Water Leak?

[brianbj]

Hi,

I have a 2005 model Avensis 1.8 petrol T4. After a short run and returning home I find that a small amount of water runs from under the car and down my drive which has a steep downhill slope. I have not been using the aircon and the water is colourless and tasteless. It does not do it all the time and I have checked that it is not leaking this water when I cross the pavement before entering my drive. It must start at the top of my drive when I slow up at the top and run down. I could understand it if I had been using the aircon but I wonder where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant which is red anyhow. It appears to come from the driver's side of the engine compartment and I see from the handbook that there is a condenser on that side of the radiator, is it possible for water to come from the aircon or condenser when the aircon is not switched on? I am 81 years old and find it difficult to lay on the ground to see underneath.

Any replies or questions regarding this would be greately appreciated.

Brian

[igormus]

Hi,

I have a 2005 model Avensis 1.8 petrol T4. After a short run and returning home I find that a small amount of water runs from under the car and down my drive which has a steep downhill slope. I have not been using the aircon and the water is colourless and tasteless. It does not do it all the time and I have checked that it is not leaking this water when I cross the pavement before entering my drive. It must start at the top of my drive when I slow up at the top and run down. I could understand it if I had been using the aircon but I wonder where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant which is red anyhow. It appears to come from the driver's side of the engine compartment and I see from the handbook that there is a condenser on that side of the radiator, is it possible for water to come from the aircon or condenser when the aircon is not switched on? I am 81 years old and find it difficult to lay on the ground to see underneath.

Any replies or questions regarding this would be greately appreciated.

Brian

hello Brain

look -- an A/C system is fully hermetically made -- otherwise it will not work ....

OK if you are 1000% sure this water is colourless and tastless -- it means it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator. You stated an A/C was not ON -- ok the other issue might be with cloggiing of drain tube under the same evaporator and this condensate is partly drained giving you these symptpoms.

You can put a white paper under the spots to be sure what do you have in the morning.

Good Luck/Igor

[Q.S.]

Hi,

I have a 2005 model Avensis 1.8 petrol T4. After a short run and returning home I find that a small amount of water runs from under the car and down my drive which has a steep downhill slope. I have not been using the aircon and the water is colourless and tasteless. It does not do it all the time and I have checked that it is not leaking this water when I cross the pavement before entering my drive. It must start at the top of my drive when I slow up at the top and run down. I could understand it if I had been using the aircon but I wonder where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant which is red anyhow. It appears to come from the driver's side of the engine compartment and I see from the handbook that there is a condenser on that side of the radiator, is it possible for water to come from the aircon or condenser when the aircon is not switched on? I am 81 years old and find it difficult to lay on the ground to see underneath.

Any replies or questions regarding this would be greately appreciated.

Brian

Is it simply condensation build up from inside the exhaust which runs out with the car been parked on a slope? Combustion produces a lot of water into the exhaust and in cold weather this condenses inside the pipe, in warmer weather most of it leaves the tailpipe as water vapour.

[timson]

The condensate drain is where you describe. This is almost certainly what's happening. Discount the exhaust, I don't know how Q.S arrived at that conclusion.

[brianbj]

Hi,

I have a 2005 model Avensis 1.8 petrol T4. After a short run and returning home I find that a small amount of water runs from under the car and down my drive which has a steep downhill slope. I have not been using the aircon and the water is colourless and tasteless. It does not do it all the time and I have checked that it is not leaking this water when I cross the pavement before entering my drive. It must start at the top of my drive when I slow up at the top and run down. I could understand it if I had been using the aircon but I wonder where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant which is red anyhow. It appears to come from the driver's side of the engine compartment and I see from the handbook that there is a condenser on that side of the radiator, is it possible for water to come from the aircon or condenser when the aircon is not switched on? I am 81 years old and find it difficult to lay on the ground to see underneath.

Any replies or questions regarding this would be greately appreciated.

Brian

hello Brain

look -- an A/C system is fully hermetically made -- otherwise it will not work ....

OK if you are 1000% sure this water is colourless and tastless -- it means it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator. You stated an A/C was not ON -- ok the other issue might be with cloggiing of drain tube under the same evaporator and this condensate is partly drained giving you these symptpoms.

You can put a white paper under the spots to be sure what do you have in the morning.

Good Luck/Igor

[brianbj]

Hi Igor,

Many thanks for your very prompt reply. You mentioned 'it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator'. Due to the fact that at the time this was occurring we had not had rain for several days so I discounted that but I go along with the bit about the distilate from the evaporator but can you tell me if the evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please? If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off? Maybe it would do some good to give the car a run with the AC on to see if it flushes the drain out.

Very many thanks again and I look forward to any advice you can give.

Best regards,

Brian

[brianbj]

Hi,

I have a 2005 model Avensis 1.8 petrol T4. After a short run and returning home I find that a small amount of water runs from under the car and down my drive which has a steep downhill slope. I have not been using the aircon and the water is colourless and tasteless. It does not do it all the time and I have checked that it is not leaking this water when I cross the pavement before entering my drive. It must start at the top of my drive when I slow up at the top and run down. I could understand it if I had been using the aircon but I wonder where it is coming from. I am not losing coolant which is red anyhow. It appears to come from the driver's side of the engine compartment and I see from the handbook that there is a condenser on that side of the radiator, is it possible for water to come from the aircon or condenser when the aircon is not switched on? I am 81 years old and find it difficult to lay on the ground to see underneath.

