power is gone etc.). I do not recall how but I know that I experienced this once or twice. So this would not be a big deal with water on seats and doors Carrot. The A-train has the water in footwell which must be a different issue.

 

[Black SRT]

A-Train,

Most 2003 SRT-10's leak like a sieve but many owners aren't aware, since the cars are rarely driven in the rain for any length of time. My 2003 SRT-10 was approx. the 1,000th car built and the problem had yet to be corrected. I took the car away for a long weekend and it rained for 2 days straight. I ended up with the same amount of water you reported.

The dealer told me that the interior had to be removed from the car and he was right, since it required 3 weeks to dry out, while outside the car. I decided to do the operation myself since I felt I could minimize the nicks and scratches that might occur otherwise. The rug is one unit consisting of rug, a half inch of padding, and a waterproof silver foil exterior that holds the water in like a bowl. There is no way to completely dry the rug, without risk of mold, unless removed. I spent 2 days with a hose tracking down 4 leaks on "each" side. I did take pictures I will post if you decide you want to give it a try or if others are interested.

Let me know.

 

[quick2tr]

I've never had this problem, and I wash my car with a pretty high pressure washer. Something is wrong. Somebody forgot to put in some weather stripping or a seal or something.

Same here, I have driven and parked in HARD rain, nothing. But I have driven with the window inadvertently cracked (auto-closed incorrectly over top) and a little water did come in.

 

[Newport Viper]

I did take pictures I will post if you decide you want to give it a try or if others are interested.

Let me know.

Rick,

If you could post pictures with write up in a new thread, I'm sure future SRT owners would find it very helpful!
Thanks!!!!!!!!!

 

[hshus03]

Your car is soaked because the factory failed to properly caulk the A pillar seams and seams between the engine compartment and the interior cab. My 2003 leaked after a night in the rain, about 2 inches in both sides in the floor pans. It never leaked while the car was moving in the rain, but park it overnight in the rain and watch out. Mine was taken back to the dealer, fenders and sides removed and resealed. It still leaked between the engine compartment and cab. I would suggest you take it to the dealer and not attempt to correct it on your own. They know all about this and the sooner you take it back, the better off you will be. The less mileage the better. If they can't fix it, request it be bought back. They will, but will deduct for mileage. If you want pictures of the recaulk job, I will send provided I am not barraged with requests. By the way, I am very pleased with the response, courtesy, and the way my problem was handled by the dealer and DC. I had a 93 for ten years and put up with it, because if you buy a car with no top or windows, what do you expect. However I could not put up with wet feet in the 2003.

 

[CTViper]

Wow---Glad mine aren't out in the rain!