Its that time of the year - Drains

[normanh]

Hi guys dot get caught out like me this year just went away for the weekend went down a few Kent country lanes and flooded my off side bin, yes the drain was well and truly blocked so much so the usual curtain wire was not making much impression I needed to take the vent off.

I would suggest everyone check theirs pronto, checked mine in the summer, it always overtakes you !

Norman

[Smithy]

Cleaned out my drains today. Thanks for the heads up 👍🏼

[1979scotte]

Mine need doing. Ignored car for 2 months small lake in passenger footwell.

[Gaz mr-s]

Under the black bins there's a drain via a short rubber tube. The area under the bin should not fill-up but the tube is stupidly narrow & can get blocked...reckon yours must be.  It doesn't do any harm to either yank them out with decent pliers, (I did) or push them out, as some do. There should be some plastic sheet material draped over the wiring to stop rainwater travelling along. The drain bags can leak too. One of mine leaks at the pipe connection at the bottom. Removing the rubber tube has stopped any water lying in there.

[1979scotte]

Under the black bins there's a drain via a short rubber tube. The area under the bin should not fill-up but the tube is stupidly narrow & can get blocked...reckon yours must be.  It doesn't do any harm to either yank them out with decent pliers, (I did) or push them out, as some do. There should be some plastic sheet material draped over the wiring to stop rainwater travelling along. The drain bags can leak too. One of mine leaks at the pipe connection at the bottom. Removing the rubber tube has stopped any water lying in there.

Ive done it more than once just not had much love for the car lately and we've had mental rain.

[Ozzy]

Anyone know what sized clips are needed to hold the side vents in place?

Just in case I lose or break some whilst doing it. I've been holding it off for long enough but a bit worried now after reading the above. I've got an amp and subwoofer inside my bins.

[james_ly]

Mine was blocked by leaves only 1 side. Cleared out and definitely less fogging up in the car. Wish I'd done this ages ago, must remember to check every year or so.

[Gaz mr-s]

Anyone know what sized clips are needed to hold the side vents in place?

The ones I've seen in place are like this
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x-Toyota-Lexus-Plastic-Trim-Clips-for-Door-Cards-Panels-Trims-and-Fascias/291737642740?hash=item43eceb26f4:g:6QsAAOSwubRXD3Tz

[Smithy]

I took the bins out at the weekend to have a good look. I had a sloshing sound from behind the passenger seat bin. closer inspection shows it was dry ish but the drain flap was holding water by the looks of it. I can drain it by pushing it from the inside. I couldn't see the drain in the bin that was mentioned here however there was a rubber plug on each side that I thought could be the drain? I poked it with a stick but it didn't really resemble a drain? I park on quite a sloping driveway, head up I have found to be better but as I drive onto the flat I still get the sloshing sound. the water must be collecting somewhere? any thoughts? 

[james_ly]

I think the drains collect water from the 'pockets' which are part of the roof. You should see a plughole at the bottom of the pockets which then lead down to the side vents.

[Call the midlife!]

I took the bins out at the weekend to have a good look. I had a sloshing sound from behind the passenger seat bin. closer inspection shows it was dry ish but the drain flap was holding water by the looks of it. I can drain it by pushing it from the inside. I couldn't see the drain in the bin that was mentioned here however there was a rubber plug on each side that I thought could be the drain? I poked it with a stick but it didn't really resemble a drain? I park on quite a sloping driveway, head up I have found to be better but as I drive onto the flat I still get the sloshing sound. the water must be collecting somewhere? any thoughts? 

Without a doubt, whatever else you do do going forward, don't be sticking sticks in anywhere again or you'll end up in the sticky do do...

If you need to rod the drains clear then use something like a long cable tie, it's ridiculously easy to go through the side of the drain bags and cause yourself a lot of hassle and expense replacing them.
If you haven't already then try removing the side vent covers and giving the pipes a gentle flush from the outlet, then once you're confident they're unblocked a flush from above.
Could be something as simple as a piece of plastic/paper covering the plughole and not letting it drain.

[Smithy]

Thanks for the tip. I will tread more carefully in the future. I have cleared the drains from behind the vents but I guess its just been so wet recently.

[Gaz mr-s]

@Smithy  " however there was a rubber plug on each side that I thought could be the drain?" 
A rubber thing sitting flat on the floor of the metal. They have a hole in them, - they're tubes. And if yours is O/E they stick up a few mm, so if the drain bags overflow some water is going to lie in there. I believe they were designed as a defence in event of drain blockage.

Now that I've pulled mine out I don't get any water lying around there.

[Smithy]

Oh fantastic I think you described them before, I just wasn't sure that was what I was looking at.do they drain straight out underneath?

[Gaz mr-s]

Oh fantastic I think you described them before, I just wasn't sure that was what I was looking at.do they drain straight out underneath?

Onto the top of the fuel tank. They are very narrow. I pulled them out.

[Smithy]

Oh brilliant thanks Gaz