Why Your Car's Air Conditioner Leaves a Puddle Under the Passenger Side

Why Your Car's Air Conditioner Leaves a Puddle Under the Passenger Side

Clear water under a parked car on a hot day is often normal A/C condensate. Learn how to distinguish it from coolant, washer fluid, fuel or a blocked evaporator drain.

A puddle under the passenger side is often normal air-conditioning condensate: clear water under a parked car on a hot day. The air conditioner removes moisture from cabin air at the evaporator, and that water normally drains under the vehicle.

Water under the car and water in the cabin

Condensate draining under the car is the expected path. Water inside the passenger compartment can instead indicate a blocked or disconnected drain.

What the puddle does not identify by itself

Looking only at water under the car does not identify coolant, washer fluid or fuel. Those are different fluids from normal condensate.

More to read