Anyone got water in the battery well in the trunk? Have you even checked? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

OlePhu · 10-11-2017, 04:06 PM

About a month ago, after hurricane Irma, I happened to check the battery and noticed about a 1/4" of water in the battery well. I also noticed that the trunk padding was wet almost directly under the speaker. I cleaned up the water and decided to check it later.

I pulled everything out of the trunk today and found some more water and the mat was a little damp. Not much but enough to be concerned. When I felt up under the speaker deck, everything seemed dry. Anyone else run across this?

One other thing I noticed is that the molding on the roof top is about 3/16" short at the rear of the roof. Could that be where a leak might be?

spyderbuddy · 10-11-2017, 08:02 PM

you got a sun roof?

silversleeper · 10-11-2017, 08:16 PM

Just brainstorming. The part you mentioned that's short. Could you post a pic so we can look at our car, I can't envision it.
Sunroof or seal around the trunk. Especially if you went and did a high pressure car wash. You might have forgotten you went there until you see the water a week later. They can force water around a weak rubber seal.
There is a vent tube for the battery, and also I think there is a rubber flap covering a vent in the lower fender area going to the trunk but I'm not positive about that. It could have let in water splashing through a deep puddle.

OlePhu · 10-11-2017, 08:32 PM

I'll take a picture of the molding tomorrow.
No sunroof.
No high pressure car wash; I only use a garden hose
I was thinking of the trunk seal as well but the wet part of the padding is under a rubber trunk mat well forward of the trunk and no water visible on the rubber mat.
I was thinking of the vent tube and solid rubber grommet as well but that wouldn't explain moisture above the battery well.
I toyed with the idea that the battery was leaking but it's not battery acid.
I'm taking it by the dealership tomorrow ... curious what they say.

BLU DUCE · 10-12-2017, 07:00 AM

Just don't let them repair anything until you see for sure they & you know the actual cause.

SlingShot · 10-12-2017, 07:31 AM

If it's never happened before, I would just clean it out and let it dry with the trunk open. It sat through a bad storm, forcing water into places it normally never goes and may never happen again.

Gordo-D · 10-12-2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlingShot

If it's never happened before, I would just clean it out and let it dry with the trunk open. It sat through a bad storm, forcing water into places it normally never goes and may never happen again.

Great advice, you might pull your hair out looking for a one off situation.

gringo · 10-12-2017, 04:45 PM

Get someone who can fit in the trunk and close the lid. Then, get a hose and start drenching the back half of the car to determine where the water is coming in. Easy peasy!

Gordo-D · 10-13-2017, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gringo

Get someone who can fit in the trunk and close the lid. Then, get a hose and start drenching the back half of the car to determine where the water is coming in. Easy peasy!

I used to use the local car wash for that, used to get some funny looks doing it.

OlePhu · 10-13-2017, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gringo

Get someone who can fit in the trunk and close the lid. Then, get a hose and start drenching the back half of the car to determine where the water is coming in. Easy peasy!

I have an 18 yr old grand kid I'd like to put in the trunk ... but then I'd be tempted to leave her there lol

OlePhu · 10-13-2017, 03:19 PM

OK, so I went to the dealership and they put paper down in the trunk and ran water all over the windows, on-star antennae, down the crack of the trunk lid for a couple of hours and no water inside. I paid them their diagnostic fee and drove home hoping for the best but when I got home, I had water in the battery well...not much but it was still there. We noticed that the grommets for the sunroof drain were loose so I put silicon on them just in case even though I don't have a sun roof.

This morning I made sure the well was dry, laid out a bunch of paper towels and sprayed from the window back and looked in the trunk and no water. Ran up to the store and when I got back, I had some water in the well plus on the paper towels but nothing from the speaker deck back felt wet.

