Wet Drivers Footwell........its A Long Story!

[thepange]

Just looking for some advice on a problem I've had with my C1.

 

Lets just say the first few months with my new car have not been good, see my previous post:

 

http://www.citroen-owners-club.co.uk/citro...?showtopic=7269

 

So got the car back looking good as new, but a few weeks later noticed there was a wet patch appearing on the drivers side footwell. Immediately I thought it was to do with the repair, so got it back into the garage for a water test and they even resealed the windscreen to make sure it wasnt coming from there. Strange thing was the damage had been on the passenger side, but this water was coming in the drivers side.

 

The water still seemed to be coming in after this so got it into the dealer as I had also noticed a few drips from the door seals since new. They fitted new sealson both sides, but again the water was getting into the carpet. Next they fitted the extra modified seals round top of the door frames. Although there was no obvious drips coming through, as the carpet was saturated and smelling damp, they offered to put in a new carpet. The carpet has been in two weeks now, so I was out washing the car today and thought I would lift it up to check and again its damp. :unsure: :huh: :angry:

 

But wait, I noticed something strange, as the damp bit was right above one of the rubber plugs in the floor, the one nearest the door. When I compared it to the passenger side one, it was in upside down, i.e. pushed in from UNDERNEATH the car instead of the from the top. In other words, the tapered end was facing up the way, whereas on the passenger side it faces down the way. I've now fitted it in the proper way.

 

Could this be what has been causing the water in the footwell all this time? I find it hard to believe all the times its been in the workshop that no-one has noticed. I have some hot water bottles in there drying it out just now, so the test will be driving it about for a couple of weeks when its wet.

 

Has anyone had any similar experiences with these rubber plugs? What are they actually for, and is there any way I can seal them if this is where the water is getting in??

[downsman]

I hope you've got the problem sorted now.

 

It's certainly unusual to get water coming up into the footwell, as it usually collects there having come in higher up. When I had a Lotus Elan (1970s one) after buying it, I noticed there were some small holes in the floor. Nothing much seemed to come in through them, so I left them. When we were touring in Scotland, I found out what they were for. After 4 days torrential rain, the carpets were soaked, but at least the worst of the water was dripping out onto the road :unsure:

[thepange]

I hope you've got the problem sorted now.

 

It's certainly unusual to get water coming up into the footwell, as it usually collects there having come in higher up. When I had a Lotus Elan (1970s one) after buying it, I noticed there were some small holes in the floor. Nothing much seemed to come in through them, so I left them. When we were touring in Scotland, I found out what they were for. After 4 days torrential rain, the carpets were soaked, but at least the worst of the water was dripping out onto the road :unsure:

 

 

As it happens I do actually live in Scotland, so am used to all the rain we get!

 

I hope i have sorted the problem, but i'm not 100% convinced. It just seemed funny how the damp bit was directly above the "upside down" rubber plug. I suppose driving about on the wet roads would throw up a lot of spray and possibly getting into the footwell. I noticed there are other plugs in the footwell, but they have another layer of metal sheilding them from the fresh air. Only this one seems to be exposed directly to the outside of the car?

 

We'll see how it is for the next few days............

[downsman]

We'll see how it is for the next few days............

 

Good luck :unsure:

[iannez]

remove the door card and check the membrane to make sure its sealed all the way round the bottom. the sealer comes away at the bottom so when water runs down the inside of the door it runs straight into the footwell. also make sure the rubber washers are fitted to the lower door card clips.

[ColinC1]

I could well believe a floor bung letting in water in the C1, as the city bugs come with very little undersealing, unlike most modern cars with a thick underseal right over the bungs.

 

You can test this lack of thick underseal next time you go over a road with chuckies (stones) on it, as they bounce up and the car sounds like a tin can :unsure:

[thepange]

Cheers for the replies so far.

 

I know what you mean about the C1 having little undersealing, as there doesn't seem to be much separating the footwell from the fresh air, was quite surprised when I saw that. I'm hoping its cured so fingers crossed.

 

My plan is to drive on it now for a couple of weeks then lift the carpet and check again. If its damp, then I will be back to the dealer again for another visit. The other factor to complicate matters is I actually bought the car from the dealership in Dumfries, although I have been taking it to my local dealership, as its closer. They have been good so far, but I think I will book it into the original dealer on the next occasion and see if they can get it sorted if need be!

