Help water leak! Scuttle drains already fixed ..

[Daryl]

Hi guys just after some advice as I have a puddle in my rear passenger side foot well (drivers side dry as a bone) . I picked up a new clio 197 recently but then we had two days of solid rain. I went straight for the scuttle drains below the wipers, looks like the drivers side was clogged up. We cleared them out - well removed them completely for the time being .. dried the car out to a certain extent. The following day it rained again and I had enough puddle in the same area. Could this be a collection of water still in the vehicle or I'm guessing I have another problem.

I have a pan roof but there is no dampness around the roof and all the door seals look like new as the car has full Renault Service history.

Any other ideas on where to look before I pay someone to start stripping it down and water testing. Any help would be great. Cheers.

 

[Daryl]

see the new car in question

 

[Jimmy]

Hi Daryl, the thing that springs to mind is that it could be the weather seals on the rear quarter windows, on the B pillar? These are known to perish and could allow water in?? Just a guess at this stage...

 

[Siliconsteve]

Sit in it and get someone to hose water at it. that's all body shops do

 

[Foxspeed]

arent there drain channels for the sunroof that can block up??? sure someon posted on here about it??

 

[Chris]

arent there drain channels for the sunroof that can block up??? sure someon posted on here about it??

I seem to recall reading about that, have to remove the b pillars etc iirc,

 

[Daryl]

Thanks for the help guys. The rear quarter seals seem ok - these went on my first 197. I will ask the guys to go for the sunroof drainage even through it does feel dry up there definitely worth a check even if this isn't the problem. If I need new carpets any suggestions on where to get them from, I'm guessing Renault would charge an arm and a leg.

 

[LOCKE]

Had this problem in the wife's brand new Fiesta a few years back. Soaking wet rear passenger footwell caused by the passenger door (3 door) having blocked drain holes. WTF!

 

[turkie172]

If the car was parked pointing downhill I would try the boot area lift the base of the rear seats up and under the tool kit in the boot. If pointing up hill check the passenger foot well the water just wont appear in the middle of the car. I dont know if it affects Mk3's but if there is a slosh sound moving off or braking then the drain holes in the sill are blocked happens in 172/182's dirt behind the front inner guards builds up level to the hole into the sill and the water from the scuttle runs down the back of the guard straight into the sill filling it and then if the drain holes at the jacking points can get damaged crushed with the use of cheap jacks so the level rises until it spills out the inner holes into the interior. Pull the seats out strip the carpet out put the seats back in and wait until you see water again maybe the only way. At the rear check this out http://www.clio197.net/threads/boot-leak.14226/ good luck tracking it down.

 

[Daryl]

Cheers for all the help guys. We stripped the interior to find one of the sun roof drains blocked and out of alignment. This was allowing the water down the windscreen pillar and B pillar - pretty major leak! I was horrified when watching the water enter from the water tester. The car isn't that far from being back to normal now - I managed to put the carpets and foam underlay in the boiler room at work - cleaned them up bone dry ready to be put back together. We also got rid of the rubber inserts under the scuttle panel as they were on their way for a blockage! just to play safe ... This car has a full book of service stamps from Renault - I'm surprised the drainage hasn't been cleaned out prior to this but there we go?? Hopefully she will be back on the road for a weekend drive. Currently driving round in a new Merc - it may be flash but its boring as hell!

 

[turkie172]

The rubber drains might get blocked but they also stop dirty water coming up from the wheel arches say driving through deep or constant water. What we would do for motocross bikes would be use fuel tank foam and cable tie it to say the foot brake leaver to stop stones jamming between the leaver and the engine casing. You could put the foam in the gap where the leaves drop into the scuttle bay to block them but would allow water to run through it and would be easier to keep on top of the leaf problem from outside instead of having to dismantle everything. Just a thought but I'm a firm believer that a car company would not spend money on unnecessary things, even with a poor design someone thought it necessary to fit them they have a purpose even if we don't fully understand it. The purpose maybe to damage the electrics and keep the dealers in business god bless Renault we know they are experts at this... steering wheels, seats, gearboxes, flexi joints, bulbs that no one can change and airbag warning lights that come on when the dealer needs more cash.

 

[LOCKE]

Glad you found the problem mate.