Leak on Passenger Side

[dtjames 0]

I noticed my passenger side carpet was soaking wet the other day. Today, my car had been parked outside in the rain, and I saw some drips on the door panel right on top pf the speaker in the door.

 

I have tried to find the problem and failed.

 

Recently, I had the windscreen replaced (genuine VW) and wondered if this may be the problem since it's now started to shovel down with rain outside.

 

Alternatively, the roof strips seem very worn. Could this be the source of my problem? Could the water find its way to the floor from there?

 

There were some leaves in the scuttle panel under the bonnet, but the vent wasn't blocked.

 

Can anyone suggest the best way to identify my problem please?

[Jim 2]

This seems to come up without fail around this time of year as everyones Corrado leaks at some point or so it seems!

 

I'd definately start with the windscreen. That was the source of my water leak. Just sit in the car and get a friend to blast the windscreen with a hosepipe and look for drips.. mine was coming in right at the top of the screen on the drivers side, running down and round and over the top of the fuse / relay board in the drivers footwell (yes, brilliant) and into the footwell.

 

Had a new screen put in and it leaked.. but took it back and they sorted it out and I had dry carpets from then on! :)

[dtjames 0]

Quick response appreciate. I'm miffed with the whole thing.

 

I will be down the windscreen fitters promptly, and hope it's that.

[Jim 2]

The other thing you might want to check (seeing as water seems to be sitting on the door pods - which is uncommon) is that the sunroof drains are not blocked and water is coming in through your sunroof somehow. The sunroof on the Corrado doesn't actually seal shut as such but allows water down into an area below and inside which then runs off down some water drain channels. Its possible for them to block with accumulated muck, etc...

 

Not sure what else could be causing your problem...

 

Make you report back and let us know :)

[bristolbaron 10]

i have a leak which only seems to be on the pass side rear seat and then onto the rear carpet. cant be windscreen etc related due to volume of water on the seat.

 

annoying bit is that my sunroof doesnt slide, so i cant access drainage holes to clear them :mad:

[dtjames 0]

I doubt it is the sunroof, as the water seems to be dripping onto the top of the door speaker.

 

Becoming more and more confident it's the new windscreen. I heard they were a sod to fit, and even asked the guy if he'd had any experience of fitting a genuine VW one before. He obviously lied and said "yes".

 

Wait 'till I get hold of him. :twisted:

[dtjames 0]

Is it worth blasting water at the suspicious corner to see if I can replicate the problem or is that going to be impossible?

[Jim 2]

Yeah definately. If rainwater gets in then i'd say hosepipe water definately will.. as I said in my first post get someone to do it for you then sit in the car and watch the top of the screen - you should be able to see if water is coming in! :)

[dtjames 0]

Just put the hose on the car and couldn't get the windscreen to leak at all. I then moved to the sunroof and door seals - still nothing.

 

However, when I attacked the roof strips (or whatever they are called), I noticed some damp entering by the passenger side roof handle, not far from the sun visor.

 

Is it possible for water to enter via my VERY corroded roof strips? If so, how much are replecements, or can I just silicone seal them?

[Jim 2]

Hm.. if you were to remove the roof strips and look underneath, there should be absolutely no way water is coming in there simply because they are just plastic covers to a sort of gutter that runs the length of the roof. Dont try and remove them though unless you have new ones to fit as obviously they'll be old and brittle and bonded in...

 

As far as I know there are not meant to be any holes / drains or anything in there. Though it might be possible that a small hole has rusted in there or something and is coming into the cabin..? :|

 

Roof strips are very expensive for what they are (approx £100 a set) but if you are certain that whatever is causing the leak is under there then its worth that money to fix it...

 

Confirm a price over the phone for the roof strips with http://www.gpcvwaudi.com but as I say they are expensive and in VERY short supply.

[dtjames 0]

Does anyone know how water could creep in behind the plastic trim that the roof handle is secured to. My leak seems to be about 3 inches forward from the handle toward the windscreen.

 

I think my first port of call has to be to get the windscreen re-fitted. Then, hope that solves my problem.

 

I think I may cut off the ugly-looking perished roof trim and silicone instead.

[Jim 2]

Its possibly still leaking in through the windscreen and going along the headlining and appearing at the handle..?

[dtjames 0]

That's what I'm hoping.

 

Lol, I'm hoping for a windscreen leak !!!

[red_baron 0]

I've just finished stripping my sunroof down and replacing it - I discovered the plastic mouldings on the sunroof frame (with the drain holes in them) were leaking where they are bonded to the sunroof assembly and then sealed with epoxy. In heavy rain (and with a hosepipe too) water was getting through the seal and onto the top of the roof lining... every time I braked the water came shooting out of the nearest available hole in the roof lining - I suppose it could travel to the sides and then down the A-pillars down to the floor?

 

Maybe I'm talking nonesense, but the sunroof drains themselves were not blocked and after I've re-sealed them I've got no more dampness issues...

[vicky240586 0]

got a leaky corrado myself, but the drivers side seatbelt is getting wet,don't have a sunroof as its an early model, if you have any luck with the roof strips please let me know as i'm contemplating replacing mine.

[dtjames 0]

Auto Windscreen refitting the screen on Wednesday.

 

Surely worth a try.

[red_baron 0]

I should have kept my mouth shut... jacked the car up today on the drivers side to fit new brakes - the heavens opened and my passenger side footwell was soaking wet! With the brakes on and the car back on the level, the leak seems to have stopped :scratch:

 

I'll do some more tests tomorrow and see what happens... puzzling!

[dtjames 0]

Lol (sorry).

[jonnyboyo 0]

Well, i removed the plastic roof strip thingies today and i can honestly say dont't bother!! There are no holes or channels etc for water to go as Jim stated. They did come off incredibly easy tho. It may be worth a removing them in case there is rot under there, but i doubt there will be as my car is a 1990 and underneath was spotless despite being soaking wet and an obvious water trap.

 

For your info, i could move my strips back and fore which is prob why they came out so easily, so if yours seem stiff or wont budge then i wouldn't risk breaking them. I used a wide wallpaper scraper to lift them up. Hope this helps :)

[Jim 2]

Let us know how you get on with the windscreen refitting dtjames :)

[dtjames 0]

Autowindscreen called this morning - they were short staffed and can't do the job until tomorrow now.

 

Will update after fitting.

[bristolbaron 10]

ive found out my leak is coming from the hole where the rear wiper used to be.

it seems i didnt seal it properly :oops:

[dtjames 0]

Screen has now been refitted and resealed.

 

In all fairness, they reported that the leak was unlikely to be coming from the windscreen and so they went looking for the cause for me. The result was that they reckon that there were old leaves blocking my subroof drains and that they had now cleared them.

 

they are now confident that the problem is now solved.

 

No charge.

 

We can but wait now.

[dtjames 0]

Still no evidence of any water coming into the car.

[Jim 2]

I doubt it is the sunroof, as the water seems to be dripping onto the top of the door speaker.

 

Hmmm...? ;)