Water Ingress

[KLM]

I have water under the passenger rear seat again

The first time I had it I suspected it was the seat belt anchor, so I "fixed" that with copious amounts of silicon in and around where the bolt comes out in the wheel arch.

Yesterday I removed the wheel and stood there with my hose spraying water right onto that area whilst looking through the window, but no water seemed to come in. I also stood spraying the rear window too and couldn't see anymore water enter either.

However my rear window is always seriously misted up so much that I have droplets forming on the inside.

Now today I have completely removed my interior as in a couple of weeks it is going in for new headlining. so I really need to sort this water issue.

After removing the rear seats I can see that the part of the parcel self with the slots in for the rear seat is damp but the main part is ok. It also looks like water has been running down the sound deadening from top to bottom, but only on the passenger side.

I cant see how water can get in from inside the boot where the metal things come through off the back seat. and I cant see anything wrong with the rear window seal, so where in the world is it coming from ?

one thing I do know is that my window frames don't close tightly enough on both door seals and that they are a source of condensation but that wouldn't explain why only the passenger rear is wet


Any ideas ?

thanks

[Hawaiis0]

Look at the lower forward corner of the door seal on the inside. See if you have a wet carpet. For me I had water running down the outside of the seal channel, but by the time it got to the bottom corner capillary action had sucked it across to the inside. Removed the seal filled with silicon and refitted - bingo

[AndyC]

Also, look at rear screen.

Literally look at it near the middle top, then press down on the car's roof. Does the screen move exactly with the roof, if not then the adhesive has failed.

[don.hasi]

Also, look at rear screen.

Literally look at it near the middle top, then press down on the car's roof. Does the screen move exactly with the roof, if not then the adhesive has failed.

Exactly this or the rear quarter glass needs new proper glueing in.

Hope you find it

[KLM]

I am currently trying to get off the remains of the headlining or the backing that is glue on, so I'm sat in back seats with my head touching the rear window trying to scrape out the bits from the top of the rear window and the inner roof and it is completely dry, when i pressed down on the roof in the middle the glass moved with it, so i am convinced my back window is fine.

one place that has attracted my attention are the 2 drain holes located just before the wheel arches and near to the base of the roll bar, the sound deadening at the bottom next to said holes is sodden passenger side is wetter than drivers side but both have water in there.

At the moment they are the only places where actual water is visible.

thanks for the replies

[HC180]

There are some ventilation holes behind the black Lotus B-pillar trim and behind the C-pillar and slots outside by the glass to allow air in.

[Silent78]

Wee trick i learned many years ago,
Well the interior is out scatter talcum powder all around the possible areas it could be coming in, then when it rains it will leave a clear path through the talc that you can trace back to the source. My friend done this back in the day and it solved his problem locating the leak, its one of them things that cant fail. Hope you find it.

Tam

[KLM]

Hi

That's sounds like a really good idea, I will give that a try,

thanks

[CHRISYD]

one place that has attracted my attention are the 2 drain holes located just before the wheel arches and near to the base of the roll bar, the sound deadening at the bottom next to said holes is sodden passenger side is wetter than drivers side but both have water in there.(quote)

I never knew there were drain holes there. Do you mean the area where you can just get your hand into if you remove the rear ash tray?

[Hawaiis0]

I really need to start reading the posts before spluttering un-related dribble.

[KLM]

one place that has attracted my attention are the 2 drain holes located just before the wheel arches and near to the base of the roll bar, the sound deadening at the bottom next to said holes is sodden passenger side is wetter than drivers side but both have water in there.(quote)

I never knew there were drain holes there. Do you mean the area where you can just get your hand into if you remove the rear ash tray?

more like where the rear speaker is.

but Yes if you remove the interior trim that covers the rear arches, there are drain holes located close to the side of the car in between the arch and roll bar, there should be a piece of rectangular foam that goes from inner front of arch to the outer roll bar area, glued at the bottom and is about 3-4 inches tall to prevent water getting into the underside of rear seats. I imagine that most cars will have corroded roll bars at the bottom as it is clearly designed to let water escape in that area, its another door beam scenario, where lotus allowed water to pass through the door but put an un-galvanised door beam in the way that isn't 100% level so water collects on it.

my drain holes I can see a bit of daylight and a dead wasp so it is clearly capable of letting water in,

I will definitely be sprinkling talc around them

[don.hasi]

you say it is an engineered thing with the holes... But which task should they deliver in particular? Where could water come into the cabin to be collected in that area and pass the holes right there? This would mean, we will have an "underground waterflow" behind the trims?

Could you please take some pictures of it?

[KLM]

The engineering comment was sort of an off the cuff remark to how lotus did some things. ie the door beams (designing a door to allow rainwater to pass through and then go and stick an untreated metal beam in it

The same could be said of where these drain holes are located, drain holes are there to allow water out so lotus must of new that water could get in in that area , and then again the stick an untreated roll bar there

[don.hasi]

This is, what me makes wonder... Normally there is a lack of things, that make things go worst in the long time... now we have something more than we might expect... This dosnt fit in the engineering line, we are used to it...

[Lotus-e-Clan]

The engineering comment was sort of an off the cuff remark to how lotus did some things. ie the door beams (designing a door to allow rainwater to pass through and then go and stick an untreated metal beam in it

The same could be said of where these drain holes are located, drain holes are there to allow water out so lotus must of new that water could get in in that area , and then again the stick an untreated roll bar there

Treatment adds weight!