HELP!! Water in Footwell!!

[Keith Lemon]

Over the last few weeks I have noticed a wet passenger side floor after heavy rainfall. The door seal seems to be filling up with water and then leaking into the car just under the speaker and onto the floor. Originally I thought this was the widow seal, as I noticed a bit of a gap between the window and the seal. I have replaced this, and also resealed the door card as the membrane seemed a bit worn.

After last nights down pour my passenger side is soaked again, and the door seal is full of water ( am not sure if the middle of the seal is supposed to drain??)

Any help or advice will be hugely appreciated, only had the car a few weeks and its beginning to get me down a bit now....

I will try and get a picture so you can see what I am on about.

Cheers in advance

Wayne

 

[Da]

Could be several causes to this.

First thing to check is the scuttle panel drain, as water will build up in there and enter the cabin via the heater matrix.
Then check the drain holes that are located inside the front wheel arch liners, where the sideskirts start.

 

[lemonnobby]

you say membraine? what membraine there is none on a 182 its like a black tack around the door panel it leaks out of the panel fills up the seals on the top edges and down in over the piease of trim

 

[Keith Lemon]

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Water is building up in the seal thats circled the then flowing in the direction of the arrow into the footwell. I am pretty sure that this is the only place where its entering.

 

[Keith Lemon]

you say membraine? what membraine there is none on a 182 its like a black tack around the door panel it leaks out of the panel fills up the seals on the top edges and down in over the piease of trim

Yeah , its the membrane I have replaced as I thought water was coming through this and leaking into the seal?? But I have already replace the window seal, the door does let water in, but it comes straight out of the drain holes at the bottom of the door?

 

[Da]

Blocked sill drain, pretty sure.

Clear the arch drains as I said above.

 

[Keith Lemon]

Blocked sill drain, pretty sure.

Clear the arch drains as I said above.

Thanks for your reply!! Where are the arch drains located ( somewhere in the arch I presume?)....

 

[Keith Lemon]

Could be several causes to this.

First thing to check is the scuttle panel drain, as water will build up in there and enter the cabin via the heater matrix.
Then check the drain holes that are located inside the front wheel arch liners, where the sideskirts start.

Sorry Just noticed you have already said where they are!!

Wayne

 

[scottalite]

Blocked sill drain, pretty sure.

Clear the arch drains as I said above.

i did a guide on this ages ago - on a 1.2 but same as a 182 - well worth doing, mine were both full after 20k city miles!

 

[Keith Lemon]

i did a guide on this ages ago - on a 1.2 but same as a 182 - well worth doing, mine were both full after 20k city miles!

Just had a look and couldn't see them, Dont suppose someone could describe what I am looking for?

 

[Da]

You need to remove the arch liners, the drains are behind them - you wont see them with the wheel still on and the liners in place.

Guide here.

 

[Keith Lemon]

You need to remove the arch liners, the drains are behind them - you wont see them with the wheel still on and the liners in place.

Brilliant, will sort this in the morning. How do these drains work? looking at the sill inside the door it all looks sealed? Cheers for your help, really appreciated!!

 

[Da]

I've added the guide in my post above. Water backs up along the sill and will basically enter the car along the bottom door seal as you've shown in your picture above.

Water runs down the A pillar and into the drain, if they're blocked it has nowhere to go.

 

[Keith Lemon]

I've added the guide in my post above. Water backs up along the sill and will basically enter the car along the bottom door seal as you've shown in your picture above.

Water runs down the A pillar and into the drain, if they're blocked it has nowhere to go.

Cool .... Is the door card supposed to get wet? I have sealed behind it now, but will remove it if its a problem.

Cheers!!!!

Wayne

 

[scottalite]

You need to remove the arch liners, the drains are behind them - you wont see them with the wheel still on and the liners in place.

Guide here.

thanks for that - glad my guide has come in useful - its fairly simple job, just do it somewhere your not bothered about the floor getting grubby - so not on your new cream carpet lol

 

[scottalite]

remnds me- i should do this in my 182 now - despite a lack of water - gotta be worth 5 minutes work

 

[Keith Lemon]

remnds me- i should do this in my 182 now - despite a lack of water - gotta be worth 5 minutes work

Cheers mate, defiantely a useful guide, been trying sort it for couple of weeks now!!

 

[dunganick]

Could someone copy the guide into this thread, as i have had this issue for years and thought the only way to sort it was replace the door seal.

 

[RoryW]

Could someone copy the guide into this thread, as i have had this issue for years and thought the only way to sort it was replace the door seal.

The small membership fee is worth it. Ive used several guides from the Guide section so my membership has paid for itself really

 

[Keith Lemon]

The small membership fee is worth it. Ive used several guides from the Guide section so my membership has paid for itself really

Plus.. you get a membership pack, and discounts from loads of different places, well worth it!!

 

[Keith Lemon]

Quick update, All the drain holes were pretty clogged up with crap. I simulated a heavy rainfall (the neighbours must have thought I had gone crazy) and there is no water coming in. It does come in if I completely saturate the window for about 5 minutes with the hose, but I don't think you can expect the car to deal with that much water lol

Thanks Everyone for your Help.. Much Appreciated!!

Wayne

 

[Da]

Quick update, All the drain holes were pretty clogged up with crap. I simulated a heavy rainfall (the neighbours must have thought I had gone crazy) and there is no water coming in. It does come in if I completely saturate the window for about 5 minutes with the hose, but I don't think you can expect the car to deal with that much water lol

Thanks Everyone for your Help.. Much Appreciated!!

Wayne

Excellent result, glad it's sorted Wayne :approve:

 

[Keith Lemon]

The problems back, Parked the car on a slight angle ( in the corner of my drive ) and the water has seeped in again.. Anyone got any ideas of what I can try next , other than not parking in that spot?

 

[SimonOwen]

Hello I've had exactly the same problem this last week. The passenger side footwell was soaking wet and when I pressed down on it my hand would get submerged with water.

I took up the passenger side carpets and foam dried it all off and had a mate shower the car with a hose and water started coming in from the top of the footwell from what appeared to be behind the glove box.

After a little more inspection, I had taken off the wipers and plastic panel trying to find a hole I found that the screenwash hose runs through the car through the footwell. This had a massive hole in the metal and nothing to spare the rubber hose from rubbing. More inspection showed that there is a little rubber gromit on the inside of the car which had come out of the hole. One awkward body position and more water showed that this was where the problem was. After 20 minutes of pushing with two big flat head screwdrivers I managed to get the gromit back into place. After another water test no more leak! Now I just need to wait for it to rain to see if it's really sorted.

The hose entry hole is located at the top left hand side of the footwell. It's a real b**ch to get underneath to see what you're doing and the gromit isn't exactly easy to push back in but it seems to have sorted the problem. If you can't find it easily detach the screenwash reservoir and you'll see where the hole is. If there isn't a rubber seal that'll be your problem.

I realise this post is going onto a board over a year old but I hope it helps some other people with the same issue.

 

[Keith Lemon]

Mine turned out to be the membrane behind the door card in the end. Took the door card off and covered it in tiger seal!! It looked like it was coming in from the door seal though did my head in for weeks!!

There will be other people with these problems, there french after all...