Xantia Rainwater Leak

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
JoSawday
Posts: 28
Joined: 09 Jun 2003, 02:40
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Xantia Rainwater Leak

Post by JoSawday »

Woke up yesterday to find the passenger footwell saturated with standing water!. Rain is coming in at the far left under dash. Windscreen scuttle seal appears intact. Can anyone suggest where else I look to identify where the water is coming in.
Car is a 1988 Xantia 1.8L, 130,000 miles and this is the first leak.
Diagsys
Posts: 14
Joined: 04 Nov 2003, 04:04
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by Diagsys »

Is the seal aroung the cabin heater intake ok?
i have seen these perish and start to leak, and when they do they let a phenomenal amount of water in in a short space of time.
hope this helps.
wrinklet1
Posts: 706
Joined: 23 Nov 2002, 19:15
Location: Bolton, England
My Cars:

Post by wrinklet1 »

Question, Have you had a replacement windscreen fitted to your car in the past?
If you have, the problem lies their. Underneath the bottom edge of the glass part of the windscreen there is a seal, similar to a mastic seal. This dries out in summer even though it is supposed to be 'elastic'. I had a similar problem with my Xantia, I siliconed up under the glass edge of the windscreen and that solved the leakage. I thought at first it was water getting in through the air intake but no it wasn't.
Regards
Paul
JohnD
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2632
Joined: 14 Mar 2001, 23:41
Location: Epsom, Surrey
My Cars: 2010 Citroen C5-X7 tourer
1998 Citroen Saxo 1.5D
2018 Citroen C4-B7
1998 Peugeot 306. 1.9D
2011 Citroen C1
x 72
Contact:

Post by JohnD »

Yes! check that the windscreen has been refitted. When I got my Saxo it leaked into the driver's footwell every time it rained. That was because of bad refitting along the bottom edge.
JoSawday
Posts: 28
Joined: 09 Jun 2003, 02:40
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by JoSawday »

Thanks for this one and all.
I'm on my third windscreen. The last one fitted six months ago. Originally the new scuttle was not sealed properly (read not at all!) but this was redone (with knobs on!!) and is intact.
What does the heater intake look like and where is it exactly? Is it expensive to fit a new seal if that is the cause? Water is coming in at quite a rate when it rains.
allmond
Posts: 214
Joined: 28 Feb 2001, 01:02
Location: Weymouth, United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by allmond »

Are you sure it's not sunroof drain tubes blocked?
Jamie
rossnunn
Posts: 1254
Joined: 09 Aug 2003, 03:00
Location: Boston, Lincs
My Cars:
Contact:

Post by rossnunn »

one more thing to check aswell on the Xantia there is a drain hole on the passanger side of the scuttle panel. This get full of leaves and the water backs up. It then seaps in through the heater / blower all over the carpet.
The easyest way of cleaning it is to remove the whell arch liner and clear out the rubbish - but be warned the water will go down your arm! and if your wearing overalls its a git!
JoSawday
Posts: 28
Joined: 09 Jun 2003, 02:40
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by JoSawday »

Thanks rossnunn - I'll try this.
BTW allmond, thanks for the idea but I don't have a sunroof - only (!) aircon.
Diagsys
Posts: 14
Joined: 04 Nov 2003, 04:04
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by Diagsys »

The blower intake is beneath the scuttle panel.
To get to it take the caps off the bottom of the windscreen wipers (13mm socket) Remove the wipers, open the bonnet and remove the screws on the forward edge of the plastic scuttle panel, then VERY carefully peel or cut the top edge of the scuttle panel away from the windscreen, it is glued on!
Once the scuttle is off you will see an oval plastic mesh, kind of dome shaped. It sits in the scuttle on the passenger's side.
If you need to reseal it then just remove it and run silicone sealer or mastik around the base and restick it. Dry it first though.
I have repaired cars like this with great success. Whole process should take you an hour or so on your driveway!
You can also clear the drain hole rossnunn mentioned once the scuttle panel is off. This way you don't get a wet arm!!
Good luck Josawday.
JoSawday
Posts: 28
Joined: 09 Jun 2003, 02:40
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by JoSawday »

Remove the scuttle!!!ARRGGGHHH!!!!
When this was last done (by dealer) to replace the wiper arm that had detached itself from the wiper motor they managed to (a) break the scuttle and (b) crack the windscreen. Autoglass bodged the initial sealing of the new scuttle (it came away from the screen) but managed to 'over seal' it second time around. I'd rather not touch the scuttle - maybe I just fit a bucket in the footwell?
Post Reply