Do the door drain holes of a new car need to be opened manually?
2 Answers
New car door drain holes need to be opened manually. The door drain outlets are located at the lower part of the door panel, with at least two drain outlets per door. According to their distribution positions, the drain outlets on a car can be categorized into door drain outlets, sunroof drain outlets, air conditioning drain outlets, fuel filler neck drain outlets, drainage outlets under the front windshield, and car condensation drain outlets. After purchasing a new car, it is essential to promptly check whether the door drain holes are open. Blocked drain holes can lead to water accumulation, causing rust and corrosion of the door metal panels. This may result in water leaking from the gap between the door inner panel and the door metal panel, flowing into the cabin.
I also struggled with this issue when I picked up my car. Usually, the protective plugs for the drainage holes are kept in place when the car leaves the factory, and they need to be removed by the technician during the PDI inspection. On the day I picked up my car, I watched the mechanic crouch by the door and use small pliers to remove the rubber plugs at the bottom of each of the four doors. They explained that these plugs prevent dust from entering during transportation, but if left in for too long, they can cause water accumulation and mold during the rainy season, damaging the wiring inside the door panels. A special reminder: never try to poke around with a wire yourself—my neighbor punctured the waterproof membrane and ended up spending over 800 yuan to repair the door panel. The safest approach is to keep an eye on this process when picking up the car or have the 4S店 check it during the first maintenance service.