Now I'm really baffled so I removed the back piece of plastic that the luggage net attaches to and both fabric side panels and noticed some water sitting under fuse panel and air release vent. I dried it up, laid down the paper towels again, closed the trunk and hit the windows and trunk again. No water on the towels so I drove it around the block and when I got back, there was a little water in the well. I also noticed a little water under the side marker.

Cleaned everything up but this time I was careful to only hit the side marker and fuel door. When I checked the inside, it was wet again under the vent and I could see some droplets on the vent but nothing in the well ... until I drove around the block and then I had water but still nothing on the paper towels.

So, the only thing I can think of right now is that when we had the driving rain from the hurricane or when i hit the car with a jet of water, somehow it's getting through the fuel door/housing and pooling under the vent and then when I make a right hand turn, the water flows under the floor mat over to and into the well. Sounds like another trip back to the dealership. Oh yeah, he said leaks weren't covered under CPO ... we'll see.

CamaroFred · 10-13-2017, 09:47 PM

What you show in the picture is a vent.
The vent should only open when there is positive pressure in the trunk.
Perhaps it has some dirt preventing it from closing completely. It does appear to have water marks on it.

OlePhu · 10-14-2017, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroFred

What you show in the picture is a vent.
The vent should only open when there is positive pressure in the trunk.
Perhaps it has some dirt preventing it from closing completely. It does appear to have water marks on it.

Thanks for the correction. I just found that on utube and was about to make the correction but you beat me to it.

. I did check the flaps and they seem to be working freely and I didn't see any dirt but I'll blow them out anyway. Regardless, the water is coming from someplace. I may try to remove it; it looks like it just pops out. Maybe it's not sealing well enough. I've only got 14000 miles on the car but who knows.

Gordo-D · 10-14-2017, 05:23 PM

It doesn't need to seal, its to get rid of cabin pressure.

10-11-2017, 04:06 PM	#1
OlePhu Oldskool Drives: 2013 Camaro LS Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Treasure Coast FL Posts: 166 View My Garage	Anyone got water in the battery well in the trunk? Have you even checked? About a month ago, after hurricane Irma, I happened to check the battery and noticed about a 1/4" of water in the battery well. I also noticed that the trunk padding was wet almost directly under the speaker. I cleaned up the water and decided to check it later. I pulled everything out of the trunk today and found some more water and the mat was a little damp. Not much but enough to be concerned. When I felt up under the speaker deck, everything seemed dry. Anyone else run across this? One other thing I noticed is that the molding on the roof top is about 3/16" short at the rear of the roof. Could that be where a leak might be? Attached Images __________________ Last edited by OlePhu; 11-19-2017 at 08:32 PM. Reason: More info

10-11-2017, 08:02 PM	#2
spyderbuddy Drives: 2010 RS Inferno Orange Metallic Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Albany, Ga. Posts: 3,398 View My Garage	you got a sun roof? __________________ PCP Hideaway Headlight Covers, BBK Headers & High Flow Cats, ZL1 Add-ons Wicker Bill, TL1/ZL1 Hood Insert, Gen5 DIY Frameless Mirror, ABL Dash Lighting an My link Navigation, Blacked out Rear Bowtie, all Sylvania led Turn Signals, Ceramic Window Tint By Nicks, MBRP Exhaust tips, GEN5 DIY Virginia Legal DRL Harness, Painted Brake Calipers, Vittesse Throttle Controller, Heritage Grill, Diode Dynamics Led Lighting, Manual Shifter Boot, Paddle Shifters, CNC Throttle Body, Trifecta Tune, RX Catch Can & Breather, Trunk Black out and Side Grills, Chevorlet door Sills.

