Should Water on the Car Floor Be Addressed?
4 Answers
Water on the car floor needs to be addressed. Here is some relevant knowledge about water on the floor: Reasons why it needs to be addressed: Aesthetic impact: The car cabin is usually carpeted, and water ingress can make it dirty. Odor issues: Wet carpets can become a breeding ground for bacteria due to moisture, leading to unpleasant odors. Causes of water ingress: Chassis rust perforation: Water splashed up by the wheels. Clogging: The rain drainage holes in the water collection tray below the front windshield are blocked by debris, which can be seen when the hood is opened. Damaged door seals: Failed seals can allow wind-driven water ingress; inspect and replace them. Clogged sunroof drainage tubes: Water can enter from below the center pillar. Individual penetrations in the chassis: Poorly sealed or rusted loose screws can cause water ingress.
Once I accidentally spilled water in my car and thought it would dry naturally after a few days. But when I lifted the floor mat a week later, the floor padding had already molded. I ended up spending a lot of money to remove the seats and replace the floor padding to fix it. Let me tell you, standing water in a car really can't be ignored—in summer, floor padding can grow mold spots in just three days, and those mold smells are really hard to get rid of. Leaks around door gaps are minor issues; the real nightmare is a clogged AC drain pipe, which requires dismantling the dashboard to repair. My advice is to soak up any water immediately with dry towels, then leave the doors open in the sun for ventilation for half a day. Check for leaks, especially the sunroof drainage holes.
Last time at the 4S shop, I saw a flood-damaged car. The owner mentioned that initially, only the carpet was wet and they didn't pay much attention. Later, even the gear shift mechanism rusted and got stuck. The real danger of water accumulation on the car floor is that it doesn't just stay on the surface; it seeps into the chassis interlayer through the wiring harness holes, causing sheet metal corrosion and electrical short circuits. It's even more dangerous during the rainy season, as the evaporation of accumulated water can skyrocket the humidity inside the cabin, leading to fogged-up windows that impair visibility. The most troublesome part is the oxidation of wire connectors. I've dealt with such issues before, and to completely resolve them, you must remove the seats and carpet, use a heat gun to dry the chassis thoroughly, and finally spray waterproofing agent on the wire connectors.
A friend just got scammed after buying a used car—there was a layer of moisture under the floor mats. The car wash technician told him the previous owner had spilled mineral water in the car and didn’t clean it up. This issue usually stems from three common causes: first, a leaking windshield washer fluid reservoir seeping into the cabin through the firewall; second, aged door seals allowing rainwater to seep in; third, condensation from cold drink bottles in summer dripping onto the floor mats. The solution is simple: immediately park in a shaded area, open the doors to ventilate, repeatedly soak up the moisture with a wet towel until no more water can be wrung out, then buy two pounds of quicklime to place on the floor to absorb the dampness. If it’s continuously rainy, laying down waterproof floor mats as a temporary fix is the most practical.
