I have this problem you guys and I would love if someone could shed some light on the problem.

My vehicle: 1996 Toyota Tacoma extra cab 4x4, 2.7L 4 cylinder

Problem: I am getting water/condensation forming on the carpet floor in the passenger side of the vehicle.

The strange part:
-I can't see where the water is coming in.
-The driver side floor is always perfectly dry.
-The condensation seems to only happen in the middle of the floor on the passenger side.
-If I feel the carpet floor and run my hands around where the carpet is by the door jam, to under the seat, to the gearstick, in a clockwise fashion, the carpet on the floor is dry. It it only wet in the middle- like a circle of carpet about the size of a dinner plate.

I have checked the seals on the door jams and they seem to be in good shape. It's mostly only me driving in that car so the passenger side of the car rarely gets any use.

I've removed my floormats to dry it out but when it rained it came back.

Anyone had this problem or have any ideas what is causing it? Thanks guys

 

is it always and only when it rains? either a small crack in the floor board, or you have a heater core going bad, my friend.

 

Have you been running your A/C? Try check under the dash and look at your AC evaporator box. Might be blocked up and over flowing water into the cab.

 

Sounds like the grommet under the carpet is either damaged or missing. I have seen on rare occasions where the body seam isn't fully welded from the factory or is cracked. If it's a grommet then you can pick one up for cheap at Autozone in the HELP section. If it's a weld then you can get some silicone and patch it up.

 

Thanks guys-

Can you tell me more about a heater core (sorry I don't know much about it) or how this might affect the floor in the passenger side?

I don't run my A/C that often at all.

Is there any way I can check if the grommet on the floor is missing? Is it something I can see by looking under my truck or will I have to get under the carpet to check it out?

Thanks

 

Either way should work.

 

If it has antifreeze in it it would smell sweet and feel different than water. You are using antifreeze in your coolant right?

 

Yes I'm using antifreeze in my coolant. Also, what is weird is I have looked extensively in the cockpit area of the passenger side with a flashlight around where the heater/ac unit is and there is no condensation or anything that is dripping on the floor.

If you are sitting in the passenger side, where you put your feet go (the furthest away and as far back as you can go on the floor, it is completely dry. The only wet part is like right in the middle. Like I said the surrounding areas are dry- around the gearshift-dry. Where your feet go-dry, around the door jam-dry.

I do know that when I run my A/C in the summer time I get some drips that drip down on to my floormats but it's the winter time so this is different I think. I don't run my A/C during the winter at all.

I do run my heater and defroster all the time though.

It's almost seems like as if the moisture is coming up from the floorboards or something.

 

Not sure on the Taco, but some vehicles the AC runs with the defroster.

 

Went to my local mechanic and he checked it out-

My door seals are in good shape. He said it was probably just some drain vents up by my windshieldwipers that drain down that are clogged- so we are going to take off a bottom panel next week and flush out that whole drainage system start with that fix.

I park under the trees so tree debris gets down in there all day long every day so that's probably what it is come to think of it.

He said if I once we get into it, if the puddle is green or red then we will know it is my heater core. If the water is clear (which it is) it's probably just those vents/drainage problem.

I'll let you know the results in a week so others with a similar problem can check it out.

Thanks for all your help.

 

I had the same thing a few years back. There is a gromett between the cab and bed on pass and drive side. Mine had a little kink in it, allowing water to run in from the back and wick through the carpet and jewt. It was driving me crazy. If you can't see it well from the outside you'll have to remove the tire changing tools in the access compartment.

 

Probably your best bet is to pull back the carpet on the passenger floorboard and it would help to remove the seat too. Dry up all of the water then get a water hose and duct tape it to the roof of your vehicle. Let the water run onto the windshield and the passenger side window for half an hour. Come back with a flashlight and look for anything where water is getting inside. If nothing then get a sprinkler and run it underneath the vehicle and check the same.
In my experiences, common places for leaks are sun roof run off tracks not sealed properly, drain tubes clogged up, door grommets not sealed, body and firewall grommets not sealed, and body welds not sealed properly.