 

<_<

[thepange]

Ok so lifted the carpet to check and its damp again, right in the same place, so have left the carpet up since yesterday morning. I remember someone saying they used talcum powder to trace which direction its coming from so I put some down inside. Since then we have had a few torrential rain storms and I have been out washing the car and gave it a good hosing down all over.

 

Weird thing is I have just looked to check and it looks bone dry inside. :rolleyes:

 

So from that I reckon it must be getting in when the car is moving. I wonder if theres water sitting somewhere and so when it moves it starts to seep through whilst driving.

 

Its really driving me mad and I just need to get to the bottom of it. Even thought about getting rid of the car as its not brought much luck since I got it............ ;)

[750Nig]

From what you say it sounds as tho' the water is coming up through the floor in the area of the bung. especially as you aren't getting any water traces from anywhere else. Is the bung cracked, holed, damaged at all?

You could take the bung out , blob a bit of silicon sealer around the hole and replace the bung. Leave to set.

Water can get anywhere as it tracks along any ridge, weld or whatever. It will get thrown up by the wheels and the wind as you drive along will blow it up, down, in, out - anywhere really.

Drive up on to a pair of ramps, get a pal to hose down the underneath while you sit in the car and watch for water ingress.

 

I have had hours, nay days of fun trying to find leaks in Land Rovers products, but then the saying was 'the holes are for letting water out as much as letting it in' !

[Martin_1973_uk]

I had the same on mr MR2. The water came up through the hole in the floor. In wet weather the spry under the car forces water everywhere. I would sill the hole up and see where that gets you.

[thepange]

Thanks for all your replies so far!

 

I have driven around for the last two days on soaking wet roads, so I have checked again tonight and there is water in the same area. I'm not an expert with cars, but it looks to me as though the water could possibly be coming in from one of the welded joins on the floor, quite near the floor plug.

 

Surely this should not be happening on a brand new 58 plate car? Just making me wonder if theres any other faulty welds anywhere else on the car. :blink: Also makes me wonder if this is gonna be a problem with rust in the future.....

 

The leak was first detected a month from new so makes me think it was like that when I bought it. :rolleyes:

 

I'm gonna pay a visit to my local dealer tomorrow to show them what i've found, is it an easy job for them to seal this up inside/outside??

 

The saga continues..........

[ColinC1]

I would say that if the dealer still can't sort out this bung from leaking, then get some car underseal, the black tarry stuff, and coat the bung and a bit of the surrounding area from the inside.

 

Keep the carpet back for 24 hours for it to dry, then place the carpet back in position.

 

Unfortunately, it will take about a week to get rid of the tar smell from the cabin, going by a similar problem I had with another car years ago, where water was getting up through a bung in the spare wheel well, the inside tarring with underseal was the answer.

[thepange]

Got the car booked in for Tuesday so hopefully they can get this sealed up. I've taken some photos and listed the things I've tried so will hand that in as well when I take the car in.

 

Lifted the carpet back tonight and its definitely coming in along the seam in the floor. Thank goodness for that talcum powder lol. :rolleyes:

 

Will try to post an image too.....

[thepange]

Please can you move this photo to Wet Drivers Footwell Thread

 

Cheers muchly :)

[thepange]

Another update on my leaky C1.

 

Took the car into the dealer on Tuesday, and they had it in till Wednesday. I had given them a list of what I had done and a couple of photos of the suspect areas in the footwell. They have sealed the weld join up inside and outside with the black underseal and looks like its done the trick, no traces of water so far.

 

Just hope thats it and I can go back to enjoying my new car.....until the next problem. You can tell I'm an eternal optimist!

 

Still love my wee city bug :ph34r:

[downsman]

I've got my fingers crossed for you :ph34r:

[Guest Scott B]

I have the same problem 57 plate C1 HDI,Been noticing a white crusty residue on the drivers side and slight damp smells also carpet seems to pop up slighty,i often wash my car,once a week.I still have to check under the carpet and see whats the story,thought it must be from washing as the problems there when everthing is bone dry.

[iannez]

have you checked around the bottom of the door membrane.

[Guest Scott B]

have you checked around the bottom of the door membrane.

 

No I havn't do you mean the actual door ,bottom strip, or the rubber around the door,I have been treating the door seals

with halfords silicon conditioner,what should i be looking for as its driving me crazy thanks.

[iannez]

remove the door card and the membrane covers the hole on the inside of the door. the glue along the bottom comes away so when water runs down the inside of the door it comes out behind the door card, over the top of the seal and into the footwell.