Water inside door panel!

Spencer · 09-26-2006, 03:39 PM

Hello. I'm new here. I was searching on the net and found a thread on this site regarding water getting inside door panels and affecting the speakers. I have a 2006 Toyota Matrix and noticed my rear left speaker (backseat door) was making a muffled vibrating noise. I had a new stereo put in a couple months ago, with new Polk speakers. I brought it back to C. City and they said there was water in the door panel. I did get a new speaker for free - since I got the warranty. But how on earth does the water get in there? It has been rainy as of late, and I do wash the car ever other week or so, but I'm wondering if I should take it to the dealer. Here's the other thing. The speakers - which are the correct size for the door seem to push up against the grill of the door. Especially on the left rear (the problem side) and the door panel closer to the bottom is not flush to the inside door edge. But I'm just wondering how any water would get in from the outside?
Just not sure how to proceed? This sounds more like a design flaw on Toyota's end and before I start tearing the door apart or looking for ways to seal it better - I may just bring it back to the dealer?

Thanks for any input..
Spencer

RedGTiVR6 · 09-26-2006, 03:51 PM

Think about it, if your window goes up and down, it's going to happen.

You would be better off taking the door panel off so you can understand the construction of your door.

I'd also check your window trim, if it's messed up, you will get an abnormal amount of water in there.

Every car on the market has a certain extent of this, it's inevitable, and it's why there's nothing of super importance in the doors. not to mention, another reason that we recomend car speakers and not home speakers or computer speakers.

Also, why is this in the fabrication forum?

Spencer · 09-26-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

Think about it, if your window goes up and down, it's going to happen.

You would be better off taking the door panel off so you can understand the construction of your door.

I'd also check your window trim, if it's messed up, you will get an abnormal amount of water in there.

Every car on the market has a certain extent of this, it's inevitable, and it's why there's nothing of super importance in the doors. not to mention, another reason that we recomend car speakers and not home speakers or computer speakers.

Also, why is this in the fabrication forum?

Uh, I wasn't sure what forum to post it too. Please lead me to the appropriate one. I may take the door off soon to check it out. I realize opening and closing the window will get some water seepage.
Thanks.

RedGTiVR6 · 09-26-2006, 04:05 PM

(moved to car audio)

turbocad6 · 09-26-2006, 04:24 PM

yeup, it's perfectly normal for water to go "through" the door, that's why there is a plastic barrier layer & drain holes at the fron, back & middle of the doors..

I've seen some cars, that park in particularly dirty areas or whatever, the drains can actually get clogged & you can wind up with GALLONS of water accumulated, like a fishtank, sloshing around when you drive...

like red said, make sure there are no abnormal fit problems on the outside belt moulding, etc, but that's it really... pretty normal...

GoHybrid · 09-26-2006, 04:38 PM

in architecture, the architects seem to understand the insidious nature of water and so they pay constant attention to the path of water from top to bottom. As red and turbo said, anywhere you've got moving parts, you've got water entry. The trick, which seems to be lost on automakers to some degree is to channel the water out. It seems alot of people wind up with sloshing water in their trunks, doors, or any other convenient holding place. I'd be tempted to drill just a tiny hole, maybe 1/8" at the lowest points just to give it a way to leave. As for water getting in through the hole? it's already getting in elsewhere... you just don't want it to accumulate enough to drown electrical connections.

turbocad6 · 09-26-2006, 04:59 PM

there are already holes in the door bottoms..., slots usually... it's when these holes are too small, & debris collects there & clogs them, is when the major problems happen...

Spencer · 09-26-2006, 05:33 PM

Thanks guys. Good points all the way round. I actually think the speaker may have been defective from the git-go. I'll keep an eye out for any water seepage into the door.

MatrixPC · 09-26-2006, 05:47 PM

I ask it once so here you go. Read it for your own entertainment.

At the end, I bought 4 baffles to protect the speakers. I don't know what did the ashole who called me moron used. He had a matrix too.

GoHybrid · 09-26-2006, 06:36 PM

i just remember my old camry.... when i actually DID pull the drain plug it took something on the order of 5 minutes to fully drain the thing. thought it was funny since it didn't wreck any electronics... made me wonder why the weep holes had failed.

turbocad6 · 09-27-2006, 01:46 AM

ha, matrix, I see you had a run in with sdashiki

... most of his early posts were like in your thread.. he called everyone stupid morons, in the mean while, he was increadably "not too smart" himself...

after a year or so he calmed down a bit & spends alot of his time here in off topic now, reporting the latest news he's read usually with links & his own "opinion"

that guy is not to normal

most cars when you pull a pair of low mounted speakers after a few years, you WILL see rust... the water cannot go directly on the speakers, but a lot of times it'll get wet from moisture being there, or in some cases splashing as water hits the bottom of the door... baffles only do so much, & you don't want to block the whole rear of the speaker or you'll really hurt the lower end response bigtime

weep holes usually clog when dirt & water kinda makes a paste & clogs the drains... leaves & dirt are usually the cause

most guys put those half cup baffles on wrong, they should usually go on the bottom end of the speaker, cause the water that hits a speaker does so from the bottom up, as splash, not from the top down, most guys put them on top like an umbrella, but that does nothing... again, in most cases...

if you do decide to go that route... make sure there not sealed like a cup though, incase water does get in, theres an easier way for it to drain..

RedGTiVR6 · 09-27-2006, 07:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by MatrixPC

At the end, I bought 4 baffles to protect the speakers.

be extemely careful with these baffels.

Many times, they stick out behind the speaker too far and the window will tear them when it goes up and down.

sdashiki · 09-27-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by MatrixPC

I ask it once so here you go. Read it for your own entertainment.

At the end, I bought 4 baffles to protect the speakers. I don't know what did the ashole who called me moron used. He had a matrix too.

THAT WAS ME!!!!! But I was merely thinking to myself "who says SOAKED when referring to their car door's interior?"

and I apologize, as I recently opened up my doors and saw some drops of water.

honestly, I didnt think anything of rain in my doors cuz over the years I never saw a drop in any of my previous vehicles, and I just didnt think logically about it.

ill eventually get myself some baffles.

on the matrix tip, what did you use?

PLUS I IS CRAZEEEEE! (used to say "Emotionally Unstable" under my name, sad to see Max Bitrate!)

HHdesign · 09-27-2006, 08:28 PM

I'm not sure where I saw, this but it was mainly used in kicks, but some people have used tupperware containers behind their speakers to help get an air-tight seal for optimal SQ. I'd venture to say that in 90% of cars this wouldn't work because of window clearance, but it would help waterproof the speakers.

RedGTiVR6 · 09-28-2006, 07:29 AM

I can't imagine you'd get NEAR enough air space out of that.....

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