[SSLevy]

I have had a 2012 Ford Escape for about 3 years now. I have had it parked for about 2 weeks because my master cylinder in going out and I can't get it fixed yet. The other day I went out to let it run for a few minutes, to keep the battery from dying. When I opened the car I immediately smelled a musty damp smell. I found the driver's side floor soaking wet. It has not rained in over a week and obviously the car has not been running. I left the windows opened for a couple days in the sun the dry it out but, when I checked tonight the floor feels just as wet, maybe wetter. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why it would be so wet or where it would be coming from. It's obviously not an outer seal of some kind because there's been no rain. And, I can't find what could possibly leak into it from something internal if the car hasn't even been run. Please Help!

 

[RazoE]

Check your coolant levels, or if the master cylinders you have to replace are leaking.

 

[raysfan]

Okay, this is super tough to diagnose over the internet. Does your Escape have a sunroof? I ask because the drain can become clogged and water piles up over head and will leak down into the passenger compartment onto the carpet.

I know you said it hasn't rained. Is it possible the car is parked where a sprinkler system that comes on at night is getting your Escape wet and then it leaks the sprinkler water? If you have a sunroof, open it. Stand on the door sill so you can see the roof and see if any water is pooled in the channel at the front of the sunroof. If there is water pooled, that is your leak. If it is dry, take a large cup of water (20 to 32 oz) and slowly empty it into the sunroof channel. Does the water pool up or drain away? If it pools up, that is your leak.

Is it possible a bottle of water, Gatorade or some other liquid is hidden under the front seat and started leaking?

If this were my Escape, I would try to determine for a fact if the wetness is water or not. Dab the wet carpet with a white paper towel and see if the liquid has any color. Take the wet paper towel away from the dank smell of the interior and see if it has odor. Brake fluid (which is clear like water) has a distinct odor. Still can't figure out what the leaking fluid is, then try tasting it. JUST KIDDING! Don't under any circumstances taste it. Back to serious stuff. Get some of the wet stuff on your fingers and rub them together hard. Does it have a slippery feel like something that is has oil or lubrication in it? If so, it is probably not water. Get a flashlight. Put your front seat all the way back. Get on your knees outside the vehicle at the front door entrance and shine the flashlight all under the dash and look up under the dash for a drip that hasn't dropped yet or a residue trail from liquid running down the underside of your dashboard.

If it is as wet as you say, I believe it has to be water. Maybe you have had water leak coming from the outside but didn't notice the carpet was wet until it started to take on the musty smell while sitting?

 

[dwightbresemann]

My best guess, your heater core is leaking. Check the coolant level. If low, good chance, heater core. To replace, the whole dashboard has to come out. Pricey. You can your repair shop to "bypass" the heater core, but you will have no heat.

 

[SCOOTER]

Another possibility. It could be your driver's door. The drainage underneath could possibly been clogged and the water is slowing pouring out of the door panel.

 

[Mountain Escape]

Do you have a ring camera or anything? I have seen people(kids) party in parked cars… Maybe somebody spilled a beer or something?

I like the paper towel idea to see if there is any identifiable color, but if it is really that wet you might try soaking it up with a rag, and ringing that out into a glass…

 

[Johns294]

In my experience, it takes more than just a sunny day with low humidity to get the wetness out of automotive carpet. The carpet may need removal to finish drying, or at least a good vaccuming with a wet/dry vac.
If the vehicle is parked on a grade, its likely that the leak started somewhere else, and the water will run and puddle in the lowest spot.
Check your rear hatch and taillight seals, pull up the sides of the carpet in both the hatch, and rear seats, then check the bottom for wetness. Look for the easiest fix first, taillights leak all the time.

Hope this helps

 

[tomw]

If the carpet padding is the 'jute' used in the past, it may take days to dry out, even when removed from the vehicle and laid in the sun upside down. Did that with my Ranger that kept dousing the passenger side footwell, under the carpet so it would not be noticed except when 'something' else happened that required poking around down there. Oops. Thought I had found & fixed the leak years previous, but apparently had not. The inside of the windshield used to get condensation regularly at first, but I finally fixed the un-goo'd pinch weld and stopped the leak.
If your windshield gets condensation on the inside, you have a leak that is providing moisture to condense. It will get stinky if you don't take it all out and get it fully dry AND find the source of leakage.
If the heater core is leaking coolant, you can rub your fingers into the wetness, and then take a whiff to determine if there is the odor of anti-freeze coolant present. If you have no odor, it is more likely to be rainwater or garden hose/sprinkler water, or rainwater that leaked down from the moonroof(clogged drains at each corner, park on a tilt, and it can overflow), or rainwater that leaked from the windshield seal. Some years had a problem with leakage that seeped down from the lower left corner of the windshield, down the side panel and under the carpet. If you suspect that, use a flashlight and inspect the side metal, under the dashboard, above the kick panel. You can see bare metal, and if there was water seepage, it likely would leave some tracks or other evidence(rust).
tom

 

[dwightbresemann]

To dry the carpet faster, drive over to your local self-serve car was and use their large vacuum cleaner. They are designed to handle liquids.

