Is Water Leaking Into Your Car? Signs of a Bad Seal

April 22, 2021

Is water leaking into your car when it rains? What about the driver's side, passenger side, or even the trunk? If you notice water leaking into the car from the sunroof or any other place, chances are you have a bad seal that's letting the water in. Learn where leaks can commonly occur, signs of a bad seal, and what it means if your INFINITI is leaking water into the passenger side floor.

Why & How Water Leaks Into Vehicles

If there is water dripping inside your vehicle when it rains, you may have a bad seal on your hands. Oftentimes water leaking into the vehicle is a result of worn rubber seals, also known as weatherstripping, along your windows and doors. But it's not always windows and door seals that are to blame. Other common sources of leaks can include the windshield, sunroof, trunk, and even the tail lights.

There are a number of reasons water may be entering your vehicle when it rains. Most commonly, worn-out weatherstripping is to blame. The rubber seals that protect your car's interior from outside weather can shrink, dry out, and crack over time, which can create an imperfect seal and let water in. Additionally, if you recently had your windshield replaced and water is dripping from around the seal, chances are the windshield was not properly installed.

Water may also enter your vehicle due to poor collision repairs or poorly installed aftermarket accessories, such as sunroofs or equipment racks, that may have left an imperfect seal during installation.

Lastly, if your vehicle has a sunroof, it may be that its drain tubes are disconnected or clogged. Sunroof drain tubes are placed at the four corners of the sunroof to evacuate water when it's raining. If the drain tubes are clogged, the sunroof water tray may be overflowing and leaking water through the roof of your vehicle. On the other hand, if the drain tubes become disconnected, water may be leaking onto important internal components of the vehicle instead of draining next to the wheels as intended.

Signs of a Bad Seal

It's best to take care of bad seals quickly as water damage can harm the interior of your vehicle. Not only do water stains look bad, but wet floor mats or seats can often lead to mold and mildew. Look out for these signs of a bad seal to help keep water out of your INFINITI.

Visibly Worn Weatherstripping

If you've noticed water entering your car when it rains, the first thing to do is check the weatherstripping all along the vehicle. This includes the rubber seals along all the windows, the door seals in each door jamb, and the rubber seal along the opening of your trunk. If you already know where the leak is coming from, check the weatherstripping there first. If it appears shrunken, cracked, dried out, or is stripped away completely, it is most likely the source of the leak.

Wet Interior or Water Marks

Though you may not be able to see the water as it's dripping into your car, you may notice parts of your interior continuously getting wet or showing water marks after it has rained. Make sure to check the trunk as well, as it's not uncommon for a leak in the trunk to go unnoticed for some time. Keep an eye out for water stains and wet patches on floor mats, seats, or even the ceiling of the vehicle, which may indicate that your vehicle's sunroof is the source of the leak.

Excessive Road Noise

Rubber seals are designed to keep the weather out of your car, and they act as a sound barrier to road noise as well. If you notice your commute is louder than usual or that you can hear noises outside of your car more clearly than normal, you may be dealing with some worn-out seals.

Trouble Retaining Heat or A/C

While weatherstripping helps keep the elements out, it's also designed to help keep hot and cold air inside your vehicle. If you notice that your car is having trouble retaining warm or cold air from the heater and A/C system, it could be that a bad seal is letting the climate-controlled air escape.

Is Your Car Leaking Water Into the Passenger Side Floor?

If it hasn't rained recently and you notice that the floor mat on the front passenger side of the vehicle is wet, the culprit likely isn't a bad seal. What appears to be a regular leak may actually be from the air conditioning system or heater core located behind your car's dashboard.

The A/C system collects a lot of water as it removes humidity from the air inside the car's cabin. Water leaking onto the passenger side floor likely indicates that the evaporator drain tube is either clogged by outside debris or disconnected entirely.

Similarly, it may be a leaking heater core that's causing the floor to get wet. The heater core, which circulates hot coolant from the engine to heat the car's interior, may have sprung a leak and begun dripping coolant onto the passenger floor mat. You can tell if the leaking fluid is coolant if it smells sweet and is slightly sticky.

What To Do About Water Leaking Into Your Car

Water leaks may seem small at first. But a small drip can turn into a huge problem! Get the seals you need and other genuine parts for your INFINITI's model, year, and trim from INFINITI Parts.