How to unclog your car AC drain line

If you hear sloshing water sounds from behind your car's dashboard, chances are your AC drain line/pipe is clogged with debris. The sloshing noise may be especially noticeable when making turns as well as having a damp floorboard. Here is a quick fix using compressed air to unclog a Mitsubishi Galant AC drain line but fix can be used for many other vehicle models.

[MrThedocholiday]

This is exactly what my car has been doing. I feel like big brain cause I figured it out myself. Came to your video for drain line location info & got confirmation of my theory. Thank you so much for posting. Now I just need to find the drain line hose so I can blow it out. 1997 dodge spirit. Update… Just found & fixed the problem. No more sopping up wet carpet twice daily! Thanks again Friend!

[Williamjozefowicz]

Legit had a smell in my car last couple months, cleaned it, thought it was something someone spilled, etc.

Ended up researching this a bit more after I took seats out and found water, brown liquid.

Ended up being this black tube for ac.

Took it out, it was warm to the touch. Cleaned it out, it was clogged full… so clogged that the water was actually coming from middle console area where it connects to top and not the bottom.

Anyways… put it back on, turned on car, ran ac, it is now cool to the touch and a constant drip is happening.


Took a few pots of hot water and soap, dumped them on floorboards after removing plugs underneath.

Cleaned as best I could with a towel, sprayed a ton… now have a fan blowing in car windows down in garage to air out and hopefully get rid of smell.


I’ll probs hit it again tomorrow, and put passenger seat back.

Thanks for the video. Saved me a ton of money I bet.

[StneBrew]

I used a bicycle pump since I didn't have an air compressor, just put the step up fitting on the end of the bike pump, and it worked like a charm! Thanks for the video and the quick easy fix, more than a half gallon came out of the system!!

[uknowngamer]

Thank the lord for this. The AC becomes miserable in rolling traffic but excels when going 70 mph (the water's able to dump out somehow). But at that point I'd be fine to roll down the windows

[dont]

Very helpful video, water was getting on passenger door floorboard and was audible behind glovebox. Tried to take a drain snake to plug, didn’t work would have never thought of air hose, thank you so much

[notzznotz]

I have Galant ES 2003 and I have the same problem. The hard part was to find out exactly where is this small water pipe. To unclogged I use my tire inflator, in my case this is worked. Thanks for the video !

[textv]

Thank you so much for this video!! Been dealing with this and was about 2 minutes away from taking to a place to fix. I have a compressor in the garage so I gave it a try. Took 5 -10 mins and all done!!

Thanks again!! Take care

[clarissataylor]

I have been trying to explain to certain people about that same water noise while my ac is on also when I turn when I drive. Thanks for explaining

[thedave]

yeah I have a 1995 Nissan pickup and what's supposed to be draining outside is instead coming out into my passenger feet area and right by my blower motor, I had replaced that blower motor because my ac stopped blowing air and when I opened up the old one, there was a bunch of grime and idk if it had gone bad previously because of this ac draining problem.
Rn just trying to figure out how to release the water else where but have no clue.

[rxox]

Thank you...My dad's Toyota car is fixed now, thanks you helped my dad

[mrsaraujo]

Omg!! I’ve been looking and looking for this video! Other videos say clogged nozzle but its not that. Thank you so much for your video!!

[JohnnayG]

String trimmer line (weed wacker) will also work to clear obstructions.

[thecurlyorange]

Just bought a used 2017 Kia Sorento and the 2nd day I had it home I heard a sloshing sound on left turns. Just got a call back from CarMax service letting me know that this was the problem. Crazy first couple days owning it for sure!

[noahballard]

Would this be the reason there is condensation build up on the windows of my 05 Ford Taurus and the defroster doesn’t do the job. It smells musty in the car as well.

[isaalb]

Mine was about to get clog the flow was poor. Now I totally clear the way. Thank you very much

[poozishooz]

Any videos on how to do this on a 2015 Nissan Versa Note where it shows you how to clean the wiper cowl as well?

[cedillo]

Where is located the drain in a 2016 dodge charger ?

[Bill]

Thanks, it's happened to me a couple of times and the water has ruined the ac/heater motor. I've replaced the motor myself, no problem. I've never been able to determine the location of the drain tube. The last time, the shop, cleared the obstruction from the drain tube and dropped the a/c motor box as part of the work and put it back. That's pretty easy. It was a couple hundred dollar charge. It happened again, this time, I asked them to show me the drain tube, so I could unclog it myself. He wasn't sure where it was, the car would have to be put on the lift to find it. I've got a small air compressor and jack stands, so that's what I'm going to do, see if I can find it and unclog it.

[jettisontee]

I am encountering the same problem now and this video helped me alot to understand the problem.

Now the challenge is to locate the drain hole on my Suzuki Ertiga 2015.

Thanks for this Video.

[ejp]

Thank you! Fixed my 2010 CX9 with this video!