My ML320 sounds like it's holding some water after sitting out in the rain overnight - it was a clear sound while backing up, and moving forward slowly during braking. I tried to duplicate it in the garage by rocking the car from the outside, but couldn't hear it then. I've seen this on other cars with AC condensate building, but I haven't used the AC since Friday, and just had the car out yesterday without this noise.

I've had the car since new in '98, any ideas?

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Francis E. Abate
Automotive Restoration & Preservation
Sheet metal, trim and upholstery

This is just a guess but could it be water not draining completely from the evaporator case under the dash. I recall seeing a hose on the passenger side that connects to the bottom of the case and then exits the vehicle. Maybe that drain is somewhat blocked.

I see that hose and it is not draining, so maybe it is blocked. The update asfter last nights rain, and todays snow (ye, snow!), is the vehical ws even more full from the sound of things. It's currently draining while in the garage, but I can't from where - but it's not that passenger side hose. When I have time later, I'll have to get under there and look further.

Right now, it's dripping out both sides of the vehicle, under the front seats, maybe a little forward - of course it's coming off the frame pieces so I haven't seen the true source yet. Seems logical to me that the vented plastic piece that the wipers sit atop, is where the water is going in - is there a drain inside there too?

Help! If you know something.

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Francis E. Abate
Automotive Restoration & Preservation
Sheet metal, trim and upholstery

There are four drain nipples at the under side of the rocker panels they might be clogged. two on each side of the truck towards the front and rear underside of the rocker panel.

Bulldog - that's great to know, as I spent a couple of hours the other night in search of, and still was baffled. I will check these out and try to determine if that's been the problem - it must be evaporating, or draining slowly, because when the rain stopped, the next day the sloshing stopped. It's amazing how much water it sounded like!

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Francis E. Abate
Automotive Restoration & Preservation
Sheet metal, trim and upholstery

My 2000 ML320 passenger side floor gets real wet when it rains and I can't figure out where it is coming from. that is setting still. Anybody have a solution to the problem

Good call! I just had this happen to my car. I thought the car had major problems. Sounded like 50 gallons of water trapped somewhere. It was the drain plugs in the rocker panels clogged up and not draining water out after I washed it. I stuck my finger into the drain holes and the problem was solved in about 2 minutes.

For Lmay - I'm not sure about that rain problem, the only thing I know is the AC hose runs across there - do you run the AC when it's raining? Unless the rain water is running down the firewall inside the engine compartment, then following this hose into the passenger side - that could be it? Possibly the plastic vent holes below the windshield are blocked?

Sorry I can't be of more help, I have never looked into this that closely to know where all the possibilites might be.

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Francis E. Abate
Automotive Restoration & Preservation
Sheet metal, trim and upholstery