Water Leak ~ Ideas Anyone???

[SteveH]

Over the last few weeks I have had a small amount of water getting into the passenger foot well...

Dealer first tried to re-set the plastic skirt at the foot of the windscreen (think its called the skuttle tray?); this did'nt fix it so it was "tracked down" to being the pollen filter housing, which was replaced on Friday, but that hasn't fixed it either.

On a previous car I experienced water in the footwell that was caused by a leaf blocking a drain hole in a compartment under the bonnet. so the water filled to a level in the compartment where it then over flowed into the car, when I pulled the leaf out the water drained nicely away and I never had a problem again... the problem with modern cars is that I cant get in to see whats what; Does anyone have any idea what it could be??

[CliveH]

Steve,

I had exactly that problem a while ago.

After considering several options, including the drain you refer to and changing the pollen filter box, it turned out to be a poor seal around the windscreen (presuambly from a poor job on a changed windscreen).

[bobjebb]

Perhaps check your seals around the door.. Lots of wet weather and if you've been on the motorway at speed water can get sucked in, but then again you'd probably hear it. If it's only the passenger footwell it may be a failed seal for cables coming through bulkhead, if there are such things under the front of the carpet? Just guessing!

[SteveH]

Cheers... Good ideas, I have spoken with the Dealer this morning and he is going to have it for a few days to try and sort it. Can't fault his support, continue to be very well looked after by my dealer.

If it is the windscreen, how on earth do they remove it if its bonded on??? Doesn't this risk causing damage to the surrounding trim either internally or externally?? All I can picture is two guys with crow-bars, but I'm sure its a bit more gracefull than that!

[CliveH]

Steve,

With mine, it was a complete windscreen and seal replacement, not sure how graceful it was though, probably best I wasnt watching...

[peterb]

Windscreen removal is a little disconcerting, but not too brutal. They use an angled blade attached to a substantial handle, with a further handle attached by a length of steel rope. Once the blade is under the screen, it can be drawn all the way round, cutting the bonding sealant. If not used with care, it would be possible to damage the surrounding bodywork and interior trim.

The Autoglass guy who replaced my screen seemed to be reasonably careful - he came to the house and worked in my garage, and I kept my eyes on him the whole time!

There is no separate seal to be replaced - it mainly relies on the bonding stuff which comes out of a tube, but there is rubber seal at the top of the screen (which comes pre-attached) and the covering trim on the two side pillars and the bottom edge.

[SteveH]

It appears that the replaced pollen filter housing fixed the problem... I reckon that the water I found a couple of days after this was replaced was the residual water that had shook its way out of wherever it had got in. Once this had fully dried out, no more water has got in since, despite some really awfull downpours.

So thankfully no windscreen replacement required... Final task was to replace the "Comfort Controller" electronics, as they are located in the passenger foot well and the water had damaged them so the doors didnt lock on anti-hijack etc.

Fingers crossed thats the end of the issue. Cheers for the top-tips.