Dodge Ram Cowl Drain Leak Fix

[@FrankTimmerman]

Thanks for this video. The RAM dealer in Medford NY could not find any leak and said that any water would be from the AC drain being clogged. There is no chance of leaking from under the cowl!!!! I cleared the AC, no water came out but I didn't use the truck for a week and the AC wasn't run. I finally drove it, 5 minutes later, I made a left and I heard water rushing in the dashboard and water started gushing into the passenger side from under the glove box. I realized it did rain for 2-3 days so I remembered this video from a few weeks earlier, found it and it matched what happened to me exactly. I Pulled up the cowl & silver tape, cleared out a lot of pine needles, found the hole on the left side (between two metal outlays) , started to put the cable in and some water started coming out. I Went to the driver side, did the same and about a gallon came out. I realized when I made the left turn, the sound of rushing water I heard was the water from the driver's side, sloshing to the passenger side and it was an instant water fall inside the cabin. I believe the pine needles are the culprit. Now that all is fixed., I will make sure to clean the cowl, use Draino/prequa and know what to do next time it happens. Thanks PACFANWEB!

[@SealofPerfection]

Glad it helped! It's amazing just how much water can just sit in the cowl area.

[@donramsey9686]

Thanks,that just fixed my leak. Had been getting water in the ac, but could not find the drain hole.

[@davebellemare5114]

Thank you so much for this video. I was able to solve the sloshing problem in my 2020 Ram 1500 by following your instructions. It solved the problem and only took me 10 minutes!

[@williamrobinson7352]

I had a similar problem on my 2022 Ram 1500. I did completely remove the cowl and could easily reach in to find why it was clogged. On both sides, there is are two holes, maybe 3/4" in diameter on the outside wall. There is a rubber flapper that closes them off when no water is in the cavity. I'm not sure why you need the flapper, but in my case there was gunk from spring pollen season in Georia and it closed off the holes on the passenger side. I pushed it open and then it drains freely. I cleaned it out good before reassembling. One thing I noticed was that, at least on my 2022, there is a hole on the outside of this wall that can be accessed without removing the cowl. It is almost opposite the drain holes. If this happens again, I'm going to try pushing something firm, but soft, like a piece of 14/2 romex in the hole to try to break the gunk seal on the flapper. If it works, it will be much easier than removing the cowl to get to it. If there is actual debris in there that can't get out of the holes, then I'll resort to removing the cowl again.

[@russellhenningertimetraveler]

8/22/24 After going to my local car wash, I heard the splashing sound you're talking about. Did the same you just did. I used a screw driver to clear the blockage. 2019 Dodge Ram Limited.

[@RoadReality]

My 2019 had this issue today. Sat in the rain for a few days, and I went to drive it and I hear sloshing. No water anywhere except the passenger floorboard. I ended up taking the glove box out, removing the cabin air filter... and it was SOAKED! So, I used compressed air to blow out under and over the cowl, and then aimed the nozzle inside the air box where the cabin air filter is normally located... and almost instantly, water started coming out of the drain tube on the bulkhead/firewall. Now to dry out the truck, LOL. Thanks for this video - it pointed towards what the issue was!

[@milesharrell6771]

My 2018 2500 is having this issue. THANK YOU BRO

[@TheFlyingpolcat]

Similar issue, but I had no debris whatsoever. I did remove the foil tape or whatever it is to get better access to the drain. I also think that the plastic vent intake on the passenger side in that cowl could use better sealant instead of the foam. Do you know what that tape is called so I can replace it?

[@SealofPerfection]

Far as I know it's just called foil or aluminum duct tape. You can buy it at Lowe's or Home depot.

[@TheFlyingpolcat]

Looks like it is luminum Foil Tape with Butyl Rubber Backing @@SealofPerfection

[@Wise-Z]

Thanks for this video I went through a car wash two days ago with my 19 ram 2500 and flooded my passenger floorboard pretty sure I know the culprit now

[@fmort210]

Going to go try this, thanks for posting! I also live in place with lots of pine tree cover, if anyone has a longer term fix for this please let me know!

[@SealofPerfection]

Not a lot that can be done, unless you can get in there somehow and enlarge the drains. The new Ford trucks are having the same issue, for the same reason.

[@jbsanders826]

So I’m having moisture every morning inside of my 14 ram. After watching this video on suspecting this may be the cause of it but what made the water get to the interior if it was all collecting outside of it from the drain being clogged? Did you find a secondary leak or something to go into the interior?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@jbsanders826 it builds up inside the cowl on the right and then goes through the cabin air filter and gets inside. There was no other leak in the truck

[@jbsanders826]

@@SealofPerfection copy that

[@jbsanders826]

@@SealofPerfection so it looks like mine is actually the rear floorboard along the trim is wet. What’s your thoughts on that?

[@SealofPerfection]

@@jbsanders826 in the rear I'd be looking at the third brake light or the cabin vents behind the seat

[@jbsanders826]

@@SealofPerfection lifted up the backseats and both of them had puddles of water in there. Looks like I’m taking the backseat apart lol

[@1012Mrjesse]

I’ve been trying to figure this out on my truck, it’s a 2014, but both driver and passenger front floor board get wet, but mine is opposite, as the driver side gets more water. It ends up completely soaking through the carpet after a decent rain on the drivers side. Gonna end up checking it out to see if this is my culprit. I assume theres probably a drain for both sides.

[@SealofPerfection]

Yes, there's one on both sides

[@omarshanawani5487]

I have 2021 2500 and it when I popped the cowl off it looks they put some kind of duct tape over the hole; I can’t get to the drain from the top. Going to try get under and see if can get it to from underneath. We’ve had 3 days of really heavy rain here and I can here it sloshing around in there.

[@SealofPerfection]

I couldn't see it I had to reach my hand down in there and feel it.

[@angelaturner6112]

Helped! Thanks!

[@JD-sl1qs]

Did you also tell this customer that the extra water weight wore out their tires 😳 it amazes me that people buy these expensive trucks and are too cheap to keep good tires and maintenance on them.

[@SealofPerfection]

It was a trade in at that dealership, so maybe they traded instead of buying tires? lol

[@Z06PSI]

Time for some tires. 🤣

[@631pablo]

Pour a bottle of Liquid Draino in it, record it and post it. I dare you

[@SealofPerfection]

@@631pablo lol, I'm not going to risk damaging someone else's car

[@smbmx6581]

I would hate to see what the inside of the evap box looks like.

[@SealofPerfection]

Yeah the blower motor might not be long for this world if it stays like that for very long. That was a stock unit on a dealer's used car lot, so I have no idea how long it had been like that. I suppose it came in that way.