Is it a problem if water gets under the car seat?
3 Answers
If the seat gets wet and is not dried in time, the internal materials may rot over time, shortening its service life and producing unpleasant odors. Here are the relevant details: 1. Severe cases: It can cause the seat to rust. Once rust occurs and is not treated promptly, it can spread to other areas over time, damaging other components. 2. Causes: Aging of the sunroof sealing rubber ring reduces sealing performance, leading to sunroof leakage; clogged sunroof drainage holes prevent rainwater from being discharged in time; driving through deep water can cause water to seep in; reduced sealing performance of the car body.
That day I happened to be out with my child when soda spilled under the passenger seat. I immediately used a towel to soak up the liquid. There are circuits and foam under the seat, and accumulated water may cause short circuits in the seat heater or rust in the motor. Even worse, the sound-deadening adhesive under the carpet can absorb water and lead to mold growth. If rainwater seeps in through the door gaps, the situation becomes even more severe. I recommend immediately lifting the seat cushion to air-dry the carpet and using a vacuum cleaner's water suction function for at least half an hour. Pay special attention to checking whether there is water accumulation around the seatbelt pretensioner connector. This is how water-damaged cars lose their value—delayed treatment can make repairs more expensive than replacing the entire seat.
As a mom who often picks up and drops off kids, I'm most afraid of such accidents. Last time, milk spilled in the back seat and seeped into the seat rail gaps. When we took it apart, we found the rail springs had rusted. The metal parts of the sliding rails and recliners under the seat are prone to corrosion and seizing when exposed to water, and the sponge padding can absorb water and breed mites. Remember to layer kitchen paper towels over the wet areas to press out the moisture, and it's essential to ventilate by opening the windows for two days. If your car has seat ventilation, be extra careful—water entering the blower through the air ducts can cause serious issues. It's best to have an auto repair shop disassemble it to inspect the wiring harness connectors.
