Water in rear footwells !!

[ghost123uk]

Had water in the rear footwells on another Rocco I used to own. Fixed that OK. It was leaking in from a dodgy seal on the rear light cluster and running from the boot to the rear footwell. Fixed it with Tiger Seal.

However, I was shocked and horrified to find a similar problem on our current car. Never had it before in 4+ years of our ownership of it. It was a proper puddle, not just damp The trouble is it does not appear to be coming in from the boot as it is nice and dry in there.

I have tried getting the wife to soak the car with a hose whilst I hunted around inside, but I can't figure out how it is getting in.

I know the drivers side window scraper is shot, but in my soak test I did not see water coming inside the car.

The front wells are nice and dry by the way.

Anyone got any thoughts?

PS, the sunroof doesn't work (do they ever). Not sure if blocked drain holes there could cause it, but the headlining isn't damp so I kinda ruled that out.

[steve bain]

It could be coming in the front and flowing from the front wells to the back ones. Have a look for rust at bottom of windscreen....

[the edmundator]

Sunroof drainage could definitely be your problem. As could myriad washers, grommets and seals around the tailgate, doors and bulkhead.

Good luck.

[the edmundator]

NB. The doors are designed for water to run down inside them and drain out of the bottom. You'd have problems if the plastic sheeting behind the door card is loose/damaged, or the drain holes are blocked.

[ghost123uk]

Thanks for the suggestions folk :)

Steve - No signs of rust anywhere around the wind screen, and the front carpets are dry.

The edmundator - The boot is dry too, so don't think it's coming in there. I would love to have a better understanding of the sun roof drainage system. If it's blocked, wouldn't the headlining be wet?

Doors, now that might be more like it, especially as the scrappers are shot. As soon as I get a chance I will strip the card(s) off and have a look.

[scrappy1382]

where do you or other people jack the back of the car from ??? as i have seen people use the sill ( i go nuts as they are old and weak ) i tend to use the rear beam. raise the car as high as you can from the rear beam and look for any water residue around the rear of the car infront of the rear beam. also found whist stripping the storm that the was a rust hole 3cm long by 5mm wide along the seam just at the right hand side of the drivers seat. ( idiots jacking it up wrong ) check as mentioned. could also be the chasis holes that are plugged then seamsealed or undercoated when built around the edges.

[steve bain]

i've had water getting in around the door seal before. not between the seal and door, but running around the back of the seal where it attaches to the lip on the car. may be worth a look. forget the sunroof. the headlining would be wet imo.you could always try blowing air up the drain pipes to check they are clear for piece of mind? front ones are each side of the scuttle and poke into the inner wing area. the back ones poke out just behind the rear arches. mine had rusted around one of the drain holes, but the water had gone through a rusty hole in the roof first. the pipes are good quality so can't imagine them perishing.

[ghost123uk]

Thanks for the info folks, especially about where the sunroof drain pipes end up. I don't think it's that, but as soon as we get a day when it's not at minus temperatures, I will check doors, door seals, and whilst I'm fiddling, check the sun roof drain pipes anyway. I'll report back :)

[the edmundator]

I don't think the headlining would necessarily be wet if the drainage pipes have gone AWOL, rather than been blocked. It's quite common for the metal tubes that the plastic pipes connect to, to rust through, so the pipes can fall off. Then you'll just have water draining out through holes in the corners, but being allowed to run along the inside of the bodywork rather than being sent straight to the ground by the plastic pipes. In this case, the water could easily find its way into the car.

If the boot floor is completely dry, I think sunroof drainage, somewhere around the doors, or something on the bulkhead is leaking. Windscreen is a possibility too, but less commonly the source.

[ghost123uk]

I don't think the headlining would necessarily be wet if the drainage pipes have gone AWOL, rather than been blocked. It's quite common for the metal tubes that the plastic pipes connect to, to rust through, so the pipes can fall off. Then you'll just have water draining out through holes in the corners, but being allowed to run along the inside of the bodywork rather than being sent straight to the ground by the plastic pipes. In this case, the water could easily find its way into the car.

Re the sunroof, that makes sense ^^^ . Bliddy Rocco sunroofs I wish mine didn't even have one !! They're always broken, they take up 2" of valuable headroom and now it seems they can leak rain into the car. Weld the damn thing up I say.

.......something on the bulkhead is leaking. Windscreen is a possibility too, but less commonly the source.

All bone dry at the front.

[MikeH]

I'd look inside the doors first. I've had this on a few cars and it's often the door membrane, and it can leak into the rear footwell without touching the front floor. Do you normally park facing uphill, or is it pretty much flat?

[ghost123uk]

Plan on having a look later today. I park with the front slightly uphill.

[steve bain]

so it could be coming into the front wells and running to rear ones....

[ghost123uk]

Yeh but, on it's way, it would leave the front carpets wet, wouldn't it?

Fingers crossed for a suitable day over the weekend to have a proper look. It's been really cold this week here, but at least it's not been raining.

[the edmundator]

If only life was that simple.