Water on the drivers side back seat floor area

[mjadair]

Guys, I have researched this on this web site and everything indicates that the water is coming from the engine compartment, which defies logic because none of the water is up front, however experience usually prevails. I thoroughly cleaned the front area removing leaves etc. Now no debris is present and it drains freely on both sides.

I still have water behind the driver's seat. I have heard about some tubes that drain the sun roof? How do I get to these to inspect? Or is there any other way water can get there?

[Icey1174]

The drain tube, at least on my '87 944 n/a, for the engine compartment does drain to the area of the car that you are talking about. The drain hole in my car is right near the firewall and driver side front fender. It is inbetween the two firewalls. I know my tube drains there because I just put new zip strips on the tube to hold it up in the air. The old ones were broken and it was hanging some. The tube does run underneath the car and at no point does my tube enter the inside of the car. But it does drain out to right behind the driver door. I don't know how water could possibly get into the car that way.

There are drain tubes that drain the sunroof. I have never had to do anything with mine though, it seems to drain well. My sunroof also has a fairly tight fit with the seal and I have never seen water in the tray around the roof. Other 944s that I have seen are also tight. I wouldn't think much water could get in there anyway, even if it was left out in the rain for a couple days.

Other cars I have had have four drain tubes. One in each corner. The two front corners have tubes that drained down the A-Pilar, and the two back tubes went somewhere in the rear quater panels. My '87 roof is different than your '83 roof. Yours does have 2 drain tubes that drain from the rear corners of the sunroof. I am not sure where they drain to. PET is not that descriptive. They have to drain somewhere from the B-Pillar back.

Water can follow many different paths as it runs from the top of the car to the bottom. Do you have any leaks in the rear hatch near the top? I have heard of some bad seals or some seperation of the glass that has caused water test failures.

Also, my PO had my car painted at some point before I bought it. I am not sure of the technical term, but there is a "rain gutter" (PET calls it "roof moulding") that runs along the roof right above the driver door. There is one above the passenger door too. A few weeks ago I noticed a gap between the "rain gutter" and the roof of the car. I opened the door and push on it. It poped tight against the roof. I never had a problem with it though, but I would guess if it was not tight that it might be a source to allow water into the car.

I would try doing some water tests on the car on a nice day with a garden hose. Try to contain the water to these different areas the best you can. I would start with the area that you think is the most likely problem and go throguh the list. You might want to start with small cups of water to test the drain tubes in the sunroof first. It looks like there are two drain tubes in the PET for the rear corners of the sunroof for each side. It looks like a top tube and a bottom tube. They have different part numbers and it looks like they connect to eachother somewhere in the middle. Maybe somehow they became seperated and the top tube is just dumping water in your rear quater panel and it is collecting behind the drier seat on the floor.

Keep us posted!

[JRMock]

The tubes from the roof are directed to the rear wells, not the back seat area. You can remove the carpet from the cargo area to inspect.

Cracked/broken door seal?
Cracked/broken 1/4 window seal?
Hole in floor pan?


good luck
JM

[jcommin]

Never experienced the drivers side. Drain tubes from the rear hatch go through and are exposed out of the car. That should not be your problem.

Be sure the cowl area is clean and the drain flap that allows the water to flow onto the ground is clear and free of debris.

I'm thinking more of the windshield seal? Maybe if you use a water hose and flood the cowl area and work your way up to the windshield, sunroof and rear hatch. Essentially, try to duplicate the problem.

[IMIEIW]

I have had a similar problem for quite some time now. My well, behind the passenger seat fills with water any time it rains. I have checked the tubes, all 4, and have determined that it is one of these. I'm still trying to find out how to repair/replace this problem tube on the passenger rear side. I'm sure that it isn't easy but the test that was described did pinpoint the problem. Good luck.

[Rasta Monsta]

When my car was wet there it was leaking between the hatch frame and glass.