10-11-2017, 08:32 PM	#4
OlePhu Oldskool Drives: 2013 Camaro LS Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Treasure Coast FL Posts: 166 View My Garage	I'll take a picture of the molding tomorrow. No sunroof. No high pressure car wash; I only use a garden hose I was thinking of the trunk seal as well but the wet part of the padding is under a rubber trunk mat well forward of the trunk and no water visible on the rubber mat. I was thinking of the vent tube and solid rubber grommet as well but that wouldn't explain moisture above the battery well. I toyed with the idea that the battery was leaking but it's not battery acid. I'm taking it by the dealership tomorrow ... curious what they say. __________________

10-12-2017, 07:00 AM	#5
BLU DUCE Drives: 2011 1SS/RS IBM Camaro Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chittenango, NY, USA Posts: 7,219 View My Garage	Just don't let them repair anything until you see for sure they & you know the actual cause. __________________

10-12-2017, 07:31 AM	#6
SlingShot Drives: 2012 ZL1 - #670 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seminole, Fl. Posts: 8,009	If it's never happened before, I would just clean it out and let it dry with the trunk open. It sat through a bad storm, forcing water into places it normally never goes and may never happen again. __________________

10-11-2017, 08:16 PM	#3
silversleeper Big Crow Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: California Posts: 1,487	Just brainstorming. The part you mentioned that's short. Could you post a pic so we can look at our car, I can't envision it. Sunroof or seal around the trunk. Especially if you went and did a high pressure car wash. You might have forgotten you went there until you see the water a week later. They can force water around a weak rubber seal. There is a vent tube for the battery, and also I think there is a rubber flap covering a vent in the lower fender area going to the trunk but I'm not positive about that. It could have let in water splashing through a deep puddle.

10-12-2017, 04:45 PM	#8
gringo Account Suspended Drives: Camaro V6 Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: U.S. Posts: 1,722	Get someone who can fit in the trunk and close the lid. Then, get a hose and start drenching the back half of the car to determine where the water is coming in. Easy peasy!

10-13-2017, 03:19 PM	#11
OlePhu Oldskool Drives: 2013 Camaro LS Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Treasure Coast FL Posts: 166 View My Garage	OK, so I went to the dealership and they put paper down in the trunk and ran water all over the windows, on-star antennae, down the crack of the trunk lid for a couple of hours and no water inside. I paid them their diagnostic fee and drove home hoping for the best but when I got home, I had water in the battery well...not much but it was still there. We noticed that the grommets for the sunroof drain were loose so I put silicon on them just in case even though I don't have a sun roof. This morning I made sure the well was dry, laid out a bunch of paper towels and sprayed from the window back and looked in the trunk and no water. Ran up to the store and when I got back, I had some water in the well plus on the paper towels but nothing from the speaker deck back felt wet. Now I'm really baffled so I removed the back piece of plastic that the luggage net attaches to and both fabric side panels and noticed some water sitting under fuse panel and air release vent. I dried it up, laid down the paper towels again, closed the trunk and hit the windows and trunk again. No water on the towels so I drove it around the block and when I got back, there was a little water in the well. I also noticed a little water under the side marker. Cleaned everything up but this time I was careful to only hit the side marker and fuel door. When I checked the inside, it was wet again under the vent and I could see some droplets on the vent but nothing in the well ... until I drove around the block and then I had water but still nothing on the paper towels. So, the only thing I can think of right now is that when we had the driving rain from the hurricane or when i hit the car with a jet of water, somehow it's getting through the fuel door/housing and pooling under the vent and then when I make a right hand turn, the water flows under the floor mat over to and into the well. Sounds like another trip back to the dealership. Oh yeah, he said leaks weren't covered under CPO ... we'll see. Attached Images __________________ Last edited by OlePhu; 10-14-2017 at 09:19 AM. Reason: corrected term to air release vent

10-13-2017, 09:47 PM	#12
CamaroFred Drives: Miss Con Ception Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 2,998	What you show in the picture is a vent. The vent should only open when there is positive pressure in the trunk. Perhaps it has some dirt preventing it from closing completely. It does appear to have water marks on it. __________________ 2011 1SS/RS LS3 CGM

10-14-2017, 05:23 PM	#14
Gordo-D Drives: 2015 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Manchester, England Posts: 390	It doesn't need to seal, its to get rid of cabin pressure.