P38A How does water get here then?

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DanClarke

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15,188
Location
Benfleet, Essex
I was asked to shift something for someone today and when putting the car back to normal I noticed both "wells" where the rear seat anchor to the floor-pan were full of water! :eek:
The surrounding carpet seemed dry-ish, so how did the water manage to get in there to fill these 2 "wells"? Also, the 2 cut-out sections if you pry them up are wet underneath. I must be driving round in a ruddy swimming-pool.


20211030_135106.jpg
 
Sunroof drains. In the C pillar the drain tube has a connection, where it joins. This had come adrift in mine, giving exactly what you see here. Trim off, glued back together, no further issue.

Of course, if it doesn’t have a sunroof, then I’d be looking at the tailgate seal.
 
Sunroof drains. In the C pillar the drain tube has a connection, where it joins. This had come adrift in mine, giving exactly what you see here. Trim off, glued back together, no further issue.

Of course, if it doesn’t have a sunroof, then I’d be looking at the tailgate seal.
Thanks for this. Yes, she does have a sunroof, I will have to take a look. :)
 
Got the C-Pillar trim off (after removing the seat belt anchor and breaking the cover-trim :().
I can see the plastic pipe but not any joints. Is the joint up above the headlining or down behind the rear quarter panelling?
 
It is down low, or at least it was on my vehicle, behind the seat, so to speak. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear first time! :(
 
It is down low, or at least it was on my vehicle, behind the seat, so to speak. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear first time! :(
No worries at all, I am grateful for the helpful info. :)
I looked at the car yesterday and it seemed to me that the sunroof isn't parking "closed" properly. :(
The front edge is up nice and snug with the terribly poor rubber seal (covered in moss) up hard against the metal edge of the roof; butthe rear edge is down a smidge.
I have tried a full open/close cycle but the electronics decide that the roof is fully closed when it clearly is not. If I pull the light panel out to access the sunroof motor I can turn the motor with the key and get the rear edge of the roof to go up further.
As "Sunroof Not Set" messages are not coming up on the message centre I can only assume that the BeCM is getting the relevant microswitch inputs to say "Roof Open/Closed", but the closed one is a bit premature.
Not sure what to do about it TBH. If closing it manually stops the water flooding in, then I just won't ever open it again.
 
Tilt the sunroof up and remove the plastic side covers by sliding them backwards. They will slide about 1/2” and then comes free.

Work the sunroof open and closed. Let the sunroof park normally by itself. If it parks as you say it needs to be adjusted. Have a look where you removed the covers from. You will see a Torx screw in each corner. You can slacken them and lift or drop the glass until it is where you want it. The seals should basically be level with the roof. When it is where you want it, cycle it a few times to make sure, then tilt it and refit the plastic side covers.

Having said all of that. The sunroof is “designed” to leak, with the water going down a drain in each corner.
 
@Marshall8hp That was a good call on the source of the water.
Checked the front drains were completely clear (Curtain-wire used as a rodding tool) both front drains exited where they should.
I could not find the entry point to the rear drains of the sunroof cassette, but I removed the boot side-panel etc. and saw that where the clear plastic pipe entered into a black rubber "cup" it was formed to be enlarged and the coupling was all wet and the pipe was a real loose fit (like a dick in a bucket).
I got a bit of small pipe and a funnel and poured water into this rubber cup and sure enough it all exited out under the car. So I wrapped a few turns of self-amalgamating rubber tape round the "bell-end" of the clear plastic pipe and it is now a snug fit in the receiving cup. I pulled the panels off the other side and was surprised to see a completely different "joint" arrangement between the clear plastic and the rubber.
I am leaving it all "open" so that I can keep an eye on things.
Thanks for the tip. :)
 
Last edited:
@Marshall8hp That was a good call on the source of the water.
Checked the front drains were completely clear (Curtain-wire used as a rodding tool) both front drains exited where they should.
I could not find the entry point to the rear drains of the sunroof cassette, but I removed the boot side-panel etc. and saw that where the clear plastic pipe entered into a black rubber "cup" it was formed to be enlarged and the coupling was all wet and the pipe was a real loose fit (like a dick in a bucket).
I got a bit of small pipe and a funnel and poured water into this rubber cup and sure enough it all exited out under the car. So I wrapped a few turns of self-amalgamating rubber tape round the "bell-end" of the clear plastic pipe and it is now a snug fit in the receiving cup. I pulled the panels off the other side and was surprised to see a completely different "joint" arrangement between the clear plastic and the rubber.
I am leaving it all "open" so that I can keep an eye on things.
Thanks for the tip. :)
The technical term is a cock in a three cornered hat, not a dick in a bucket,that's something else entirely and it's a bill posters bucket.:eek::D be careful about wrapping self amalgamating tape around your bellend.:eek:
 
I may have to just burn it. :mad:
I took the Sub-Woofer out today because I need to remove the speakers to fix the cone surrounds.
What a nightmare!
In doing so, the extent of the water penetration and volume of water became clearer. :eek:
These mounting points were full to the brim. All of the foam-backed carpet is full of water.
20211111_125315.jpg


I dread to think how far this saturation actually goes. I am almost scared to look further. :oops:
20211111_125338.jpg
 
I may have to just burn it. :mad:
I took the Sub-Woofer out today because I need to remove the speakers to fix the cone surrounds.
What a nightmare!
In doing so, the extent of the water penetration and volume of water became clearer. :eek:
These mounting points were full to the brim. All of the foam-backed carpet is full of water.
View attachment 252494

I dread to think how far this saturation actually goes. I am almost scared to look further. :oops:
View attachment 252496
Crikey. It may be best just take out the lot
 
I may have to just burn it. :mad:
I took the Sub-Woofer out today because I need to remove the speakers to fix the cone surrounds.
What a nightmare!
In doing so, the extent of the water penetration and volume of water became clearer. :eek:
These mounting points were full to the brim. All of the foam-backed carpet is full of water.
View attachment 252494

I dread to think how far this saturation actually goes. I am almost scared to look further. :oops:
View attachment 252496
All things considered there is very little rust to notice!
 
The carpet is in two halves so remove rear seats and carpet up to the front seats and leave it to dry
with the floor then dry sprinkle a bit of talc about then when it rains you should see were it has been coming from.
edit before you burn it can i have the red carpet and seats and door cards:D
 
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