 

[Mountain Escape]

I have had a 2012 Ford Escape for about 3 years now. I have had it parked for about 2 weeks because my master cylinder in going out and I can't get it fixed yet. The other day I went out to let it run for a few minutes, to keep the battery from dying. When I opened the car I immediately smelled a musty damp smell. I found the driver's side floor soaking wet. It has not rained in over a week and obviously the car has not been running. I left the windows opened for a couple days in the sun the dry it out but, when I checked tonight the floor feels just as wet, maybe wetter. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why it would be so wet or where it would be coming from. It's obviously not an outer seal of some kind because there's been no rain. And, I can't find what could possibly leak into it from something internal if the car hasn't even been run. Please Help!

Hi SS, Welcome by the way… ( :
Rereading your first post, I am willing to bet it's brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder. basically colorless, and has a funky odor to it. It would also take forever to dry.

should you look up underneath the dash with a bright flashlight, follow the brake pedal arm to the top, and I bet you will see fluid leaking down the firewall.

Your brake system constantly tests the pressure integrity of the system, that is why it keeps pumping out.
Look here, if you can turn a wrench, you can probably replace this unit… Watch a YouTube video…have it towed to a shop to be bled properly(so you can stop again) an auto parts store can loan you tools.(Joining AAA will often not only pay for itself your first tow, It'll give you a little peace of mind in the future)

brake fluid is extremely caustic to painted materials, and will eat the paint right off of your car… Be careful, Have rags nearby and a 1 gallon Ziploc bag to drop the old one in…wear medical exam gloves… I would even suggest eye protection.

I will suggest cleaning the bottoms of your shoes if you are continually starting the car, so you don't track the stuff into the house.

do the tow truck driver and the shop you choose a favor, and let them know that you have no brakes… ( :
You can still use the emergency brake to stop in a pinch

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if you just want to wait till you save some dough, take a 10 mm wrench and disconnect the battery. It will save it from discharge, and stop pumping brake fluid into the car. You have to disconnect the battery doing brake work anyway.

if you disconnect the battery, wrap a sock, or towel around the loose terminal end, so it cannot accidentally make contact with anything. Try to remove, and replace the connector rapidly… You do not want to create a lot of sparks.

 

[horton.brickman2000]

I hate to be that guy who repeats anything someone else has already done. However, should you have a sun/moon roof open it. Take a coat hanger and find a small tube in the front corners and feed the coat hanger into the tube to unclog it. Be careful as these tubes can become disconnected.

I do recommend what others have said pertaining to looking up under the dash to see any evidence of where the leak is coming from. It wouldn't hurt to have someone spray water over the windshield while you look inside to see if it is leaking. You did say your vehicle was sitting for two weeks and that it hasn't rained in the past week. Could this mean it rained the first week it was sitting?

In my personal experience, worst comes to worst, take it to the dealership. I wasted many hours looking for a leak on my Tacoma as the floorboards would turn into the red sea. I took it in to the dealership and had a leak specialist inspect it. Turns out it was the seal at the bottom of my windshield. They fixed it and it cost me roughly $250 before the price hikes where hotdogs now is a fancy meal.

 

[Mfreed22]

Another possibility. It could be your driver's door. The drainage underneath could possibly been clogged and the water is slowing pouring out of the door panel.

I agree. Tearing into my door panel today. to locate possible short in ground wire that runs behind fuse panel and along weather strip at bottom door seal of 2005 ford escape 3,0, v6. Nothing but problems if you don't find the source of this, in the future. Mine i believe is poor seal at door hinge. Pulled pounds of junk out. There and grid plastic between hood and windshield. has tube that if rains too hard or direct will overflow. I pulled carpet from drivers side and rust in fuse compartment, all the way to center console. mounts, gas and brake pedal arms. My families 6th Ford SUV, and LAST. 2005 PCM problem is shameful. All due to frequency from ill fitting stock spark plugs. Sorry for the rant. caught me in the middle of ANOTHER time sucking issue from design flaw.