Xm Indoor Pool

[onthecut]

Hello all.

Just gone out to the motor after the night's rain to find quite a quantity of water in the front passenger footwell. Having looked in the usual spots, I'm frankly baffled. Yes, it does have the odd drip from the roof console, but nothing like this amount -- apart from which, it's on the wrong side. No signs of ingress around the actual sunroof panel or trim panel. It's not coolant -- heater matrix A1; doesn't appear to leak around the door weatherstrip; windows all closed. Apart from the very occasional drip from the roof console, it's always been a bone dry car.
So --- all thoughts and suggestions most welcome.


Mike.

[xmexclusive]

Hi onthe cut

Check by feeling around the underside of the heater fan just in case it it came in through the front scuttle. A build up of leaves and debris in the scuttle can divert heavy rain. Be sure that it has not come in on passengers feet before you search too hard for more difficult causes. If it came in when the car was parked on uneaven ground with that corner low then suspect sun roof tray overtopping. A damaged jacking point or missing footwell rubber grommet can let substaintial water in while the car is being driven but this usually just soaks the thick underlay leaving the carpet dry. This last one usually goes unnoticed until the undertray rusts enough to fail the MOT.

Regards

XMexc

[onthecut]

Hi xmexclusive.

Thanks for your info. Will go and try the heater fan area, as you suggest, when swmbo returns. It's much too big a quantity for passengers feet. Doubt it's the jacking point issue, as it all seems sound there, plus it happened overnight while the car was standing still. Here's hoping.

Mike.

[onthecut]

Hello again XMExclusive.

What can I say other than "thank you" ! Spot on assessment --- scuttle slopping about with water. Only quirky bit is that it wasn't leaves that were the issue. At some point, the screen filler cap must have been replaced and the original had fallen down and was lying over the drain. When I had the car, I gave it a spray in there (without looking too closely, obviously!!) with my favourite corrosion proofer, which I'm guessing sort of glued it in place, but with enough little gaps to let average rain out. Last night's rain and twelve months or so dust and junk was clearly just too much. Any way normality restored.

Mike.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Mike

Next time you are at a scrap yard have a look at a few non XM Cits or Pugs. You will find that most of them have removable Blue coloured screen wash filler caps with a fixing ring that fits the XM filler. Just trim the broken end of your XM cap hinge. In with a batch of trim bits I doubt I payed more than pence for half a dozen.
Opened up the V6 to start on the altenator replacement. Been stood for 3 weeks was like a swimming pool inside. All comming in through the sun roof so no easy fix for me. The headlining and sun visors were sopping wet as a clue for me.

Regards

XMexc

[techmanagain]

First off, I would suggest you remove the cap over the aerial fixing nut inside the car and make sure it's sealing OK, then make sure the sunshine roof is not slightly tilted and not closing correctly.

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

Think I have found the source of my sun roof leak in the V6. CONDENSATION on the underside of the glass. About a week ago I took the roof lining cover back and the amount and size of the water drops was unbelivable. A wipe with a cloth soaked me and the front seats. I dried up and left the cover slid open. On checking over the next few days the condensation was back each time. The last couple of days I have started to use the car and everything seems to have dried out and there is much less condensation each morning.

Regards

XMexc

[wirdy]

May I suggest some commercial dessicant cartridges (you can recharge these in a low oven) or cheaper still a condensation absorber from B&Q, etc - but you have to fill it up with crystals and then empty out the water tray every day until the car is dried out.

Or as I do mostly - take the car to work and plug in a small 2kw convector heater in the footwell and run it all day using the firms electric The car is lurrvely & dry after that

[xmexclusive]

Hi Wirdy

Thanks for some interesting suggestions. It seems that using the car regularly now keeps it dry though the carpet is only drying slowly.

Regards

XMexc

[Gav]

seems i have the same problem of a soggy footwell. first thing tomorrow i'll check for leaves in the scuttle.

but, is there an easy way of telling for sure if its coolant or not? i dread having to get to the matrix and the car is needed for a long trip this week.

[DerekW]

Gav, I would have thought the taste test is foolproof? If you've never experienced it Ethylene Glycol is very sweet, rather like glycerine; it is also poisonous but touching the damp area with your forefinger and then transferring it to your tongue won't hurt you.

Derek

[Gav]

ok, so no panic afterall. As expected (well hoped!) it was leaves, no drop in coolant level at all since i last checked which is nice.

the leaves were not blocking the drain holes - i do tend to regular clear these because of living next to a massive oak. the blockage was all around the air intake which was out of sight until taking off the scuttle and the black plastic intake protector. another issue dealt with which could not be blamed on the xm.

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

Finally got round today to looking for the source of the water leak in the V6. I should have realised Techmanagain was giving good advice. Using the car had dried everywhere out except the headlining behind the mirror. Took the aerial cap off rusty inside and full of water. Took everything to bits and found a replacement aerial and mount. Treated it to an application of sealant and screwed it all up together. With some trepidation I opened the sun roof to tighten and line up the aerial and was surprised to find it works perfectly. Now I have to dry out and glue the fabric to the headlining that is held in place by pins.
I am still at a loss to believe how much water a badly seated aerial can let in.

Regards

XMexc