Water Sloshing Sound in Your Car?
Have you noticed recently that your car is making strange “flapping” noises when it’s stopped or when you open the doors? Even if it seems annoying, ignoring it can cause a lot of damage.
In this article, we’ll explain the most common causes of water-related noises in your car and show you how to find out what’s causing them and fix the problem yourself.
Common causes of water splashing noises
The “flapping” noises you hear coming from inside your car can be caused by any one of several underlying issues. Understanding these possible causes can help reduce downtime and speed up repairs.
1) Water trapped in the door
These drainage holes are usually located as low as possible on each door, allowing trapped rainwater to drain out the door itself and eventually to the ground.
Over time, debris like leaves, dirt, and small insects can build up in these drainage holes and block the water’s drainage path. In this case, water that seeps into the door during rain or laundry may pool inside the door, causing a “splashing” sound when opening and closing the door.
How to fix the problem:
If water pools on your car door after it rains, you’ll need to unclog the drain itself. This insert it into the drain hole and squeeze or twist it to loosen any stuck-on debris.
If you can’t reach the clog, you may need to clear it with a short blast of compressed air in the drain (near the top of the door frame). If you don’t have an air compressor with a blower nozzle, a can of compressed air will work too.
2) Overflow Evaporator Core Box
Your vehicle’s evaporator core is located on the passenger side of the cabin inside the dash. This assembly is housed within a housing that has a drain that drains water created by condensation that naturally occurs within the housing. If this drain becomes clogged, condensation can build up and eventually leak into the passenger compartment.
How to fix the problem:
To fix this lack of drain, you need to chemically or mechanically unclog the evaporator drain pipe itself. Alternatively, some tool manufacturers now offer special devices that can “flush” clogged evaporator drains.
3) Low engine coolant level
Another possible cause of the mysterious sloshing noise inside your car is low engine coolant levels. A “sloshing” or “gurgling” sound is often heard when air pockets in the cooling system circulate freely. Now, this type of noise can be heard when air pockets circulate through your vehicle’s heater core.
How to fix the problem:
To fix this problem, you must fill your vehicle’s cooling system with the proper quality coolant before bleeding the air pockets in your vehicle’s cooling system. To do this, use the method recommended by the manufacturer of the affected vehicle.
You will also need to determine how your engine’s cooling system lost coolant in the first place. This often requires both a visual inspection and a pressure test of the cooling system.
Find the source
One of the easiest ways to determine the cause of a “splashing” noise coming from inside your vehicle is to rule out possible causes. First, ventilate each door to prevent water from pooling inside. Second, listen for the sound of water splashing under the dashboard on the passenger side while an assistant rocks the car back and forth in a parking lot.
Often, performing the two tests above is enough to isolate the problem at hand. If you’re actively trying to identify the source of these abnormal noises, we recommend checking the engine coolant level.
When operating an engine with a low coolant level, you may hear a “slosh” or “gurgling” sound as trapped air flows through the pressurized cooling system. Dry the affected area
The process required to drain and dry the water that has accumulated in your car varies from case to case. If the water has accumulated in your car door, simply cleaning the door drains will allow the affected area to dry out.
On the other hand, if it has overflowed from the evaporator box, you may need to pull up the carpets in your vehicle before finally drying it with a fan.
When to seek professional help
If you are having difficulty identifying the source of your car’s “splashing” noise, or if the noise itself becomes more noticeable over time, you should seek professional help. This isn’t usually a problem that will resolve itself automatically without your intervention.
If the repairs to remove the cause of the water splashing are fairly extensive, you may want to seek professional help.
What Happens If You Ignore the Issue
No good can come from ignoring any abnormal vehicle noise, including water “sloshing” sounds. In the most extreme cases, ignoring concerns of this type can actually cause damage to your vehicle. In turn, the need for expensive repairs can quickly mount, making what was once a fairly simple situation, far more complex to address.
Water retained within a vehicle’s door can quickly cause rust to form, in turn necessitating replacement, should this corrosion become severe enough. Likewise, an overflowing evaporator box can lead to an influx of water within a vehicle’s cabin, damaging interior carpeting and leading to mold growth and unwanted smells.
Are Some Water Sloshing Sounds Normal After Heavy Rain?
Ideally, you shouldn’t notice any apparent “sloshing” noises coming from your vehicle, even after heavy rain. When this occurs, drainage typically becomes impeded to a significant degree.