RX 300 how2

A/C drain tube clog problem.

The air conditioning unit removes moisture (humidity) from the cabin air. The collected water drains out of the bottom of the vehicle via a drain tube. Over time the tube can become clogged and the water will backup and run out on the inside rugs. This typically happens on the drivers side rugs.

A service mechanic usually fixes this in 60 seconds by putting the vehicle on a lift and blowing out the tube with compressed air from underneath. A nice quick fix! but hold it...

What are they doing? They clear the tube for you all right and take your money, but they have blown all the crud back into the A/C unit to clog up the heat exchanger (expansion unit) and to ultimately wash back down the tube and clog it next season or sooner.

So, let's do it right and it takes just a bit more that 60 seconds - maybe 3 minutes.

We want to take the tube out, clean it and reinstall it. Here's how...

On the passenger side foot well, remove the removable carpets, and locate the left panel as in the photo below.

The fastener used in the hole at the right of the panel being removed is a two piece fastener that first requires the center piece to be pried out with a screw driver. Once the center is pried out part way (not necessary to totally remove it from its base), remove the entire fastener from the panel. You may have to apply some elbow grease to pry out the center portion.

The above photo shows the fastener's two pieces. The fastener base (on the right) locks in when the center piece (left) is inserted and pushed all the way in causing it to spread its 4 sides.

The tube we are looking for is at the bottom of the A/C unit. Pull back the carpet that covers the lower portion of the tube. Disconnect the tube from the A/C unit by pulling it off. Watch - there may be water pouring out of the unit for a second when the tube is removed.

Remove the other end of the tube from the floor hole where the tube exists the floor pan.

Take the tube out of the vehicle and clean it out. I used a garden hose and put the full force of the water in one end to blow out the blockage. With such sharp bends, no wonder a blockage builds up.

Replace the tube, panel and the fastener holding the panel. The fastener is inserted by first placing the base ring in the hole and then inserting and pressing in the center portion to lock in the fastener.

You're a success! And the little lady thinks you are a genius.

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