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Technical Damp Driver's Footwell

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Technical Damp Driver's Footwell

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Hilge

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Hi - have owned a 56 plate Multijet for around 3 months now - great car *BUT* have suddenly fallen victim to flooding into the driver's footwell.

It's pretty bad - when one stands on the carpet - a small puddle appears...and can see that the insulation layer under the main carpet is fully saturated. :cry:

Only in the driver's footwell -everywhere else is fine.

Have searched the web and this forum - and doesn't appear to be a common issue...

So far, have:

* Removed driver's door card - membrane is fine
* Checked driver's door seals - appear fine, with no drain holes blocked, etc.
* Checked seals around windscreen - all appear tight and continuous.
* Have removed and checked the windscreen scuttle - all appear ok - drain holes are also clear.
* Visually checked under body - no obvious seals missing or holes.
* Nothing appears to be amiss with the front o/s wheel arch liner either...

(Vehicle has no sunroof.)

Am now running out of ideas!

The water ingress is clear and doesn't taste of anything (so also ruling out the coolant system - levels remain static too...)

Anything else? Have Aircon - could it possibly be the condensed output? Anyone ever seen this??

VERY Puzzled!!! :confused:

Any advice appreciated.

Hilge
 
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Have you read the post about the rubber drain tubes off the lower part of the scuttle? (Your post suggests you've checked the ones in the plastic panel around the wipers?) If they are blocked, water will overflow from the scuttle area and flow down via the heater air inlet to the inside of the car. The air inlet is directly above the pedal area...

See here: https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/272828-loose-plastic-thing-full-water.html?p=2784973

Pete
 
Hilge said:
Have Aircon - could it possibly be the condensed output? Anyone ever seen this??
Click to expand...

Had this problem once on my old Ford Ka.

Might be worth checking the A/C drain is working correctly - you might be able to see a little water trickle out of it if you park up on a nice hot humid day (like today:))
 
I believe the air con condesate drain is the item marked 1 in this diagram from the ePER system (see the link at the top of these pages that says ePER)
 

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When we had this issue it was cured by changing the driver side door seal. I found the ingress site by sitting in the car during a downpour and running my fingers along the edge of the interior cill. And yes, the original seal looked perfect.
 
Herts Hillhopper said:
Have you read the post about the rubber drain tubes off the lower part of the scuttle? (Your post suggests you've checked the ones in the plastic panel around the wipers?) If they are blocked, water will overflow from the scuttle area and flow down via the heater air inlet to the inside of the car. The air inlet is directly above the pedal area...(link)

Pete
Click to expand...
Pete -thanks.

On the MJ - access to the passenger's side one is tight, but possible - squeezed it, and appears to be fine. Access to the driver's side one is near on impossible - I can see where it should be, by the position on the rounded rectangular drain in the scuttle base - but no clearance around back of engine block to get in there - *however*, managed to spray a concentrated water jet down both scuttle base drain holes, and they both drained fine (the scuttle does not flood if I fill it slowly with a hose, either) - so don't think this is the likely cause. :confused:

Thanks for the pointers...still looking.

Hilge
 
Pandablues said:
When we had this issue it was cured by changing the driver side door seal. I found the ingress site by sitting in the car during a downpour and running my fingers along the edge of the interior cill. And yes, the original seal looked perfect.
Click to expand...
Took it through a brief carwash yesterday - and got the lad to poke his head down in the footwell to look - nothing seen - but will try again today with a hose...ta. :)

Hilge
 
Herts Hillhopper said:
I believe the air con condesate drain is the item marked 1 in this diagram from the ePER system (see the link at the top of these pages that says ePER)
Click to expand...
Thanks for this - how do I relate it to what I can see under the bonnet - or do I need to look up from underneath? I guess I need to look for a larger exploded MJ engine compartment diagram...

Hilge
 
Hilge said:
Took it through a brief carwash yesterday - and got the lad to poke his head down in the footwell to look - nothing seen - but will try again today with a hose...ta. :)

Hilge
Click to expand...
Ah...careful, if you open the door and look down at the trim which runs along the footwell and at the top edge of the opening you should see that it's held in place by a couple/few - don't have the car to look at - crosshead screws. The water on ours was seeping past the door seal and then mostly under the plastic trim. In really bad conditions you could see/feel a slight seepage running over the top of it as well. That's if it is the seal, of course.
Oh, and once you do find a cure, don't bother taking the carpets out, it's a nightmare job, leave a wad of old towels, dog blankets etc in the well, weighed down by something weighey and change them out a couple of times. We ran the heater full blast - with the windows wide open when driving around - for a few days and it, eventually, dried out. Still smells though, but that's mostly me.
 
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In a previous tuition car, I once had water come in under the doors when teaching someone how to drive through deep water. I used a pack of dehumidifying crystals that are often used in caravans.
 
Right...may be getting closer.

Jacked the front up and ran the engine, with the Aircon full blast, for 30 mins....and bone dry (still) under the car....NO A/C condenser draining...hmmmmm...(A/C is nicely COLD...) :confused:

What next? Assuming something is blocked / fallen off somewhere in the AC drain circuit: Where do I need to look / how do I get to it??

Hilge
 
Hi

(I don't have a/c in my Panda, so slightly speculative) but I think that drain marked in the diagram in previous post is inside the car, draining out through the floor behind the footrest in the plastic trim. On mine, there's a big triangular lump of black foam under the heater housing, which can be slid out into the passenger footwell. Maybe if you can slide this out you can see that tube?

My mulitpla tended to drain its a/c onto the carpet as the drain through the bulkhead was obstructed by sound proofing felt...
 
Hi

(I don't have a/c in my Panda, so slightly speculative) but I think that drain marked in the diagram in previous post is inside the car, draining out through the floor behind the footrest in the plastic trim. On mine, there's a big triangular lump of black foam under the heater housing, which can be slid out into the passenger footwell. Maybe if you can slide this out you can see that tube?

My Mulitpla tended to drain its a/c onto the carpet as the drain through the bulkhead was obstructed by sound proofing felt... causing a similar problem
 
Bitten the bullet...booked into Dealers for Fri...let's hope they actually fix it...or their £EeeK!/hour... :bang:

Hilge
 
Dealer claims to have fixed. Found AC drain pipe disconnected. Let's hope that's an end to it. (y)

Hilge
 
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