S3 becoming a fish tank...
S3 becoming a fish tank...
Author
Discussion

Stats2909

Original Poster:

129 posts

260 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Always seem to be asking for help and never contributing much, hopefully after more ownership i'll be able to add something to help other S'ers out

Current problem has really got me stumped :confused:.....

The passenger carpet keeps getting soaking wet under the back of the seat at the around the seat belt fixings and the seat runner mounts. I've sealed the seat fixing bolts so i've excluded these as cause, (and remarkably the roof is sound too :D so this isn't to blaime either. The seat/rear self etc is dry as a bone). I had the hosepipe out this morning as the damp returned. Discovered that the sill running along the passenger side was filling with water and somehow leaking into the cabin. Pulling the front 'drainage' plug (the rubber plug in the bottom of the sill) out released half an ocean onto the road.

I can't find where the water in getting into the sills or from there into the cabin. The passenger seats out and most of the carpet too and i still cant find it. Has anyone had similar problems? Would leaving the 'drainage' plugs out be advised?

Thanks everyone, Matt

mr clifford

816 posts

256 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Had the same problem many years ago. Never did find out how the water got in but taking the drainage plugs out certainly worked. Not sure if its recommended though by the experts !

ceejay73

489 posts

257 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Only my opinion but cant see why taking the plugs out should be a problem, not like its gonna cause anything to rust is it?

Stats2909

Original Poster:

129 posts

260 months

Friday 26th August 2005
quotequote all
Thanks as always, plugs are out and the water has drained out, hopefully thats sorted it out and the water will drain out as quickly as it fills up

Colin Blues2

2,541 posts

286 months

Saturday 27th August 2005
quotequote all
Some people have had problems caused by the door seals where water runs down the channel but when it gets to the bottom it overflows into the car rather than exiting out across the sill.

Usual fix is to make a cut in the rubber seal (the round flexible part that get squashed by the door) at the bottom of the door frame to allow the water to drain out.

Colin

nawarne

3,177 posts

289 months

Saturday 27th August 2005
quotequote all
Colin may be on the right track with his suggestion.

I would also recommend you check the roof hoop seals/join between the panels and hoop. I guess all these rubber parts are 15 years old now and are squashed/released every time you have the roof down.
Nick

Stats2909

Original Poster:

129 posts

260 months

Tuesday 30th August 2005
quotequote all
Thanks for the extra help guys, always appreciated

Just waiting for some rain now to test the fixes, not often i wish for rain and the S to meet, ever in fact!

silverback mike

11,293 posts

282 months

Wednesday 31st August 2005
quotequote all
Completely different car but .... I had the same problem once, and found it to be a hole underneath virtually invisible unless you had a good poke around. It was on the sill, underneath just about where floorpan joined the body. I sprayed waxoyl everywhere which cured the problem..

Only after I had changed all door seals, sunroof seal, pulled my hair out etc etc

SLB

273 posts

270 months

Saturday 3rd September 2005
quotequote all
My feet and trousers used to a get soaking in my old S3 when breaking hard, as the water used to slosh forward from behind the seats. It had only done about 25k miles but was an everyday car left outside, so during the winter it saw alot of water.

I eventually sourced the problem during a thunder storm when water started pouring through the interior light. Under normal water conditions I never saw it, but the problem was that the "roll bar" was split. Putting the roof up and down alot, one section in leaving it hanging there at 45 degrees whilst I got the other section, the leverage had gradually split the fibre glass, but it was hidden by the rubber seal. So under normal rain conditions, it seeped into the "roll bar" and trickled down each side, though more the driver sides , on the inside of the roll bar into the car. I poured a load of superglue into the splits and held them tight with some clamps. A new seal ( not worn ) and it was fine. That was also the reason the seat support wires rusted and broke, so it's always worth checking a car to see these wires are rusty or not.