Why is there no drain in the windshield well?

Another annoying thing that I am reminded of each time I wash the car. Why is there no drain hole in the front windshield wiper well? The water puddles up there and you have to manually scoop it out. I've never seen this on any other car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 6 2006, 01:17 PM) [snapback]298641[/snapback]</div>

Are you saying there IS a drainhole, but it might be blocked? I couldn't find a drainhole, but I'll look again, with the hood open. I also get a musty smell when I first turn on the air, but it goes away really quickly.

I've only had the car 7 weeks, and I saw the water puddling up the first time I washed it, about 3 weeks after I bought it. I can't imagine why there would be any sludge buildup after only 3 weeks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 6 2006, 01:48 PM) [snapback]298652[/snapback]</div>

I am confused (okay, okay...maybe it's just my normal self) but WHERE is the drain hole? The problem occurs on the passenger side. I went out and looked at the windshield well from the outside of the car (and under the hood). I took pictures, but unfortunately my software isn't cooperating and suddenly won't recognize my camera so I can't upload the pictures (although it was fine an hour ago when I uploaded pictures for another post).

All I see is a solid piece of black plastic (the well) that curves slightly. No holes or openings except for slats on the front vertical facing (not on top) until it ends towards the middle of the car. The plastic is raised up on the outside edge of the passenger window so there is nowhere for the water to go. It could be that my driveway is slightly sloped towards the passenger side, so the water flows towards the outside edge and gets trapped where it meets the raised part of the plastic. Otherwise I suppose the water would flow towards the middle and drain there. I was expecting to see a drain hole on the side, but there definitely isn't one, and there is nothing to get clogged.

Okay - *Newsflash*. I just tested this theory. After I had finished washing the car and polished one side, I had reparked the car in opposite direction so I could polish the other side of the car in the shade. So, the car is now sloping towards the driver side rather than the passenger side. I went out and poured some water on the passenger side well and it indeed flowed towards the middle and drained. (Shoot, I didn't think of testing the driver side).

So, yes, it does drain, but only if the car is tilted towards the center, or at least on completely level ground. Which still leaves me with the question of why isn't there a place for the water to drain on the side? Again, I never had this problem with any other car.





<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Aug 6 2006, 02:36 PM) [snapback]298675[/snapback]</div>

Yes, that's where I'm talking about. And no, I wouldn't dream of drilling a hole!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Aug 6 2006, 04:04 PM) [snapback]298703[/snapback]</div>

Exactly! What Tideland says! There is NOWHERE for the water to drain from the passenger side because the black plastic "ditch" under the wiper is solid and there is no hole that can be clogged.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jack Straw @ Aug 6 2006, 03:23 PM) [snapback]298687[/snapback]</div>

I did look at those pictures and maybe I'm slow but I don't understand what they are showing.

 

[attachmentid=4389]

Here is a picture of the area I'm talking about, looking directly at the passenger-side windshield. The water puddles in the left corner on top of the black plastic, under the wiper. As you can see, there is absolutely no place the water can go if the car leans to the left.

[attachmentid=4392]

It rained last night (of course it did, I had spent several hours the day before washing and waxing it ). Here's a picture of the water left standing in the well (taken from the passenger side).