Dodge Repair: Water dripping on passenger floorboard, drain tubes, weather strip

Question
The floorboard on the passenger side of my 1996 caravan is wet.  could the drain tube from the Air Conditioning be clogged?  Can I reach it without a lift from underneath?

Answer
I live in the Atlanta area I would be glad to look at it for u. Let me know if this is to much for u and if u live near by I could do it.

SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Several conditions can cause water to leak onto the carpet from the HVAC housing. These may include, hood mis-alignment, cowl cover mis-alignment, wiper module drain tube(s), and/or the lower plenum drain hose.

DIAGNOSIS:
Inspect the fit between the hood and the cowl cover and the hood and front fenders. The gaps should be 5mm - 3mm (3/16 - 1/8 in.) and the hood should be flush to 1.5mm (1/16 in.) under flush.

Inspect the cowl cover to windshield, the weatherstrip MUST be in full contact all the way across the windshield and stuck to the cowl cover.

Inspect the cowl cover to hood, the weatherstrip MUST be in full contact all the way across the hood and stuck to the cowl cover.

Inspect the wiper module drain tubes (2), and the lower plenum drain hose to ensure they are fully seated and not restricted, kinked or plugged, see Figure 1.

PARTS REQUIRED:
Quantity Part No. Description
AR (1) 05010842AA Deflector
AR (2) 0153185 Screw
AR (1) 04885330AA Super Kleen
AR (1) 04318025 Sealant, Silicone



REPAIR PROCEDURE:

This bulletin involves adjusting the hood and/or cowl cover and/or removing any restriction from the wiper module drain tubes (2) and/or lower plenum drain hose and possibly installing a deflector in the cowl plenum.

PROCEDURE A

Position the cowl cover so its weather strip contacts the windshield all the way across. If the cowl cover is not attached with screws and the cowl cover can’t be adjusted so its weather strip contacts the windshield all the way across, refer to Technical Service Bulletin 23-61-95, dated 10/27/95.
Adjust the hood to get 5mm - 3mm (3/16 - 1/8 in.) gaps between the front fenders to hood and hood to cowl cover. Loosening the hood to hood hinge bolts will allow the hood to be repositioned to achieve the required gaps. The correct torque for the hood to hood hinge bolts is 11.3 - 15.8 Nm (100 - 140 in. lbs.).
Adjust the hood so that it is flush to 1.5 mm (1/16 in.) under flush to the fender and cowl cover. Loosening the hood hinge to fender bolts will allow the hood to be repositioned to achieve the required flushness and ensure the cowl cover weatherstrip contacts the hood all the way across. The correct torque for the hood hinge to fender bolts is 9.6 - 13.6 Nm (85 - 125 in. lbs.).
Remove any restriction(s) effecting the ability of the wiper module drain tubes to flow water, i.e. kinks, tie straps too tight, foreign material in tubes, etc.
Ensure the wiper module drain tubes (2) are fully seated on the module spouts.
Remove any restriction(s) effecting the ability of the lower plenum drain hose flow water.
Ensure the lower plenum drain hose and grommet are seated.
With the engine running and HVAC blower set to the High speed position, spray water at less than 10 psi on the base of the windshield and cowl cover area at a rate that would be equivalent to approximately 20 in. of water per hour for 10 minutes. If water leaks from the HVAC onto the passenger side floor after ensuring proper hood/cowl cover fits and the drains are functioning properly, perform Procedure B.
PROCEDURE B

With the windshield wipers in the "Park" position, disengage the clip holding the outside end of the wiper arm pivot cover to the wiper arm and lift the arm cap upward.
Remove the nut attaching the wiper arm to the wiper pivot.
Using a suitable 2 jaw puller, separate the wiper arm from the wiper pivot.
Repeat steps 1-3 for the other wiper arm.
Remove the screws attaching the lower area of the cowl cover to wiper module and disengage the quarter turn fasteners holding the outer ends of the cowl cover to the wiper module.
Open the hood and remove the wing nuts attaching the front of the cowl cover to the wiper module.
Lower the hood and remove the cowl cover outboard attaching screws
Raise the right side of cowl cover and disconnect the washer hose from the right side washer nozzle.
Separate the cowl cover from the vehicle.
Open the hood.
Disengage the positive lock on the wiper module wiring connector and disconnect the engine wiring harness from the wiper module connector.
Disconnect the washer hose from the wiper module.
Disconnect the two drain tubes from the bottom of the wiper module
NOTE: DO NOT ALLOW THE WIPER MODULE TO REST ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM MAY RESULT.

Remove the nuts and bolts attaching the wiper module to the vehicle and separate the wiper module from the vehicle.
Through the driver side plenum hole closest to the center of the vehicle locate the vertical tab closest to the center of the vehicle and bend it flush with the plenum floor.
Insert the curved portion of deflector, p/n 05010842AA into the passenger side plenum hole closest the center of the vehicle toward the driver side of the vehicle until the entire deflector is inside the plenum, see Figure 2.
Slide the deflector toward the passenger side of the vehicle and position it in front of and around the holes in the plenum floor.
Pull the outboard side of the deflector forward against the front plenum wall and attach a "C"-clamp or vise grip plier to hold the deflector in position, see Figure 3
**19.Push the inboard end of the deflector rearward against the rear plenum wall. Use the hole in bottom flange of the deflector (Location 2 in Figure 3) as a guide to drill a 7/64 in. pilot hole in the plenum floor.**
Drill a 7/64 in. pilot hole through the front plenum wall and the vertical flange of the deflector (Location 3,Figure 3).
Remove the holding device used in step 18 and remove all metalparticles created by drilling the three pilot holes.
Note the "foot print" of the deflector on the plenum floor and vertical walls, then move the deflector toward the center of the vehicle away from the holes in the passenger side of the plenum floor. Use Mopar Super Kleen, p/n 04885330AA, to clean the "foot print" area on the plenum floor and vertical walls. Apply a generous bead of silicone sealer, p/n 04318025, to the deflector "foot print" area of the plenum.
Reposition the deflector over the holes in the passenger side of the plenum. Coat the threads of 2 screws, p/n 0153185, with silicone sealer and use them to attach the deflector to the plenum.
NOTE: PROPER APPLICATION OF SILICONE SEALER IS CRITICAL FOR THIS REPAIR TO BE EFFECTIVE.

Apply silicone sealer to the edges of the deflector to completely seal it to the plenum floor, the inboard vertical flange and the outboard vertical flange to the plenum walls. Smooth the sealer flat and keep the drain hole in the rear of the plenum floor near the inboard vertical flange of the deflector free of sealer.
Install the wiper module and cowl cover by reversing the removal procedure.
Ensure the cowl cover fit provides full weatherstrip seal contact at the rear of the hood and the base of the windshield and the drain tubes are connected to the wiper module.
Install the wiper arms so they are aligned as shown in Figure 4. Torque the attaching nuts to 35 Nm (26 ft. lbs.)
Allow the silicone sealer to cure 3 hrs. before exposing to the vehicle to temperatures below 650 F.(180 C.)