We had a heavy thunderstorm this afternoon and my rear windows were completely down! I have leather interior and the rear seats were really splattered and there was about 1/2 inch of water in the driver side rear hand grip. The rear floormats were wet but the carpet under them was lightly damp. What I'm most worried about is the battery. A little water may have gone into the vent. Can this be dangerous or will it shock me? Should I go to the dealer and have them check anything? I've wiped down all the seats and door panels and removed the mats. What should I do? iPhone ?
The ECU's under the dash should be your primary concern. When those get wet, they die. That's why they are inside the car where the rain doesn't happen. The battery should be fine. The car does a short circuit test before it fully powers on the battery anyways (it is never "plugged in" while the car is not READY) so if there was a problem you would get a red triangle of death, but no issues. The car is very safe and will just yell at you if there is a problem.
Thanks! I have since then checked under the cargo floor and everything is dry. My remaining concern is the rear seat bench, which is like a wet sponge. I could see it becoming mildewy with the leather wrap on it. I have figured out how to remove it and I will probably take off the leather and try to get the whole foam bench dry. I then may have to get the upholsterer to re-attach the leather.
I think you will be OK -- leave the car in the sun with the windows open on one side -- you want the car to get hot but for any moisture to be able to escape. Maybe remove the seat -- I don't think you will have to remove the covers.
Final Resolution: The carpeting under the left rear footwell was soaked, so I tore out the felt padding underneath it and threw it in the dryer. Then I used warm dry towels under and on top of the carpeted floor liner in that area to soak up any residual moisture. By morning the carpet and pad were bone dry. I sprayed them with some lysol spray to prevent mildew or smells. I removed the rear bench and removed the leather skin from the bench. I dried the leather skin in the dryer on a low gentle cycle until it was back to normal. I wrapped several dry warm towels around the rear bench which is a giant piece of foam with some metal reinforcements in it. It dried somewhat, but I asked my friend (who works for a dealership) about it. He said they dry interior upholstery out in the sun for vehicles that are water damaged or rained in. After 2 days of sitting in the sun of my back deck it dried out completely. Now I'm going to get a vehicle upholsterer to re-attach the leather to the rear bench. After a bit of effort, everything is good again. Thanks to all for their comments and insights.
I would also buy 2 of these: 40 Gram Silica Gel Desiccant Dehumidifier Aluminum Indicating Canister - SilicaGelPackets.com (sporting goods shops that carry guns usually have them) And swap one into the car each day. Even a little bit of residual moisture will raise the humidity enough to promote mildew. These packs can be regenerated in the oven quite easily.