Hey! I'm new here, but I've been having a problem with the truck...

2003 Dodge Dakota SXT, Automatic Transmission, 4x4, Regular 6 1/2 ft. Cab, V6, 3.9L 6cyl (I think, too dark out to look)...

My Fiance, Robert, was driving the truck a couple weeks ago, heading to Wal-Mart.

Mind you, it was really hot that day, so AC was a must!!

We pulled into Wal-Mart and I got out and was wondering why the bottom of my purse was completely soaked. He was thinking maybe condensation from running the AC for the ride.

I shrugged it off and went into the store.

When we were heading back home, it got worse!

He insisted that it was just condensation, so, again, I thought nothing of it.

Well, now, it's starting to cool off quite a bit during the day, so I haven't ran the AC at all.

But now, I'm noticing a odor, kind of like mildew/wet smell...

I lifted up the floormat, threw it out of the truck, and clearly could see the HUGE puddle soaked through the carpet!

I could completely submerge my hand in the puddle that mysteriously formed on my passenger side floorboard. Odd.......

I pulled the carpet out of the way, and the whole passenger side floor was completely under water! And yes, that was the smell, the fact that the water had been "brewing" and getting more wet, causing a puddle.

My fiance thinks, now, that it's a windshield leak... I told him that I didn't think it was because the only part of the truck that was wet was the floor. Nowhere that the windshield would leak, if that was the issue, was wet. Behind the dash where it would possibly be leaking was not wet at all...

I was thinking maybe there's a hole, or a crack in something underneath the truck where water running off of the tires could be spraying on the underside, causing the water to get in the truck from underneath it? I don't have a clue...

I've looked where I could fit to see if there were any holes or leaks but nothing was found...

I really don't think it's a windshield leak at all...

I park the truck under the carport now, just to reassure that it's not a windshield issue. But I've noticed that after a good, hard rain, if not driving during the storm, but after the storm's over, the floorboard re-floods... Hence why I think there might me a spot where the water is spraying back at the underside of the truck... But again, I don't have any definitive answers or even clues at this time.

This didn't start happening until I started doing some small things to the truck:

I got the AC working on all 4 speeds, it only worked on the first 2 before... (not sure if that could relate to the issue)

I took the ridiculous looking mud-flaps off the truck, front and back. (one had to be taken off, so I took off the other 3 to make it more even, lol)

If it could be the windshield, I don't understand why it would be leaking now? It was fine through all the hard rain/thunderstorms this year while it was sitting directly in the rain.

But I really can't rule out anything right now, simply because there could be multiple things that could have happened where it's causing this to happen.

Anyone have ANY ideas??

 

There's a drain for your A/C evaporator that is supposed to drain out the front of the firewall, above the frame rail. It's pretty common for this drain to plug up and cause the problem you're describing.

BTW, your defroster also runs the A/C compressor so if you use the defroster in the rain (like most people) it can still do the same thing and make you think it's a windshield leak.

 

I would have to agree check the A/C evaporator drain, I had a dynasty a long time ago and it did the same thing. otherwise it might be the heater core. but since you noticed it when you were running the air, I would lean toward that.

 

Thanks, guys!!

I will check it out and see if you're right.

--Karli

 

Karli, it sounds like it's been going on for a while. Besides having the drain problem corrected, you will need to have the mold and mildew problem taken care of. Probably you can find someone who will do it for you. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can pull the carpet and padding out and do it yourself. I haven't done the research on what cleaners would abate the nasty buggers, but probably soaking in Lysol, rinsing well, and letting the whole mess air dry outside would do it.

 

White vinegar will also kill mold and you might even be able to wash the smell out of the carpet afterward.

 

You guys are awesome!

I will definitely try anything to get this fixed soon... The truck's been fighting me on more than one issue.

In dire need of a tune up and a tranny service... When I bought the truck in May, it was 3000 miles overdue for an oil change (really not a good thing). So seeing little flakes in the tranny fluid wasn't too much of a surprise to me.

It hard shifts out of 3rd and it kind of "jerks" you forward when it does, I definitely notice. Lol

Thanks again!

 

My truck did the same thing, I looked & looked but couldn't find the problem so I pulled the seats and removed the carpet then ran it through a laser car wash while looking for water leak, found it at the bottom right corner of the back glass. There was a small gap in the metal panels that join together under the glass, I sealed that and now no more leaks. Thankfully

 

RTV a PVC elbow on the drain. I went through this over the summer. Dodge did not put an elbow on it and air forces the water back inside of the ac and it drains into the cab. I was able to air dry my carpet but it sounds like you might need new carpet.

 

This is likely the problem as I hear leaks in the rear window over time are common in 2nd Gen Dakotas. I would check under the rear seat passenger side toolbox to see if there is wetness there too. Normally water will settle into the lowest part of the cab which is the front passenger floorboard.

@ljincc, how did you seal it?