Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Where the hell the condenser drain tube/hole/whatever is on a 2001 mercury sable? I get water coming in my heater vents all of a sudden now when it rains. A lot of water. It comes in through the passenger side heater duct. I found info on this problem (that it exists and to try to unblock the said drain) but I can't for the love of god find the drain. <br /><br />It's been about 2 weeks now and the carpet stinks so bad now I'm going to have to replace it. I need to stop the water first. <br /><br />Help.<br /><br />Been under the car twice and I can't find the drain. I have gone as far as torn down the passenger inner fender to get visual access behind it, and have looked at the firewall from above and below. <br /><br />Anyone got a schematic? I have the Haynes manual but it's not in there. Or a suggestion?<br /><br />And I tried running the A/C but it doesn't drip. I think if I waited long enough it would drip out the heater vent since I believe the drain is plugged.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

Condenser drain tube?? I've never seen one....<br />Perhaps you're talking about the evaporator coil condensate drain. I'll fire up my Mitchell cd's and see if I can't locate it for ya.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

Ask a body shop or go to s junk yard to examine a totaled car with the nose removed. You are talking about the water drain that routes water from around the windshied to the ground. It is normally a small rubber tube squashed flat and they tend to fill with grit and leaves.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

Xcuse me, yeah that's what I meant. The thing that leaves a puddle when you park the car with the AC on. <br /><br />I also found this on the NHTSA web site, what can I do with this (anything)?<br /><br />Make : MERCURY Model : SABLE Year : 2001<br />Manufacturer : FORD MOTOR COMPANY <br />Service Bulletin Num : 031506 Date of Bulletin: AUG 09, 2004<br />NHTSA Item Number: 10011149 <br />Component: VISIBILITYEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:BLOWER<br />Summary: <br /> WATER IN THE BLOWER CASE OR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR, AN INOPERATIVE CLIMATE CONTROL BLOWER MOTOR, A MOTOR THAT OPERATES ON HIGH SPEED ONLY, AND/OR A BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR FAILURE. VEHICLES BUILT 5/1/2001 TO 12/15/2003. *TT

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

Steve, I called a life long friend who owns a repair shop and he said to look on the firewall for a small rubber elbow (it has a flattened end), that's the drain. Pull the drain elbow out of the firewall and clean the flattened end. If it was plugged, water in the drain pan will flow when you remove the rubber elbow. Be prepared to insert a small plastic tool into the firewall hole (where the rubber insert goes) to help dislodge any debris. The part that does not computer is, you say that it leaks on the passenger floor when it rains. This has nothing to do with the condensate drain per say. If your taking water when it rains, you'll have to look for another source of the leak. Possibilities are the fresh air box junction to the firewall. If you're getting water when you have the defrosters/defoggers running , that's a different story. Usually in the defrost/defog mode, the A/C is turned on too. As the warm moist air (high humidity) is passed thru the evaporator coil (which is cold) the water condenses out of the air and the condensate drips into the pan and out the elusive vent that you've been looking for.<br /><br />As a side note, have you had the windshield replaced? Years ago, I had a van, replaced windshield. Workman used a wire wheel die grinder to remove the old rubber adhesive. The wire wheel removed the paint etc, down to bare metal. The trough rusted thru and I had leaks as you are having now...just a thought.<br /><br />In the summary of the NHTSA info above, it looks like they are refering to to possible causes of poor Defrost/Defogger performance due to air circulation problems. Only the first reference " WATER IN THE BLOWER CASE OR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR" would apply to the condensate drain. The others point to defective motor operation because of blown fan speed resistor board.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Can anyone Please Tell Me.......

Thank you. I will check that.<br /><br />The windshield is still original.<br /><br />There is apparently a TSB for the plastic cover that goes over the air intake for the ventialtion (where the cabin air filter is), they have an updated cover that is larger. <br /><br />My mother had the car since new and never had the problem. She parked it level. I have a pretty steep driveway that it has been parked in since I bought it from her recently, so I think that contributes to the leakage problem, water must run off differently and make its way into the intake when parked at an incline. I pulled the cabin air filter and it was soaking wet and moldy. I left it out for now but I am pretty certin that's where I'm getting the water. I also cut up a 2 litre soda bottle to extend the cover a bit as a temp fix. I dumped water in there and it poured right out the passenger side floor vent where I get the water in the rain.<br /><br />Going to call a dealer tomorrow for a price and availability on the updated "rain hat". (what it's called).