Late October is when Franklin’s trees really start letting go. Leaves pile up on driveways, blow across parking lots and settle on every car parked under a tree. Most people just brush them off the windshield and drive away, but a lot of those leaves end up in places you can’t see.
The first spot is right at the base of your windshield, under the plastic panel where the wipers sit. That area is called the cowl, and it has small drains that let rainwater run out. When leaves and pine needles pack into it, the water has nowhere to go. It can back up and leak into the cabin, leaving wet carpet on the passenger side, a musty smell or foggy windows that won’t clear.
The second spot is your cabin air filter. On most cars, the air for your heater and A/C is pulled in near that same area at the base of the windshield. Leaves and debris get sucked toward the filter, and a clogged one means weak airflow from your vents, slower defrosting and a stale smell when the heat comes on for the first time this season.
The third spot is around the sunroof. Sunroofs have drain tubes in the corners that carry water down and out of the car. Leaves and grit can block them, and the first sign is often a water stain on the headliner or a drip near the front pillars after a rainy night.
Leaves can also collect under the hood near the engine and on top of the exhaust parts underneath. Dry leaves sitting against hot parts are a fire risk, so it’s a good idea to clear out any you see when you open the hood.
The fix for all of these is usually quick and inexpensive when it’s caught early. During your next visit, we can clean out the cowl area, check your cabin air filter and make sure your drains are flowing before winter rain arrives. Call Reliable Automotive at (615) 472-1825 or stop by 112 Alpha Dr in Franklin, Monday through Friday from 7 to 5. We’re closed on weekends, so give us a call during the week.
