Saturn Ion2 Leak Beneath Passenger Side Dashboard/Glovebox

[sevenflow]

Hi, I'm new here. I have a 2003 Saturn Ion 2. Just the other night my girlfriend was in the passenger seat of my car and said that she felt something wet on her feet, but I didn't think anything of it .. the next day I was on the phone and she was in the car again and we noticed that beneath the dash it was dripping constantly onto the floormat. I figured it was the A/C in some way .. but from starting up my car this morning and driving all the way to work it leaked the entire way here, and my A/C nor heat were never turned on. It hasn't been raining lately, there's only condensation on my car in the morning.

I live in Florida, so luckily I can drive without turning on the A/C or heat in the winter months, but this leak is going to bug me. Right now I have a towel on the floor under the glove box. As far as I can tell, it has no smell and it's clear liquid.

Any thoughts? Thanks for your help.

[ssicarman]

Welcome to the Board.

Every chance that it is the HAVC box it self leaking. There is a TSB for this and it is to remove the box disassemble it and reassemble with a sealant in the seams.
Not a fun job. The entire dash needs to come out and the heater core and AC system need to be disconnected from the box.

[kaviation]

Originally Posted by ssicarman

Welcome to the Board.

Every chance that it is the HAVC box it self leaking. There is a TSB for this and it is to remove the box disassemble it and reassemble with a sealant in the seams.
Not a fun job. The entire dash needs to come out and the heater core and AC system need to be disconnected from the box.

Where is it supposed to drain originally? through the drain holes? Does this box crack/seperate at the seams?

[QCs_R4_Girls]

Do you have a sunroof, by chance? IIRC, the water drains into the footwells if the track is clogged. If its that, it's a considerably easier fix.

[F-Bobby]

if the water is leaking onto the floor by the center console about where the passengers left foot would be, then its more then likely the HVAC drain is blocked or the HVAC box it self has filled with water. If its dripping on the right side just at the bottom edge of the dash board, then more then likely the sunroof drain has popped off.

[BoDuke70]

Check with your local Saturn service advisor, I wanna say - now I may be wrong - that I've seen a bulletin on the sunfoor drains on the Ions.

[sevenflow]

I lack a sunroof, so that rules that out. And it's dripping right in the middle of beneath the glovebox. It's not off to one side or another. I didn't get the time to look up and see, but the water is dripping off of a little black cylindrical shaped box with wires and other assorted things going into it. I can't see if it's coming from above that or from the box itself.

On a side note, it dripped all the way to work yesterday, and then for about 5 minutes on the way home. For the other 45 minutes it didn't drip 1 drop. Really odd. I'm not too sure what it is.

I'm not driving my car today so unfortunately I can't really go check it out.

If that is the problem like you had posted (removing the dash and all) it sounds pretty expensive. On the other hand, someone had called Saturn for me in another state (home) and they said that it most likely had to do with an evaporation hose coming from the firewall was pinched, cracked, or dirty. And the reason it's leaking is because it was full and because the freon is always circulating even if I'm not running the heat/AC. He said it was about a 20 minute fix .. but alas, I'm in Florida and can't bring it there (he's in Pennsylvania)

Going to have a friend look at it this coming weekend. Thank you for all the feedback, an continue to suggest if you will!

[ssicarman]

Subject: Water Leaks Into Passenger Compartment through HVAC Module Condensate Drain Tube When Parked on Incline/Uphill Position (Install Auxiliary Drain Tube Extension) #03-01-39-011B - (11/22/2005)

Condition
When vehicle is parked on an incline with the front end up during a rainstorm or when driving uphill during a rainstorm, water may leak into the passenger compartment through the condensate drain tube opening of the HVAC module.

Cause
Water may drain out of the cowl drain, then drain down the front of the dash panel in the engine compartment and seep into the HVAC module condensate drain tube opening. The water then collects in the heater core cover and upon acceleration may leak into the passenger compartment through the heater core cover seams.

Correction
Install an auxiliary drain tube with a 90° angle to prevent water from entering the HVAC module condensate drain tube.

Subject: Air Conditioning (A/C) Condensation Collecting Causing a Water Leak onto the Vehicle Floor During Times of A/C Usage (Remove Obstruction From Evaporator Drain Hole) #03-01-38-020A - (10/20/2004)

Models: 2003-2005 ION Vehicles with Air Conditioning (RPO C60)

Condition
Some customers may comment on moisture leaking onto the floor of the vehicle when the A/C system is running.

Condition 1 - 2003-2004 vehicles with foam block obstruction built prior to VIN 4Z131776.

Condition 2 - 2004-2005 vehicles with plastic flashing built prior to VIN 5Z106107.

Cause
Cause 1 - During Assembly of the HVAC module, a foam block used to isolate the evaporator core from the HVAC module case may fall off and float over the top of the drain causing blockage.

Cause 2 - During the manufacturing of the lower A/C Evaporator Case housing, the evaporator case drain hole may be restricted with plastic flash from the injection molding process.

Correction
Remove obstruction from drain following the procedure outlined in this bulletin.

[kdsimms]

Originally Posted by ssicarman

Subject: Water Leaks Into Passenger Compartment through HVAC Module Condensate Drain Tube When Parked on Incline/Uphill Position (Install Auxiliary Drain Tube Extension) #03-01-39-011B - (11/22/2005)

Condition
When vehicle is parked on an incline with the front end up during a rainstorm or when driving uphill during a rainstorm, water may leak into the passenger compartment through the condensate drain tube opening of the HVAC module.

Cause
Water may drain out of the cowl drain, then drain down the front of the dash panel in the engine compartment and seep into the HVAC module condensate drain tube opening. The water then collects in the heater core cover and upon acceleration may leak into the passenger compartment through the heater core cover seams.

Correction
Install an auxiliary drain tube with a 90° angle to prevent water from entering the HVAC module condensate drain tube.

Subject: Air Conditioning (A/C) Condensation Collecting Causing a Water Leak onto the Vehicle Floor During Times of A/C Usage (Remove Obstruction From Evaporator Drain Hole) #03-01-38-020A - (10/20/2004)

Models: 2003-2005 ION Vehicles with Air Conditioning (RPO C60)

Condition
Some customers may comment on moisture leaking onto the floor of the vehicle when the A/C system is running.

Condition 1 - 2003-2004 vehicles with foam block obstruction built prior to VIN 4Z131776.

Condition 2 - 2004-2005 vehicles with plastic flashing built prior to VIN 5Z106107.

Cause
Cause 1 - During Assembly of the HVAC module, a foam block used to isolate the evaporator core from the HVAC module case may fall off and float over the top of the drain causing blockage.

Cause 2 - During the manufacturing of the lower A/C Evaporator Case housing, the evaporator case drain hole may be restricted with plastic flash from the injection molding process.

Correction
Remove obstruction from drain following the procedure outlined in this bulletin.

Anyone know if this is a common problem with a 2006 ION-2? My daughter said there was a leak on both sides, while the A/C was running.

If so, anyone know how to obtain the details of the fix. I usually can do these things myself.

Thanks in advance,
Ken

[kdsimms]

Anyone out there?

[ssicarman]

Check the AC drain tube/hole that comes out through the firewall. In a humid enviroment with the AC running you should get water coming out if it. If you are not then it is blocked by something.