Xant REAR footwell estate water ingress

[andmcit]

I've read about fixes here before yet the search function here frustrates any
chance of a concise answer as it brings EVERYTHING in with it's results.

So. With both side's rear footwells small fishponds what is the remedy?

• checking for blocked sunroof drains? (yes, a rare Xant estate sunroof!)
• rear tailgate wiper arm spindle leak?
• tailgate membrane leaking behind the front plastic housing?
• doorseals?

The bootfloor carpet and tailgate all appear dry but haven't been pulled apart.



Andrew

[red_dwarfers]

My rear footwell pond ended up being the windscreen scuttle, have you checked the front wells?
If there is enough water I imagine it could run across to the other side too?

How about roof rack fittings or somehow water getting into the sills, is there any access from the sills to inside?

As you can tell, I'm in a stab in the dark mood!

[DickieG]

Tailgate membrane is the usual suspect on an estate and possibly the easiest to check so I'd start looking there first.

[VertVega]

...
• checking for blocked sunroof drains? (yes, a rare Xant estate sunroof!)
• rear tailgatde wiper arm spindle leak?
• tailgate membrane leaking beghind the front platic housing?
• doorseals?

... and one more from me
• rear corner lights

I had two times this experience and in both times I had a pond only at right rear footwell.
1. Tailgate membrane had bad sealant at lower edge.
2. Right rear door sealant. The one that goes on top, it let water to lower sealant and inside the car.

First one was easy to find. Wet carpet, wet under rear seat.
Second one took much longer since it was very difficult to see from where the water came in.

PS: Mine doesn't have sunroof opening.

[andy5]

I'm no expert, but from personal experience I'd be suspecting the sunroof drain first.

My discovery of this on my old BX was almost funny, as I went around a corner and heard a small waterfall behind me. I looked over my shoulder and it was pouring out from under the back seat into the footwell

[Old-Guy]

Been there (twice). Found: -

Tailgate membrane both split and not sealed perfectly (the membrane sorts the spindle leak). It needs to be absolutely water-tight ALL the way round.

Leak around high-level brake light.

Leak around tailgate light-cluster (outside membrane).

It still tends to leak under the bottom of the tailgate shut seal in heavy rain if the car is parked nose-downhill (so I park nose-up!). It's also very easy but 'fatal' to trap anything between tailgate and seal (end of luggage strap!).

While a damp patch under the rear carpet clearly implicates the tailgate area, on the first occasion I found over an inch in the rear footwells (and puddles under the rear seat squabs) but only a narrow wet strip under the boot carpet - a gentle slope ensured that the water drained directly to the lowest point!