A/C leaking water on passenger side (condenser drain tube clogged???)

[jjmartin]

Hi all

1994 VW golf III.. THis car runs well, a/c was working fine.. Last year, noticed the sound of some liquid in passenger side, behind the glove compartment.. Winter came, stopped using a/c, problem gone.. Until the latest spat of 90+ weather.. Now, that water overflows when I turn (onto passenger side floor mat).. Also, get fog out of vens, terrible sloching of water sound, etc. I tasted the liquid (smart, huh?) PURE water.. So, I have been researching and I think the drainage tube is clogged. i took the whole car apart inside, got behind the glove compart, etc.. Couldn't find the stupid drain tube. Under the car, when jacked up, slow leak of water, but the stupid thing keeps filling up. Any idea where this drain tube is and how i can access it. Taking off the heat shield isn't comething i wanted to do to find the tube (i would if necessary).. Any way to find that stupid tube inside the car?

Any help is appreciated and serves to save me money at the shop..

thanks

jeff

[VeeRSixPassat]

sounds like you're having the same problem and i just found the cure last night. inside the engine compartment behind the exhaust manifold there is a little flap on the firewall shield. its a little left of center looking in the engine and a little more than halfway down. open that flap and then there'll be a rubber flap. lift that flap and watch the water gush out! not sure why mine wasn't leaking, didn't appear to be clogged. so i may have to do this every couple of days to make sure all the water is out.

[2.7Dude]

man... I have exact same problem. I got a 95 cabrio couple of weeks ago and today was first hot and muggy day. I heard that water sound from behind passenger airbag area and some water dripping from there.
I found old receipt I got from the previous owner shows he had it repaired 4 years ago from a VW dealer and curprit was evaportor tank and cure was clean it out. not sure that is the answer since he stated AC wasn't working on that service record paper.
please let me know what you find out. I will also let you know after I take it to my mechanic.

jkim


Modified by 2.7Dude at 8:59 PM 6-28-2005

[jjmartin]

Thanks so much for this info. After all the research I did, I knew it was the drain, yet could never find it. Most cars have them just under the car (under shield).. Anyway, on the Golf, it is truly behind the firewall (one of the openeings in it is not for a screw like the rest). Well, I shoved my finger in there and out came a gallon or so of water. I also figured out that the rubber gasket can be removed, which I did, seeing only a little debris in there, yet enough to not allow it to drain. After cleaning the gasket, putting it back into the car, everything appears good now.

Again.. THANKS for the information, I was really hoping I wouldn't have to take the car into the shop and tell the mechanic exactly what I need (drain cleaned)..

Rake care

[2.7Dude]

thanks for your info!!
I just talk to my mechanic..(friend of mine) and he told me he will blow air into the tube and clean it out. Since he is not VW specialist, your info will help me and him big time.
this morning I found 2 flaps mentioned above and put my fingers in...guess what? only thing I got was some sort of leaf debris...not water..I guess all the wateer driped into passenger side last night.
anyway I will let you know what could be the problem for mine

[jjmartin]

stupid question, but have you tasted the stuff that drips in the passenger side.. I read that there are two issues, one can be the drain, the other can be O-rings and the coolant leaking with water.. that would taste sweet..

Anyway, I jacked my car up once and most of the water drained, best case is to have it full of water when you clean out the drain (to truly know you fixed it)

I still have some residual drippings, but the more I run the system, the less drips I get, I think it is working out the kinks..

good luck

[nebilex]

hey guys i have the same problem on my 97 jetta, i tried removin the flap on the shield but all i have is metal behind it. anybody got a picture that shows which flap we're talkin bout here... (it's on the shield right) i know i feel stupid myself not figurin out this one...

Hey i think i got it, i found the plastic flap, stuck my finger in and some nasty blag stuff came out but no water... i'll try usin my a/c all day tomorrow and see if i got water leakin... thanx ya'll


Modified by nebilex at 1:55 AM 6-30-2005

[OuTlAwz_KiNg]

ehhh i had the same problem

[progrock]

I'm having the same problem... but no water came out when i lifted that flap (but could jus tbe due to my car being in the garage for 2 days).. also... my ac stopped working around the same time this happened.. should this fix the ac?

[VeeRSixPassat]

glad to see this is helping most of you. its great that its such an easy and free fix. i'm not sure it would effect the ac working or not, but i would think it could. good luck. hope that this takes car or it.

[jjmartin]

I had read in some places that water not drainning could lead to the condenser having problems. I know in my case, the a/c never actualyl stopped working, but when I made left hand turns, the blower made some stressful sounds, that was obviously the water moving into that side of the condenser and leaking out the passenger side..

Responding to an earlier post.. I am not sure about the 97 car, but in my 94, the firewall had a few openings, most being for screws (metal behind). There was one, much lower than these (behind the manifold) that was a bit larger than the screw ones. THis is the one where the gasket was..

Never realized so many people had this problem.

MANY MANY thanks to the person who told me where the drain was located, I cannot even to begin how long I spent inside and under that car looking for it..

[TCabeen]

I just got my 95 Golf III (City), literally yesterday, and it's doing the same. My best guess was the condenser, and it's nice to see that I'm probably right. My bentley hasn't shown up yet, so I'm at a loss trying to find this flap/plug/drain, though. Can anyone post a pic or diagram, or a link to some how-to? I followed the descrips and looked around, but came up with nothing. Any visual aid would be useful. Thanks.

[sc32487]

I have a 97 jetta that i've had for a few weeks and within the first few days of having it i saw that it was leaking. It's the lowest flap on the firewall. It took me a few minutes to find it, but it's there. As soon as I lifted the flap a ton of water poured out and I no longer have leakage problems. Good luck.

[910_Industries]

I have this same problem. Anyone know where the drain is on a '98 Jetta? Thanks!

[Dan J Reed]

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[910_Industries]

Nice.. thanks!

[FABIO66]

I have the same problemo n my GOLF 3 (1.6 of 1994)...passenger footwell with water.....
when rains....If you look under the glove...under the felt, under the soundproofing pillow you will find a rubber cap. I take off...so the water can go out of the car. I am trying to understand where the water seep inside the car. Probably it comes from the rubber under the door....but I am not sure....Drain holes for the rain I can't find....

FABIO

[csrgti]

Dan j reed has taken the time to put together some great MK3 Specific DIYs
And you guys are all to lazy to click on some links or search

Bookmark this and learn to search as opposed to starting new treads with the same problems day after day, then PayPal him a few bucks for not being as lazy as you are.

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed...tech/index.htm