The Chrysler Minivan Fan Club Forums banner

ac evaporator leaks water into cabin

83K views 47 replies 35 participants last post by  kristy123456 
#1 ·
Hi,

My recently purchased 03 Dodge Grand Caravan with 52000 miles leaks ac water onto the passenger floor.
Is this water being "blown back into the cabin" while driving from the drain tube exit?

The drain exit is a short plastic piece that extends through the firewall. Is this piece supposed to have a length of hose on it. Because it doesn't.

Thanks dylan
 
#4 ·
There's a tsb on this. The drain tube needs to exit the firewall properly. If they don't, they leak. I forget the details.

I don't have the fsb details handy but others might. Alternatively....try searching the history in these forums. It has definitely been discussed before.
 
#5 ·
NUMBER: 24-008-02
GROUP: Heating & A/C
DATE: Aug. 12, 2002
SUBJECT:
HVAC Drain Water Leaks Under Passenger Side Carpet
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves installing a HVAC drain hose.
MODELS:
2001 - 2002 (RS) Town & Country/Caravan/Voyager
2001 - 2002 (RG) Chrysler Voyager (International Markets)
NOTE: THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MAY 14, 2001 (MDH 0514XX) AND OCTOBER 1, 2001 (MDH 1001XX)
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
The customer may describe a wet front passenger floor or floor carpet. This condition may be due to water (A/C condensate) from the HVAC assembly drain tube.
DIAGNOSIS:
Inspect for the source of the water leak. Determine that the passenger side of the front floor carpet is wet because of air conditioning condensate from the HVAC drain tube. As A/C condensate leaves the HVAC drain tube, it may run back along the outside of the drain tube, past the seal, and under the passenger side of the front floor carpet. If the HVAC assembly drain tube is the cause of the water leak, perform the Repair Procedure.

REPAIR PROCEDURE:
1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Disconnect the inlet air temperature sensor.
3. Loosen the clamp and remove the inlet hose from the throttle body (leave the other end attached to the air cleaner housing cover).
4. Remove the air cleaner housing cover.
5. Inspect the HVAC drain tube. Clean out any debris or other restrictions in the drain.
6. Install the HVAC drain hose onto the HVAC drain tube, making sure the outlet on the drain hose is pointing straight down.
NOTE: INSURE THE DRAIN HOSE IS INSTALLED SO THE CLAMP ON THE DRAIN HOSE IS BEYOND THE SLOT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DRAIN TUBE AND TIGHT UP AGAINST THE DASH PANEL.
7. Install the air cleaner housing cover.
8. Attach the inlet hose to the throttle body and tighten clamp.
9. Reconnect the inlet air temperature sensor.
10. Reconnect the battery.
11. Set the clock to the correct time.
 
#6 ·
thefrugals,

Thanks for posting that info. That is the tsb I had in mind.
 
#8 ·
I had this same problem on my '03 T&C. When I made the initial repair I bought a short piece of clear plastic tubing from the hardware store and slipped it over the existing drain. It worked fine, but a few weeks later I bought the Chrysler part and put it on. Attached is a picture I took of the factory drain over which you slip the drain tube extension. The original drain is hard plastic and yes, it does a slot in the bottom of it. (Don't have an "after" pic) I was able to put slide it on while laying under the van. Not easy, but doable. Make sure you slide it all the way on, to the end of the slot. Helps if you use some soap or something to lube the rubber extension tube. I now have a dry passenger-side floor. .>)
PS: There is a later TSB that says to use a rubber o-ring instead of the rubber tube extension, but I'll stick with the extender.
 

Attachments

#9 ·
I also had this problem with my '01. Note the TSB only refers to 2001 vehicles, but if you just have a slotted pipe thru your firewall, you need the hose the TSB refers to. About $7.00 at the dealer. Very tight fitting hose with downward bend. Make sure hose bottoms out against firewall, or water will sneak into the slot on pipe.
 
#10 ·
Found the part #: **56000724AB** Hose, Evaporator Drain
 
#11 ·
I had the wet floor problem on my 2002 Dodge grand caravan. I pulled the air filter cover to get better access to the drain. I found a rat had eaten off part of the drain tube that extends through the firewall. I split a short piece of 3/4 PVC pipe with a hacksaw and put it over the damaged extension. I calked over the area of leaking inside and out with house calking. if the pipe runs back and still leaks I will glue a pvc elbo onto the short pipe.It is hard to get to but is still fairly easy. I usually hang a bar of rat poison inside of my engine compartment on a piece of bailing wire but I thought the caravan was driven too much.... not so!
 
