Please Help

Clean out the drainage tubes. They're visible but are hard to find, behind the seatbelt towers under the carpeting in the corners; they're about 1.2" in diameter (on a '99 anyway.)

Run something flexible but not sharp down the tubes and watch for a load of crap and water to pour out under the car. If you use something sharp you risk puncturing the side of the tubes and compounding the problem.

Of course, the water may be from somewhere else, but this is a cheap first try.

Correction: make that 1/2 " diameter! Damned French charactered keyboards...

When I drove my new (99) Miata from Texas (USA) to Illinois, it rained for

keyboards...

One question: how much trim has to be removed in order to get to the tubes? Is it a good idea to use compressed air to blow out the tubes?

Thanks for your help.

None.

No idea. I live in an aprtment. No fancy tools like that.

Where do you get them? Pet store?

Leon

to the

tubes?

Well, actually that was 2 questions. No trim needs to be removed - with the top up, reach around just behind the seatbelt towers and stick your hand down in there (watch out it's probably wet and slimy) - you should feel an opening. That's where the drain is on each side.

I've found that a tine from a metal leaf rake (about 18 inches long and very slender) works perfectly to clear the tubes. Or, you can lay under the car and find the bottom opening and clear from that end. WARNING, do NOT have your face anywhere near the bottom of the tube when clearing it! That stuff is nasty!

I imagine you could use compressed air to clear the tubes but I'd be concerned about damaging them with too high a pressure.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Thanks everyone for your help. The fishtank brush worked great and was inexpensive. Hopefully this will solve my problem.

Thanks again...

None. They're visible near the corner of the carpeting.

I sure wouldn't want to.

BTW, those were two questions... :-D

You're welcome.