BAD Install- Water LEAKING!

[CHAudio]

Update: Pic uploaded below in comments - looks like the installer left a gap at the grommet/firewall. My rear seats were also flooded. I have vacuumed it buts its moist and smelly. stressing out, please help. Do I contact mold experts, then my insurance? Will i have to take this man to small claims court? I am worried for my health, don't want to risk driving it over a car


Got install done at a sketchy shop a month ago. Avoided washing car/rain out of fear they didnt seal power cable at firewall. Well my fear came true...

Washed car last week twice, and got rained on once

Today (8 days after first water exposure), i noticed my floor matts were DAMP, and it stunk
Firewall carpet is also damp. Fuses/wires seem dry, but its been a whole week since water exposure

Pulled carpet under driver side and there's an inch and a half of water underneath swooshing around. I am going to vaccuum it out after posting it, and will put a fan to dry it. It's 35 degrees out. How would you proceed?

Click to read more...

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Silicon & chaulking gun

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

How would you proceed?

Some cars have plugs under the carpet for draining. A plugged evaporator drain can cause that same flooding. To rule it out, check that your car leaves a puddle underneath it when using the ac.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Some cars have plugs under the carpet for draining. A plugged evaporator drain can cause that same flooding. To rule it out, check that your car leaves a puddle underneath it when using the ac.

He did say it's 35 degrees where he is so it's probably not from the AC, but as you say I have had a couple vehicles pool up with water in the past and neither were audio related. Clogged drain was one, another was a gasket leak elsewhere.

I do not believe that you'll have a gallon of water under your carpet from a less than 1" hole up on the firewall unless it's some kind of offroad vehicle you're submerging in a bog or something.

As far as how to dry that out in the winter, I wouldn't begin to guess how I'd do it besides beg someone with a heated garage to hang up the carpet in there and just use a towel to mop out all the water after that's up. My last time with that was midsummer and it still took a while out in the sun to fully dry out the carpet and pad setting out in the hot sun.

 

[RobGMN 5,000+ posts]

Agreed. That's a helluva' lot of water to get in through that small of a hole in the firewall, unless the car was submerged, or there's a bad hood gasket and water just channels right over that exact spot.
I've driven cars that had holes in the front floors that remained relatively dry.

 

[CHAudio]

Agreed. That's a helluva' lot of water to get in through that small of a hole in the firewall, unless the car was submerged, or there's a bad hood gasket and water just channels right over that exact spot.
I've driven cars that had holes in the front floors that remained relatively dry.

Yea that's what everyone is telling me. But I have just confirmed it was not a hole, but a GAP that was left above the grommet on the driverside firewall. Car is a g37, grommet is apparently notorious for these leaks with amp installs and aftermarket alarms.

UPDATE BELOW

HOW DO I PROCEED? I am extremely worried my car is toast, water sat for 8 days before discovered and vacuumed. I have been attempting to dry with heat/ac (Its winter here).
Will mold leave me with a totaled car? I don't know who to contact. Lawyer, insurance, mold experts?


Original installer got insulted when i requested he check for errors today.
Took to most reputable shop in area, they found a gap he created pictured below. Shop says he should have poked hole and sealed, but instead ran power cable above grommet, leaving a gap for water to enter. I will take to car wash to confirm its leaking there

Went back 10min later to original installer. He was pissed and more insulted. Said other shop was clueless, he fixes their botched jobs all the time. After I ask he look, he laughed and spoke condescendingly at the idea of pulling car in for deeper inspection. He took second look, and IMMEDIATELY changed tone. He told me would pull car in and adjust power cable. Then said he was just going to remove it so I can see that its not the cause. I refused. He began to insist over and over for 2min, and even tried jumping into my car to move it without my permission! He wreaked of desperation and wouldn't let me leave. He was really pushy, so I left as I felt he was trying to hide evidence by removing the cable. Car will be parked until I figure out who to contact as Im worried for health. Any Advice? Insurance? Mold expert for damages- then small claims court?

