I'm finding puddles of water under the truck

[Green Machine]

Not sure if it is a problem but I figured I'd look into it. Lately I have been finding large puddles of fluid under the truck after driving. It isn't oil. I'm pretty sure it is water and not coolant. Summer has slowly been warming up so I've been using the A/C more. Is this just the usual condensation you get from running the A/C? Today I noticed it and looked into the right front wheel well and saw water actively dripping while the truck was parked after a short drive. Haven't checked the wiper fluid reservoir yet but I haven't used the wipers in quite some time. Water temp has been find so again I'm pretty sure it isn't coolant that is leaking.

My truck is a hybrid model if that makes any difference.

 

[Modded]

So exactly where are you finding the water?
If its behind the the front passenger wheel then yeah its just your A/c drain system.

 

[soulsea]

My truck is a hybrid model if that makes any difference.

It does:

"If you have been in hybrid mode frequntly then yes, ther are 2 sperat cooling areas. One for the betteries and one for the hybrid system. the system uses the regualr antifreeze coolant and the battery system uses a vent drain under the vehicle for battery cooling etc. this is also an area you will see clear water being removed. the formal description is below and explains how the batteries basically cool, and vent drain. Bascially on this vehicle clear water drainage can come form 3 palces. the HVAC. hybrid battery cooling or normal exhaust condensation.
http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/3egs0-hi-i-bought-chevy-tahoe-hybrid-past-winter-recently.html

Mine does the same thing ... it's normal for our trucks.

---------- Post added at 06:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 PM ----------

Also on the same page:

"Electrolyte Venting

Each of the 40 hybrid batteries has a vent for electrolyte gas that is located on the top of each battery. The hybrid batteries vent system connects all of the 40 hybrid battery vents to a rubber manifold. The vent exits the hybrid drive motor generator battery through a single hose in the rear and is vented through the floor panel of the vehicle. These vents are mechanical and will only open when a predetermined amount of internal battery pressure is reached."

 

[Green Machine]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Modded,
Yes, the water is dripping out from behind the front passenger wheel. Fortunately I am not having any water leakage in the interior of the truck (crosses fingers). Seems to be quite a bit but this is my first full size SUV so maybe it is normal but just more than I'm used to?

soulsea,
Thanks for the link. Good to know hybrid specific stuff. But according to those posts, the battery drainage should be coming out of the floor panel, not from behind the front passenger wheel. I'll take another look later. The truck is my wife's daily driver so I don't see it much.

 

[soulsea]

Yeah I'm not exactly sure where mine is peeing from either.

But when I remote start it a couple of times in a row and leave it there for 20 or so minutes there's always a little puddle of water on the driveway which evaporates a few minutes later.

---------- Post added at 06:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:24 PM ----------

Btw, if I'm not mistaken our hybrid batteries are under the second row bench seat ... if so the water/coolant drainage should be somewhere near there no?

Anyhoot, I asked the dealer about it last time I took it in for service and he said it was perfectly normal for the HyHoes.

 

[sumo]

yea when our trucks use ac, there is a massive amount of Condensation coming off the Lines. Almost like constant stream

 

[slowstang305]

Sounds normal to me, AC

 

[Green Machine]

yea when our trucks use ac, there is a massive amount of Condensation coming off the Lines. Almost like constant stream

That's good to hear. As I mentioned before, these are much bigger puddles than I'm used to, but then again this is the biggest vehicle I've ever owned.

 

[GM Customer Service]

Green Machine,

I agree with the other users on this forum that this does sound normal.

Thank you

Elizabeth, GM Customer Service

 

[04ctd]

there's a LOT more air inside the SUV than a normal car, and all that air is full of humidity
is this the first it has really got HOT in Cali? been HOT here in SC, big puddles under every car.

my rear AC leaks straight down on the muffler tip,

and the front AC drips a LOT if you let it set & idle.