in car puddle

elma · Post by **elma** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:27 pm

I know this is a common problem but can't remember the cause.

Puddle under the n/s rear seat.

Am i needing to fix the door seal, the boot or something under the car?

Thanks

Elma

Dickieg · Post by **Dickieg** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:15 am

If its any estate then invariably its the rear hatch membrane seal, saloon either the N/S/R door seal/membrane or the seal under the windscreen scuttle cover.

Clogzz · Post by **Clogzz** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:07 pm

On the hatchback at least, that I know of, water can get in through the opening for the tail lamp wires.
That will show as the wetness starting in the corner of the boot.
The tail lamp is fixed with a wing nut that needs loosening to replace the globes.
The wing nut could be loose, or the lamp cluster seal leaks.
By heavy rain, there’s a lot of water being dumped onto the lamp cluster from the hatch and roof.
I fixed mine with goo on the cluster seal, and it’s been watertight since, and well tested in today’s storm.

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:49 pm

Clogzz wrote:I fixed mine with goo on the cluster seal, and it’s been watertight since, and well tested in today’s storm.

A good "goo" to use is silicone grease. It never goes hard and is very water repellant and fills voids well.

elma · Post by **elma** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:04 pm

It's a hatchback.
I don't think it's the lights as I've not noticed any damp in the boot, but a good point and I shall check.
I'll probably be cleaning and sealing the rear door seal as well.
Thanks for that, I'd probably have overlooked the rear lights at the moment.
It's just beginning to smell now so looks like carpet will be coming out for a jetwash as well.

Cheers,
Elma

Clogzz · Post by **Clogzz** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 1:35 pm

Hi Jim,

And “oops”

for the commoner’s expression ‘goo’.
What I used I’m not too sure of, but can check on next week at work.
It’s a pipe sealant of local make that a colleague raves about.
It’s grey and stays soft, so much so that he often doesn’t bother closing the tube.
Pictures from my scrap of work, for a laugh:

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc22 ... ffee_Shed/

And Hi elma,

The sealing of the doors can be checked by applying chalk to the sealing surface, to see if it transfers to the metal all around.
It will be dusty where the water seeps in.
The seal of the hatch sits high to make a channel, so is likely to let water in only by torrential rain.
The channel does dump all the water onto the lamp clusters.

Removing the carpet may be a very frustrating job.
It’s pre-formed, and you may need the dictionary of swearwords to help you put it back in.
It feels like the carpet is of synthetic fabric, and it’s the underlay that causes the ‘musty carpet’ smell.

I just let mine dry out, didn’t touch, and it no longer stinks.