The last thing you expect when you get into your car is for it to suddenly start leaking if it starts to rain. Sadly, a TikTok user found that her 2021 Toyota RAV4 had decided to let a lot of water into the cabin.
TikTok user Sheila (@foodiegobody) posted a viral video on her account that currently has over 1.2 million views. Usually posting food content, Sheila decided to show off something unexpected that had happened with her RAV4, and more specifically, at the bottom of the passenger-side door.
In her TikTok, we see Sheila get out of the driver’s seat and walk around to the passenger side, specifically towards the back of the Toyota. She opened the door and pulled out the bottom trim, and then found a huge amount of water leaking out of the door, much to her shock.
This led to the text overlay in the video that simply read, “Toyota, you have 24 hours to reply!” while she explained in the caption of the video exactly what was happening with the car. Thankfully for Sheila, a Toyota service advisor responded to her video and was able to point out what was going on.
What Happened With Sheila’s Toyota RAV4?
@foodiegobody Does this happen to anyone else? I drive a 2021 Toyota Rav4, bought brand new. When it rains, the water collects in the passenger side back door! And I have to drain it… it’s crazy! @Toyota USA @Toyota @Toyota , what’s the deal? . #toyota #rav4 #toyotarav4 #carissues #carproblems ♬ original sound – stevelacyoffline
In the video caption, Sheila explained that she drives a 2021 Toyota RAV4, a car that she bought brand new and not second-hand. She sounded frustrated in the video, explaining that every time it rains, water would collect in the passenger-side back door of the SUV. “I have to drain it… It’s crazy!” she said in the video caption.
However, it is worth noting that water in a car door can be completely normal. The seals around windows and doors are not watertight, so when it rains or a car goes through a car wash, water can get into the door. However, there are small holes along the bottom that allow the water to drain out, ensuring it doesn’t just sit and accumulate, causing bodywork problems.
If the water does not drain out, then that could lead to problems in the future. Drain holes over time can become clogged up, and if the water is still against the steel door of a car, it can begin to cause corrosion, bubbling paint, or rust. If it somehow reached the cabin, all sorts of problems could occur, such as mold or mildew, making the cabin an unpleasant place to be.
Toyota Responded to Sheila About Her RAV4
Sheila did state in her caption that Toyota had 24 hours to respond. Amazingly, someone from the company did. A Toyota service advisor replied with a comment. “Toyota service advisor, this is normal, and people don’t like to read manuals. Between the sunroof drains and car windows, it can’t be 100% sealed, as the water needs to go somewhere,” they said. “If you have a sunroof, you should be clearing out the top drains every 6 months to yearly to avoid them getting clogged and water getting into the vehicle,”
From the sound of things, it sounds like Sheila’s Toyota’s drain holes have become clogged up over time. The easiest thing for her to do would be to find the drain holes and try to unclog them to see if the water will flow out on its own. Thankfully, this isn’t something you have to do very often. In fact, you can get away with not doing it for a full year before clogged-up drain holes become a problem again. If Sheila saw the Toyota worker’s response, hopefully she was able to sort out her RAV4.