Wet Footwell

[Nezza42]

My '97 Hatchback is letting in water somewhere and I can't find where!

I've checked and cleared the sunroof drains and removed the headlining but the roof seems dry

It's collecting on the drivers footwell carpet, appears to be coming from above as the underside carpet foam is dry.

There seems to be dampness when I reach up under the fuse panel so I'm guessing it's coming from above that area somewhere

I've also checked the windscreen scuttles and they appear to be draining fine too.

Are there any known issues with wings or bulkheads leaking? Or anywhere else I can look?

Cheers, Nez

[welshpug]

heater matrix.

[Nezza42]

I'm not loosing coolant though?

[Toms306]

Rusty hole up under there probably...

Or possibly a poorly fitted replacement windscreen.

Usually its just door seals, but not all the way up under the fusebox.

[Nezza42]

Hmmm, best get out there again with the pressure washer & start digging deeper! How water proof are the electric? What? They're not! Bugger!!!

[Piggy]

door seals is common. It can drip inside the door itself, into the door card, and drip down just around the speaker straight onto the carpet.

[Eeyore]

so what ive found is that is unlikely the seals are at fault. if the passenger footwell is wet then its water coming through the heater blower motor. it comes in when the foam has been ripped under the wiper scuttle panel.

If the drivers footwell is wet followed by the passenger footwell being wet, followed by coolant loss then it is the heater matrix. It will only get worse and its not a nice job. There are 2 different heater matrixs. one for AC and one for non-AC. Bypassing the heater matrix causes lots of problems too. Another item to note is that the windscreen never clears or is misty a lot of the time.

[Nezza42]

Update, removed headlining and it seems the sunroof was letting more water through the seal than the drains could cope with, so i've sealed the bloody thing up until I can find & cure the other leaks!

Passenger footwell still has a slight leak which appears to be the door seal. Still getting wet carpets in the rear......can't find the source yet, so carpet is coming out in a couple of weeks!

I am also getting some water coming in though the top edge of the windscreen - water is showing just above the sunvisor mounting.

There is a gap between the windscreen and the top edge of the roof, why???? All my previous cars have been flush, but this design seems to invite water in!

[Niall]

I was getting a wet carpet in the same place as you. I removed the wiper motor and cleared out all the leaves behind it and the drain hole, removed the dash securing nut in that hole under the motor and put a rubber gasket on it before replacing the nut. Hey presto, leak solved!

[Nezza42]

Thanks Niall, I forgot to mention that the scuttle beneath the wiper motor was totally blocked with twigs & leaves, cleared it out & that's sorted the leak in the drivers footwell. Just need to stop the leaking windscreen next then hunt the source of the rear footwell wetness!!!

[RetroPug]

Rear water could be rear window seals if you've a 3 door. They sometimes become slightly displaced and need thudding back on.

[silverzx]

Heater matrix, door seals, window seals, sunroof, hole in the floor.

HAS to be one of those.

[Nezza42]

5 door and deff no heater matrix. No wetness bellow door seals, just in rear footwell, so suspecting access through floor, carpet getting lifted next dry weekend!

[306Dan]

Water in the back could be boot wiring seal/boot or a dirty big hole in the n/s/r quater

[Nezza42]

Cheers, boot seal looks ok, will check quarter panel and floor when I lift the carpet

[JME1998pug]

I might be wrong but I think it could be the heater matrix

[Nezza42]

Deff not heater matrix. Losing no coolant and entering water is clean and only happens when it rains or car washed