How to fix the sound of “water sloshingâ€

This morning the fresh air being vented into the car wasn't so . . . “fresh†smelling . . . kind of moldy.
So I investigated.

The holes for the windshield drain were clogged by a smelly mess of biological sludge.

Checking the passenger side is very easy. The only tool needed is a finger to pry off the cover shown below.

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Unfortunately I didn't take a “before†picture to show the ½ inch plus buildup clogging the drain hole – but if your drain doesn't look like this . . . time to get-a-cleanin'. I used an old paint brush and a garden hose.

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The driver side is not as easy!, but these are the steps I took:
Tools I used – 14mm socket, straight slot screw driver, flashlight, old paint brush (1.5 inch and preferably with a long handle), garden hose.

1) Remove driver's windshield wiper arm. Easy to do with a straight slot to remove the plastic cover and a 14mm socket.

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2) Just forward of the driver side hood hinge is this little fastener. Push in the center button (as shown), then reach under and push fastener out – be careful not to lose it in the engine area.

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3) There are a couple of tab clips (part of the cover itself) located on the front edge of the cover. Push the tabs back and gently lift the cover to expose the drain (or bio sludge ).

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4) I propped up the cover near the hinge side with another paint brush to make for easy access while cleaning.

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5) Before and after pics. (the shiny horizontal bar is the windshield wiper linking arm.)

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Be careful flushing out the area as you have the cover off and there are also fresh air vent holes which I don't think would be a good idea to allow water into. I removed the prop paint brush several times to do a good flush job.

The drains drain just behind the front wheels, and should be able to flow like this.

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Several other PriusChat strings mentioning water sounds:
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=20878&hl=
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=20883&hl=
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=8171&hl=
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=5576&hl=
http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=21170&hl=

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Aug 3 2006, 07:48 AM) [snapback]296942[/snapback]</div>

You're welcome.

From the outside, water or sludge is not viewable, but a strong fingernail is capable of pulling off the cover on the passenger's side (second picture down), then it is very easy to see either bio sludge or the drain hole. If/when it is clear, run the garden hose in there and see if it flows out from behind the passenger side front tire . . . it really pours out as depicted in the bottom picture.

Once that is done you can move over to the driver side and run the water on the windshield so it floods down into the driver's side of the drain system. If the water doesn't flow out equally hard from behind the driver side front wheel, then I would say you have a clog and should go through the steps I outlined.

If I weren't taking pictures, the whole process would have taken about 15 minutes total. It's very easy to do.

P.S. My fresh air intake no longer smells musty, and I no longer hear water sloshing. I washed the car the evening after I cleaned the drain clogs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lola'05 @ Aug 3 2006, 05:34 PM) [snapback]297385[/snapback]</div>

Sloosh . . . Is that how it is pronounced in Pennsylvania? :lol:

Someone here on PriusChat mentioned that they were not going to have the work done for the steering recall because they didn't see the need, and were willing to accept the risks. :huh:

It's not so much the sound of the sloosh, or the smell which bothered me, but more what the slooshing and smells can lead to. The water has to go somewhere. I'd rather have clear drain holes and not have the water spill over into who knows where. The smell was kink of icky . . . but my worry about the smell aspects were geared more toward the possible health consequences.

If you wish to take on those risks, who are we to tell you how to live your life. :mellow:

P.S. [friendly advice] When you are adding a comment to the batch of posts, and not responding to any one thing in particular, you can click on the “Add Reply†button at the bottom of all the posts and prevent duplication of prior posts.

If you do wish to respond to a particular item, click on the “Reply†button at the bottom of that particular post. At that point, for clarity sake, you can also remove parts of the post not relevant to your comments.

With the post you did, I feel sorry for the PriusChatters who are on a dial-up internet connection and had to wait twice as long for the pictures to download.

If you care to, you can go back to your post and “Edit†out the quoted pictures, etc.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Aug 8 2006, 10:50 AM) [snapback]299686[/snapback]</div>

I think, as this thread matures, and we see more people checking their cars, we will find that people who park outside and under messy trees will be the ones who suffer most from sloshing water syndrome.

I think I park in a worse case scenario. No garage, and I park under several Sumac trees.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhus

These trees have to be the messiest trees in the world!!! They are evergreen, which really means “ever-messy.†Depending on the season, they constantly drop copious amounts of various combinations of leaves, small flowers, seeds, pollen, fruit, bark, or twigs. Some mornings there is a half inch or more of fallout trapped on the windshield above wiper blade.

I'm wondering if this mess is making its way into the gutter system via the holes for the windshield wiper arms. (see fourth picture from top)

And the worst season of all?
S***y Little Bird season!!!
- when hoards of little birds eat the massive amounts of fruit, then perch in the trees and defecate all over the neighborhood.

I really don't want to go the car cover route.