I've just been rectifying the rear door carrier seal on my car following finding standing water in the rear footwell (offside only). I followed the standard procedure (i.e. the definitive video) and all went well. I'd used a vacuum cleaner to dry out the rear footwell and was putting it away when I discovered the front footwell was damp too. However unlike the rear door seal which was wet, the front door seal is completely dry - so where's the water coming from? So the question is:

A] Are the footwells connected so that a leakage occurring into the rear one would distribute water to the front of the car too?

B] Or alternatively once there is standing water in the rear footwell and the car is braked sharply would water go over the "dam" under the front seat into the front footwell?

Having broken four clips getting the rear door card off I don't want to take the front door card off if I can help it - particularly since it doesn't appear to be leaking.

(I do find it very frustrating that this is still happening on a very late build car compared to my 2004vRS which was perfectly dry throughout its life. In the case of the SE I found evidence that it had been sealed in the past and seems to have failed...)

A] Are the footwells connected so that a leakage occurring into the rear one would distribute water to the front of the car too?

B] Or alternatively once there is standing water in the rear footwell and the car is braked sharply would water go over the "dam" under the front seat into the front footwell?

Having broken four clips getting the rear door card off I don't want to take the front door card off if I can help it - particularly since it doesn't appear to be leaking.

David,

It would have to a significant quantity of water to slosh over the chassis strengthener!

Possibly a wicking effect?

If it were the N/S I'd suggest a choked plenum!

Both my back doors leaked slightly, But haven't had an issue with the fronts!

They are connected in that the floorpan is basically a flat piece of metal covered in a single piece of carpet. If you wet the back sufficiently then the wet will spread all the way forward. I'm surprised that your runout car is affected though as I though the issue was fixed in MY2005 and onwards cars.

They are connected in that the floorpan is basically a flat piece of metal covered in a single piece of carpet.

I concour. I have not yet got round to sealing my rear doors, but with my interior as it is I can confirm that after mucho rain, the duck pond in the rear seatwell does indeed flow freely into the front footwell under braking

HTH

Just another angle but I had damp front carpets and looked at the front carriers but they were dry. Then I found out the water was coming from behind the speaker hole and running down that way.

Yeah, don't rule out a leaky front door.. Both of mine needed doing.