Water leak

Asked by westvan Nov 27, 2006 at 02:18 PM about the 1998 Chevrolet Venture LS Passenger Van

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a water leak that appears as totally wet carpets on both the driver and passenger side, at the front. I have not found it when I am driving, but it shows up after a heavy rain and the van has been sitting at the curb.  
I have taken the cowling off,by the wipers, cleaned any leafs etc out and ran a hose on both sides but was unable to duplicate the leak.

Another attempt was running a water hose onto the upper part of the doors and the windshield for an hour or so (each area)without finding the problem.

Then the next time it sits overnight at the curb and it rains the carpet is wet again. (really wet)

By the way it is not leaking from the A/C unit or the heating system.

I would sure appreciate any suggestions.


Glen










9 Answers

Hello, Your question has been answered in our forum. Please go here: http://www.cargurus.com/forums/posts/list/13.page?cg_entityId=t2452 to see the response. I hope this helps! CarGrrl

39 people found this helpful.
70

I'm having the same problem and I was told the water was leaking around the "firewall"...

7 people found this helpful.
10

I have a 2001 Chevy Venture van that has a leak somewhere. My oil pressure light came on so I put some more oil in and the pressure light went off. I did notice a small puddle of oil under the car on the passenger side when I left for school this morning. please help

1 people found this helpful.
70

Did you ever find it? As have resealed my windshield and that didn't fix it.

1 people found this helpful.
80

I have yet to find the leak on my 2004 venture, I sucked out approximately a 1/2 gallon of water and dried out the carpet and padding for four days, I tried to duplicate it and cannot find any leaks, some how the water is getting in on the drivers side floor and I checked the windshield, took the cowl apart, ran water on the fire wall and windshield several times and cannot find it. yet when it rains and sits out side, the carpet is saturated. Are there any TSB's on this?

8 people found this helpful.
70

I'm 99% sure it is FROM THE AC condensation as Mine does the same thing Only the HOLE everyone tells me that is supposed to be on the firewall Seems to be invisible. If anyone ever see's this whole please take a picture of it and respond to this post. I got to see where it is as Even with it in the air on a hoist there is no hole I can find nor is there a rubber tube coming out as others have posted pictures of.

6 people found this helpful.
140

2004 chevy venture water leaking into drivers and passengers compartment. Where the water drains down the grilles just below the windshield on the left and right. There is a channel that drains the water to the inner fender just behind the front wheels up near the strut towers. The cause is where the body parts are spot welded together and over time, especially in salty environments, the seams start to rust and spread apart allowing all water from the windshield to flow into the interior of the vehicle. First sign is wet carpets followed by erratic electrical functions. The wiring harnesses (located at the lowest points of the front floor boards under the carpeting) end up sitting in water for long periods of time (months)! First buy a quart of Liquid Seal at any WalMart or Kmart about $25 A large plastic funnel with about a 3/4" outlet and about 12" of 3/4" clear plastic tubing. First locate the wiring harness channels by both front doors. This requires removing the snap in plastic cover, lifting back carpeting and all padding to gain visibility to the wiring channel. Push wiring harness aside just enough to hammer a screw driver thru to drain existing water out. Place some old towels on floor to soak up water out of saturated padding. Prop up carpeting with wood or hammer to allow air to circulate under carpet. This will take the better part of a day. As these areas are drying.... on to the permanent fix. Raise the hood. Remove the plastic shroud on the passenger side covering the wiper motor. Remove the rubber welting the goes from the left to right side of engine compartment. Disconnect the windshield washer tubes at each wiper blade pivot. The hardest part, remove the wiper blade assemblies with the arms. Take off the black plastic covers exposing the wiper blade nuts. Loosen the nuts until nut is slightly higher than top of threaded bolt. Cover all glass with towels or blanket. You can get a wiper arm puller at auto stores but it doesn't work on GM products. Take a framing hammer and slip under arm from the top, close to nut and bolt and pry up with enough pressure and using another hammer to strike the nut sharply. Be careful not to pinch tubing and or peen the wiper bold with nut. (The nut protects the threads) Once you have wiper arms off (they will come off) remove the plastic shroud that has the vent screens by removing plastic body rivets (pop up center locking stem.(8 plastic rivets) Note how shroud fits into left and right body panel. Lift out plastic shroud exposing the body drains on left and right. These areas are the culprits. If areas are full of debris, clean out thoroughly. (Vacuum and blowers) Be sure outlet drain is drains properly in the wheel well. Flush with garden hose and observe drains in wheel wells. The are less than a foot long but rot to hell. (Planned obsolescence) Make sure all areas are thoroughly clean and DRY. Use blower end of vacuum to help dry out channels. Let vacuum run for awhile with large opening stuffed with rags. Once everything is thoroughly dried on to the fun stuff. Attach 3/4 tubing to funnel (tightly), insert into large opening right up to fire wall where body parts are spot welded together. Prop up funnel as steep an angle as possible (using short boards) making sure outlet of tubing is at the welded seam. This all just be all self supporting (both hands free) don't shortcut here this is critical. Open your Flex Seal, Have several rags handy as you proceed just incase something slips. Place a piece of cardboard on the ground just inside wheel. On the card board place a plastic container right at inside and back of wheel. Pour about a cup (No more) into funnel. It will take a few minutes for the Flex Seal to empty out of funnel and tube. Watch the cardboard and plastic container to make sure Flex Seal drips into plastic container on the floor. Any spills can be quickly cleaned up with rags. Setting Flex Seal can be cleaned up with mineral spirits. Once the Flex Seal has come to a slow drip, remove cardboard and plastic container. Place rag in general location of last drips. Set up operation on other side of firewall. Funnel w/ tube, cardboard, pour overflow from plastic container back into can, does not effect material in can, place plastic container on cardboard against back inside of wheel. Pour no more than a cup into supported funnel. Make sure overflow is going where you want it to. Using a paint brush, use some of the excess material in plastic container to reach in and heavily paint the seam against the fire wall toward the middle. A stick taped to the brush handle helps reach the inner most seams. Wait 24 hours and repeat. Anything left in plastic container will have dried and can be easily pealed completely out and thrown away. This way your wife won't be upset if you used some of her good Tupperware. By now the interior of your vehicle , under the carpeting ,should be thoroughly dried out and all the electrical stuff should be functioning properly again. The final test, run a garden hose thoroughly flushing drain channels and checking interior. Hope you have great success. This procedure will save your vehicle for years to come. Thank you Flex Seal. tom-d-tinker

14 people found this helpful.

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