Any replies or questions regarding this would be greately appreciated.

Brian

Is it simply condensation build up from inside the exhaust which runs out with the car been parked on a slope? Combustion produces a lot of water into the exhaust and in cold weather this condenses inside the pipe, in warmer weather most of it leaves the tailpipe as water vapour.

[brianbj]

Hi QS,

Thanks for your reply, I was going to test your theory this morning but the weather has changed and is raining so I would not be able to tell if any water had come from the exhaust and the car is always facing downhill when the water appears so I don't think it is that but it is still worth a look.

Thanks again,

Brian

[brianbj]

The condensate drain is where you describe. This is almost certainly what's happening. Discount the exhaust, I don't know how Q.S arrived at that conclusion.

Hi Timson,

Thanks for your reply which seems to backup Igor's advice. What I don't understand is how there should be any distilate at all when the A/C has not been switched on. Once again many thanks,

Brian

[igormus]

Hi Igor,

Many thanks for your very prompt reply. You mentioned 'it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator'. Due to the fact that at the time this was occurring we had not had rain for several days so I discounted that but I go along with the bit about the distilate from the evaporator but can you tell me if the evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please? If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off? Maybe it would do some good to give the car a run with the AC on to see if it flushes the drain out.

Very many thanks again and I look forward to any advice you can give.

Best regards,

Brian

evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please --->separate

If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off?---yes in case evaporator demands time to be dried

the water has own weight even helb betweek evaporator's ribs by means of a capelary effect - but when you brake the car these water falls go down by enerthia and accumulated but not fully drained.

cheers/Igor

[brianbj]

Hi Igor,

Many thanks for your very prompt reply. You mentioned 'it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator'. Due to the fact that at the time this was occurring we had not had rain for several days so I discounted that but I go along with the bit about the distilate from the evaporator but can you tell me if the evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please? If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off? Maybe it would do some good to give the car a run with the AC on to see if it flushes the drain out.

Very many thanks again and I look forward to any advice you can give.

Best regards,

Brian

evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please --->separate

If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off?---yes in case evaporator demands time to be dried

the water has own weight even helb betweek evaporator's ribs by means of a capelary effect - but when you brake the car these water falls go down by enerthia and accumulated but not fully drained.

cheers/Igor

[brianbj]

Hi Igor,

Many thanks for your very prompt reply. You mentioned 'it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator'. Due to the fact that at the time this was occurring we had not had rain for several days so I discounted that but I go along with the bit about the distilate from the evaporator but can you tell me if the evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please? If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off? Maybe it would do some good to give the car a run with the AC on to see if it flushes the drain out.

Very many thanks again and I look forward to any advice you can give.

Best regards,

Brian

evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please --->separate

If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off?---yes in case evaporator demands time to be dried

the water has own weight even helb betweek evaporator's ribs by means of a capelary effect - but when you brake the car these water falls go down by enerthia and accumulated but not fully drained.

cheers/Igor

Hi All,

Glad to tell you myproblem is resolved. After it stopped raining I took the car for a short run and then went to the exhaust and found it was blowing water leaving it on the drive exactly like I had seen it before. I would like to thank everyone for their help and have learned quite a bit from your posts.Thanks to QS for his suggestion. Why didn't I think of that!!!

Best regards,

Brian

[Q.S.]

Hi Igor,

Many thanks for your very prompt reply. You mentioned 'it must be either rain water collected in the drain pockets or distillate from evaporator'. Due to the fact that at the time this was occurring we had not had rain for several days so I discounted that but I go along with the bit about the distilate from the evaporator but can you tell me if the evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please? If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off? Maybe it would do some good to give the car a run with the AC on to see if it flushes the drain out.

Very many thanks again and I look forward to any advice you can give.

Best regards,

Brian

evaporator is another name for the condenser or is it a seperate item please --->separate

If it is distillate from the evaporater would it still be collecting even when the AC was off?---yes in case evaporator demands time to be dried

the water has own weight even helb betweek evaporator's ribs by means of a capelary effect - but when you brake the car these water falls go down by enerthia and accumulated but not fully drained.

cheers/Igor

Hi All,

Glad to tell you myproblem is resolved. After it stopped raining I took the car for a short run and then went to the exhaust and found it was blowing water leaving it on the drive exactly like I had seen it before. I would like to thank everyone for their help and have learned quite a bit from your posts.Thanks to QS for his suggestion. Why didn't I think of that!!!

Best regards,

Brian

Glad it's sorted Brian. The answer is often the simple explanation.

" The condensate drain is where you describe. This is almost certainly what's happening. Discount the exhaust, I don't know how Q.S arrived at that conclusion"

I arrived at the simple solution because I discounted the A/C, it hadn't been running so wouldn't produce condensate. Clear colourless liquid (water) had to be from the exhaust.

P.S. Some exhausts have a small drain hole in the bottom of the silencer to let water drain out, exhausts rot from the inside out more than from the outside in on cars that do short trips as they never get hot enough to dry out.