Water in footwell

[thowman]

The passenger footwell of my car fills with water when the car is left outside and it rains. Therefore it is a problem with a seal somewhere. overnight, the car filled with about 2cm of water in the footwell, and no signs of drips anywhere - so I assume it coming through the carpet after running down the bulkhead.

Also just noticed that where the headlining meets the passanger windscreen pillar, the headlining is damp. So, I guess the windscreen is leaking? Is it not bonded in place?

Any ideas where I should look for the leak without having to take out the entire dash?

[Andre]

A good places to check are things like door seals, pollen filter (if your car has one), heater intakes, door linings.

Assuming the water is clear which would suggest the water is coming from above.

[thowman]

A good places to check are things like door seals, pollen filter (if your car has one), heater intakes, door linings.

Assuming the water is clear which would suggest the water is coming from above.

Already checked the door seals, which seem to be ok. There is no visible water ingress on the door. The water is clear - and it fills up when the car is not moving which rules out anything coming out of the wheels.

If I do have a leak through the screen - I guess I'll have to have one refitted professionally? I am not sure if the screen is bonded in, or fitted with a more traditional rubber moulding, as if it is the latter I can do it myself.

Andy

[redhat]

I see from previous postings you have two Berlingos - one of them a Modutop. If this is the one with the water problem I hope you don't have this going on:
http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=561

[colinh]

Take off the heater intake grilles below the 'screen (where the wiper spindles are).

There are several drain points in here which get blocked with leaves and then flood, thro the heater fresh air intake, into the car.

[thowman]

I did a test with a watering can yesterday. First I cleaned the seals along the edges of the doors - and also the additional sealing strip on the join between the roof and the door, as the passenger seat has had signs of dampness before.

I started by flooding the door with water over the seams - no leak.
Then starting from the bottom of the screen, gradually worked up - no leak until I started on the roof at which point the water started dripping from the inside at the top of the screen. Also the top of the headlining at the pillar started to show signs of dampness. I think the water is entering at the top of the screen and flowing down to the footwell via the pillar. Without dismantling half the inside I don't know exactly how it is getting down there - but that is obviously the weak point.

I only have one berlingo, and it's a bog standard multispace forte. No sun roof or additional panels in the roof.

Looking at the haynes manual - it states the windscreen is bonded in, but there is also a rubber trim strip around the outside. Does this mean the bond isn't good, or does the rubber seal do more than just being for appearance? Does this leak mean I have to have the screen replaced?

Andy

[Drew]

I had exactly the same problem on a transit van years ago and was told that the bonded in screen helped with the rigidity of the body. I had the screen removed and refitted and didn't have any further problems. I don't know if the screen in the Berlingo is bonded for the same reason but having the screen removed and refitted might be the best option.

Doc..

[tenerife123]

lift bonnet, remove the plastic cover along length of engine bay (below windscreen) and clear any leaves twigs etc etc, this can block the little holes to allow water to escape. or youve the same problem as me, heater matrix up the spout !

[Romahomepete]

Our old Berlingo used to leak into the drivers footwell after an accident repair where one of the seams wasn't sealed properly. I took the carpet up and knocked out the rubber bungs in the floor. I also cut the carpet where it could not be seen so that that piece and the soundproofing underneath could could be taken out and dried.

Peter