I've had a rainwater leak for a while now and lost all audio from the radio a month or two ago. Turns out both problems are related!


So, I've re-placed the rainwater gasket above the cabin air filter and pulled up the carpet to deal with the wiring issue. The problem now is that I've discovered that the foam under the carpet is apparently open-cell and is holding water like a sponge. I've removed the back seat pulled the carpet *waaaaay* back, and shoved some towels under there, but it's likely gonna need more (remove passenger-side front seat to expose more wet foam, more towels, heat to dry even more?)

My main question is this: what now? Is the foam under the carpet replaceable? Should I just dry it as best I can and treat it with an anti-mildew/fungus/mold agent of some sort? There's no musty/wet odor...maybe the foam/carpet is already treated?

Anyone else ever deal with the under-carpet foam holding moisture or replacing this foam as part of a restore? Thanks for any thoughts/opinions...

- John

 

Try removing the seat/ and pull the trim plates off the affected side and pull up carpet and put a fan inside to dry it. Or remove both seats and the center console and pull carpet out to dry if I remember right you might have to pull lower seats in the back. Beats breathing in mold from your carpet.

 

What I'm worried about is whether or not a fan is really going to affect the soggy foam. Here's a picture of what I mean:





Pretty sure the discoloration is just rust and age, but that foam stuck to the carpet is soggy every time I touch it. I just swapped out the towels I had stuffed in there while I took this picture and they were soaked through. Not dripping, but no part was dry.

Honestly thinking about pulling both seats and all the carpet out, peeling off the spray foam, letting it all dry out, and putting a layer of FatMat under the entire thing. Won't provide the structure that the spray foam does, but it'll be something.

Unless y'all think the foam will actually dry out eventually (under a box-fan for a day or two)?

 

The foam will dry out if you pull if you pull the carpet out and put a fan on it Picture didn't post

 

You will be time ahead to just suck it up and pull the seats and the carpet. The console is a bit of tinkering to get it detached for removal. Perhaps pull the seats and flip up and support the carpet while it air dries if the console gives you fits.

 

Thanks, @ZIPPY02. That last part is exactly what I ended up doing (since it was only on the passenger side). We went out of town for a few days, so before we left, I supported the carpet from underneath and aimed a box fan (held up by a bungee cord through the sunroof) at the floor. Left it running the entire time. Now we're back and everything seems to be really dry. The foam I was practically "milking" for water before is dry to the touch and nothing leaks out when it's given a firm squeeze.

NOTE: I also found two rubber plugs in the floor under the carpet and removed them while squeezing water out before we left. Might actually leave those out, just in case the cabin air filter gasket comes loose again.

 

Just remember if you keep them plugs out water can come in when it's raining outside which defeats the purpose.

 

That's a really small entry point though, and wouldn't gravity just drop it right back out again? In any case, I'll probably put 'em back in. Since I used silicone adhesive on the gasket, it should stay put now.

 

I would imagine that water would be sucked up in the carpet like a sponge and repeat the process. Your car just a suggestion.