#13 ·
i concur! installing this factory rubber elbow (part #56000724AB, hose, evaporator drain) does the trick. $7.00 from the dealer and fairly easily installed. make sure your engine is cool though! i found it best to install from under the vehicle and lubricating the hose opening with some dish soap. force it all the way so that it is flush with the firewall.
 
#14 ·
What I don't get is where are all of the factory elbows going? The big elbow graveyard in the sky? Both our Gen 3 and our Gen 4 van came with elbows from the factory, and yet I cannot tell y'all how many times I've heard from folks (both here and on other boards) who've cured their wet carpet problems by buying an elbow from their dealer and pushing it on.

Could it be that most (if not all) wet carpet issues (front passenger foot well only) are related to missing elbows and not ascribable to cabin pressure as previously mentioned? My bet is yes, and thought of trying to use cabin pressure to push out the condensate is just so much wishful thinking. :p
 
#15 ·
it could be that the part tends to fall off after a couple years of use and exposure to the elements. perhaps the combination of very cold water coming through it and very hot air circulating around it causes the rubber to decompose and/or fall off after awhile. notwithstanding rats chewing it as suggested above.
 
#16 ·
I have a 2000 Chrysler Grand Voyager van 3.3 and I have clear water running out of the A/C right over the accelator. I have looked underneath for the drain hose that I am reading about in these other messages, but have been unable to locate it. Can someone pinpoint where I should be looking for this hose? Drivers side / passenger side?
 
#18 ·
I bought the supposed AC drain hose from the dealer and tried to fit it on the '03 this past weekend. After wrestling with it for a few minutes and limited space, I even added some soap to help ease it on the plastic outlet still to no avail because of the rather long missing section from the cylindrical shape of the outlet still leaks water.

I took a rough measurement of the missing section compared to the tapered length of hose, the hose is shy of coving the entire pipe. I'd almost need to hack off a little bit of the outlet pipe to make this work. :angrya:
 
#19 ·
brian,

there is a slot in the drain, is this the "missing section" you refer to? the drain hose i installed completely covered that slot and then fit tight up against the firewall. i could then witness all the water draining properly from the a/c and onto the garage floor.
 
#20 ·
Yes, the missing section of the outlet is longer than the spec drain hose. The tapered portion of the drain hose can attest to this. I scraped the idea using it, instead I bought a 12" piece of 5/8" heater hose. After using soap to get to sit somewhat flush with the firewall, I used a tie strap to cinch it.

I hope this fixes it. I'll give it a couple weeks to see if the carpet is still wet.
 
#21 ·
Thanks guys =)

I started googling just this morning because my passenger side floorboard was drenched. I went online and found that Advance Auto had a similar part to what you all listed in stock, came home and slipped it on, and BINGO no more water through my firewall.

I know it has been some time since the last post on this topic, but I am grateful it was here for my education. Thanks again!!!

Ron :beerchug:
 
#22 ·
Grateful for the info!

From the passenger compartment I could see the water leaking underneath the foam rubber gasket that seals the firewall opening around the drain tube. It seems that it looses its seal against the firewall after awhile allowing the condensation to be blown past the foam rubber gasket back into the passenger compartment where it flows down to the floor and is absorbed by the carpet.

My fix was to cut a small piece of 3/8” dense foam rubber (about 2” by 2” ) and punch out a 5/8” hole in the middle. I made a little slit in the hole to fit over the brace on the upper left of the drain tube. Working from the top of the van with the air cleaner cover/hose removed, the foam rubber fit tightly over the tube and tightly into the firewall opening against the old rubber gasket. It is glued in place with generic adhesive. I’ve included a few pictures of the completed fix.

BTW, for reference, a picture of the drain tube mentioned previously can be found here.
 

Attachments

#23 ·
I had the same problem in my 03 Voyager. I purchased the drain tube mentioned in this thread p/n 56000724AB. The large end that attaches to the current drain line was too short. I did, however, manage to get it all the way against the firewall with a little twisting and elbow grease. Now the water drains normally with no leaking in the passenger cabin. Thanks guys!!
 
#24 ·
I just wanted to thank you guys for your help. I was having trouble locating where the drain tube came out of the cabin. You guys helped me find that and a solution to the problem. Just installed the elbow on an 02 town and country now hopefully no more wet carpet!
Thanks again

Daniel
 
#27 ·
Our van did this same thing and when we were visitiing my father inlaw his 03 was doing it as well. Another thing a person can do is just seal the area shut with silicone and dab some off the end of the drain and the water will follow it and drip like it is supposed to. THe issue is the water runs back along the drain tube in between the fire wall and the A/C box. If you seal the area of the box and fire wall it cures it as well.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top