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

. Any Advice? Insurance? Mold expert for damages- then small claims court?

Talk to the original installer and ask that he fix the issue and pay for an interior detailer to handle the cleaning. Seems like he is willing. If not, there are attorneys that will talk to him on your behalf instead of going to litigation. The attorney's fee will come out of the business.

 

[CHAudio]

Talk to the original installer and ask that he fix the issue and pay for an interior detailer to handle the cleaning. Seems like he is willing. If not, there are attorneys that will talk to him on your behalf instead of going to litigation. The attorney's fee will come out of the business.

On 2 visits he took insult at even suggesting that his work would cause the leak. He does not admit fault and I know he won't. Too be frank, he's a total d*ck, and I mean this genuinely. Any advice on what type of attorney to seek?

Insurance won't cover if mold does occur, I may be out of a vehicle completely out-of-pocket if such is the case. I managed to hit the car wash and sprayed the area for 2 seconds and got immediate drip inside right where the power wire sits (grommet). bummed out, I can't find direction. Insurance says they cant offer resources (list of shops) to assist with cleaning, unless I file a claim

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Any advice on what type of attorney to seek?

The one I used was the one that handled my accident claim. A friend had suspension components installed and aligned at Pueblo Tire. Next day driver's side wheel was misaligned. They refused a fix so I told him to call the attorney. Attorney told him to wait for him in the parking lot. He arrived, asked for receipts of components and labor. 5 minutes later a worker asked him to pull in a bay and started working. Attorney charged the owner $750 for ten minutes of work.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Insurance says they cant offer resources (

A reputable car detail shop can handle that in a few hours. Around here it is ~$150.
Like jimi77 said, liberally silicone the area. It takes an hour to skin good and up to 72 hours to cure.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

You're installer scrwed the pooch. Have thr cable properly run thru the grommet and seal with silicon.

As for the potential mold problem, I would use a carpet drying fan to dry the carpet, maybe pull up the carpet and use the fan to dry the juke underneath. That should resolve the problem. If you really worried about mold, run an ozone machine in the car for a few hours. Then let the ozone sit for a day or so. The air out the car for a day or two. Concentrated ozone kills mold. I have buddy who uses it for home flood remediation.

Good luck.

 

[CHAudio]

The one I used was the one that handled my accident claim. A friend had suspension components installed and aligned at Pueblo Tire. Next day driver's side wheel was misaligned. They refused a fix so I told him to call the attorney. Attorney told him to wait for him in the parking lot. He arrived, asked for receipts of components and labor. 5 minutes later a worker asked him to pull in a bay and started working. Attorney charged the owner $750 for ten minutes of work.

its amazing how quickly people switch up once an attorney is brought into the picture

new pictures listed below...ive been ignoring the green...and black, maybe me trying to cope. But i keep telling myself its paint and just dirt. I hope its not too late for my car, because that looks like mol....d

Really having trouble finding a detailer that deals with this stuff

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

But i keep telling myself its paint and just dirt.

Mold odor is unique.

 

[CHAudio]

Mold odor is unique.

When the car was first wet before drying, it was very earthy. It sad a wet basement smell. I have not allowed the air to go uncirculated inside for the past 40+hrs. Car was run for 20 hours with ac/heat/recirc to pull moisture out, windows were left open 12+ hours, I drove the vehicle on the highway for 5 hours with windows down in sub 30 degree weather. I am hoping its all dry underneath, since I havent pulled carpet completely.

I will close windows and smell later or tomorrow. Installer refused to pay. I showed him the leak, and now hes saying someone altered his work, that it wasnt like that yesterday. I am forced to sue, looking at 5k-10k rough estimate from dealer. I dont know if I should just file insurance claim and let them screw someone else over, or get them to pay for damage via suit

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

I'd just clear up as I suggested. Mold can be remediated in number of ways. Bleach, ozone, altering ph. Dissolve some baking soda in water and spray a coating over everything and that will inhibit mold growth. Hydrogen peroxide kills mold