Where would one normally expect the condensation from air conditioning to drain to? Is it normal to have it draining from different parts of the floor pan? This is currently happening with our C5 and I have never seen any sign of it draining from there before in over 2 years. It is even draining from the sills, at times.
The local Citroen dealer has been not very helpful thus far. I rang them about it last week and they suggested that I call in and get the car checked out. My wife went down there today, as she was out nearby, and they told her it was quite normal and didn't even bother to look at the car. Is it normal, that is what I would like to know?
|
|
SFAIK it is normal to have it dripping from the general area of the engine bay, where the a/c condenser is; however, if there is a substantial under-tray the water could travel quite some way before actually dropping to the ground.
|
It has had a new undertray fitted this year, owing to a recall, but it is not the first time the air con has been on since it was fitted. I am a bit concerned about water collecting in the floor pan area because of this being a possible corrosion risk. Surely it should drain out under the engine bay.
When it was left on a slight upslope, a few days ago, it was coming out around the sill under the rear offside door.
|
|
Pure guesswork on my part but if it is on an upslope the a/c water could run along the undersurface of the car, staying on by capillary attraction, then fall off at an angle or shape change on the bodywork ie where the sill becomes the rear wheel arch. Why not try reversing it up the slope, so it is nose down and then see where the water runs out? (C- on GCSE physics!)
|
There is usually a plastic or rubber condensate drain hose on the firewall. If the car is level the water should drip straight down - if you park it at a steep angle then that's another matter.
Sometimes the pipe can become blocked - give it a poke through with a piece of wire to check its clear.
|
|
|
|
A wild guess would suggest that the drain pipe has bee disturbed during the fitting of the new undertray. I've had 4 Citroens with air-con although none of them C5s; the condensed water drained out at the back of the engine bay to a clearly defined spot on the ground. Parking on a slope made no difference.
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
I have a feeling that you are correct, Hawkeye.
The local dealer has now offered to collect the car next week and investigate the matter, which is what they should have done yesterday. The problem with my wife is that she isn't really interested in cars and, having been told it was normal, that was it out of the way, as far as she was concerned. She didn't go there with a lot of interest in the first place. I think a lot of women drivers have the same attitude to cars (at the risk of incurring the wrath of the female members of this forum). They only get bothered when their car breaks down and then they want to know why.
|
Local dealer didn't turn up on Tuesday morning, as they said they would, but rang about 12.30pm to say they couldn't collect the car, as they were low on fuel (fault of their driver, apparently). I've heard it all now! So, I said I would drive down to the dealership, on the understanding I wouldn't be kept waiting, and I agreed a time. I arrived on time and was kept waiting for 35 minutes, before being told the car had been looked at already (I had expected to speak to someone first).
The conclusion was that the water from the air con was draining along the cars protective undertray and then coming out wherever it found an exit. I said this didn't explain why this hadn't happened before, to which I got no answer. I was told that this wouldn't cause any problems, as the undertray was well clear of any vital components, such as brake pipes, which are fixed to the underside of the floor pan. I have to say I am not totally convinced.
|
|
Having looked under the undertray of my C5 several times I can say there is nothing that matters if the tray were to fill with water.
|
|
|
|
