Having read thread after thread about leaks in door panels, having my door carriers sealed (vrs se 2007) then becoming a victim yet again of wet carpets under drivers front & rear, going back to dealers to be told it was the door seal..... well for that it would of cost me £90+vat, me being me and not convinced, went back home, took 10 days to dry out (on days with hairdryer in hand, on knee's, not a pretty sight) then a day of downpour & bac to sq 1

IT'S NOT THE DOOR SEAL, IT'S NOT THE CARRIER, IT'S NOT THE POLLEN FILTER, NOR THE DRAINAGE HOLES BLOCKED

after a full day of ripping out the trim, ordering tools for the job, the last trim I took off was the panel which has the bonnet release lever, then BINGO... it was coming through one of the hole's that the panel clips go into,it's dry there on up, but as yet, still fully haven't got to the bottom of it but until then, seats are coming out, under flooring taken out to dry properly.

Did get a torch shone into the section that fits the wiper linkage, and it seems that where some wires go into the cavity of the wing,(almost in corner) is what looks like a black plastic cap which is very slightly raised, the water is rising above the lip then trickling straight down into car thro that clip hole, gushing down (a bit over exaggeration I no) onto & along the wiring loom that runs the lenght of the sill,conviently stopping off at the drivers footwell, then carrying on further to the rear footwell, but at last I have found it so for those that are scratching their heads wondering where the hell the water is coming from, then I hope I have Helped you

Hi NicNak,

I am in exactly the same position as yourself and now my last option it to rip the front drivers footwell carpet back and have a good look round to find out where the france this water is leaking in. Sick of trying to dry the car out only for it to get wet again when it rains.

Whatever your findings are please keep us updated and if possible take a few photos along the way

Im glad (in a weird way) that someone else has exactly the same issues with this water leak as every other thread i've read appears to talk about water in the passengers footwell etc

I think 'DRJ' - think that's his username on here, has been in a similar boat... as us with regard to the drivers footwell being wet. He has some good findings aswell.

Plz keep us posted guys.

Thanks

Mine was leaking there - and there was water on the wiring loom as you suggest - but I'm pretty sure mine's been cured and that's by ensuring the door seal is fully pushed home at the base of the windscreen pillar. I'd tried pouring water down the windscreen - but nothing leaked in. However a hose gently played on the door surround at the top led to the water ingress, and it was at that point I found the trim not fully pushed home.

Check out my dedicated topic on this.

I've today replaced the seal on the rear nearside door but other that that obvious failure recently, the car's been fine for nearly a year now.

After many re seals... I found out that on my car, it's been coming from around the speaker collar / mount the whole time..... Mine have been replaced with after market units though and the seal used has failed.

Mine was leaking there - and there was water on the wiring loom as you suggest - but I'm pretty sure mine's been cured and that's by ensuring the door seal is fully pushed home at the base of the windscreen pillar. I'd tried pouring water down the windscreen - but nothing leaked in. However a hose gently played on the door surround at the top led to the water ingress, and it was at that point I found the trim not fully pushed home.

Check out my dedicated topic on this.

I've today replaced the seal on the rear nearside door but other that that obvious failure recently, the car's been fine for nearly a year now.

Your the guy I have been after as to the result of your leak, have you got it sorted out now..... why I ask is because as I write, both underfloor matts are in conserv drying (2 days now,and many more to get completely dry) but the bit that bugs me is both you, I and steveo1 have all got the SE model, strange that...

I took off almost the the o/s inner wheel splash guard, with a torch and missis pouring water over screen, looked at the channel where it runs to and out, that was pretty clogged with leaves etc, so that is sorted, the only thing i can't fathem is where that black spongy things goes cos it seemed to just fall out, so buggered if I no which way it goes back, any suggestions please... if all else fails, will take off the n/s one to find out.

Haven't done anything today cos like a wolly, left the small interior light on, so after a severe frost last night, the inevetible happened, two cranks of the engine and that was it, no more, sods law is that nobody has got any jump leads, so will be working on plan B, next door neighbour offered to jump start me... little did he know what damage you can do if you do (Knackers the catalyst) will get started by hook or by crook.

dreading putting trim back, was a pain to get off so even worse i guess to put back on, but the + is carpet by seat is lovely and clean now, also other side by console.

Will be cutting down the gear lever tommorrow, i read from a thread that it is alot sportier plus more precise gear change, so here goes, until then I could do with the natuaral downpour not a false one cos it's the real stuff that gets my motor flooded.

Will take some photo's if you want guys, but to be honest, they will be very much, if not identical to DRJ'S.

Just thought I'd add....

It was the speaker on my passenger side....

BUT!

Today, after some extreme testing (bunged up the drain holes and poured in the water until it came back out at the leak).. I've found ANOTHER leak cause.

You know those 3 lil green wall socket type things that the 3 screws of the bottom of the door card go into?... Yeah, they can leak.

I inspected mine close up once I'd noticed the stream of water coming through them... Not sure if it's over tightening or what, but they have puncture holes in them from the screw tip.

I'm gonna order some new ones from the dealer, and seal them in. And probably cut 5 - 8mm off the screws, they don't need to be as long as they are to do their job. I've been trying to stop this leak for years. I'm quite pleased, to say the least.

Edited 30 January, 201214 yr by Rob.

Just thought I'd add....

It was the speaker on my passenger side....

BUT!

Today, after some extreme testing (bunged up the drain holes and poured in the water until it came back out at the leak).. I've found ANOTHER leak cause.

You know those 3 lil green wall socket type things that the 3 screws of the bottom of the door card go into?... Yeah, they can leak.

I inspected mine close up once I'd noticed the stream of water coming through them... Not sure if it's over tightening or what, but they have puncture holes in them from the screw tip.

I'm gonna order some new ones from the dealer, and seal them in. And probably cut 5 - 8mm off the screws, they don't need to be as long as they are to do their job. I've been trying to stop this leak for years. I'm quite pleased, to say the least.

Sorry, but you have lost me... the 3 lil green socket type things... which door are you refering too as the back o/s door card is held on by the screw behind the tweeter speaker, other than that, it's push on tab things, so you have lost me, or are you on about the front door panel?

I'm on about the fronts...

Your the guy I have been after as to the result of your leak, have you got it sorted out now.....

Check out the link to my other topic as my quote. Seems fine now. Haven't had any problems with the front doors either.

... the bit that bugs me is both you, I and steveo1 have all got the SE model, strange that...

Yes - you'd have thought Skoda would have got it sorted by then!

Check out the link to my other topic as my quote. Seems fine now. Haven't had any problems with the front doors either.

Yes - you'd have thought Skoda would have got it sorted by then!

I guess you must of been lucky with your leak, just been reading your dedicated thread about leak, so i guess you didn't get that panel off thats with the bonnet release lever... it does come off, get a long hard screwdriver, force it in as far as it will go between seal & panel, then just prize it off... if you can prize it so far, then get a torch shining in gap, you will see the spring clips, 2 top & 2 bottom.

I,m going to get my mate shower the car with a hose while i look from inside but at the mo it's -5 most nites plus underlay is still drying out (3 days now)

Did try door seal around door, its on as far as it will go, so it aint that???

Hi folks,

Yeah you would think by the stage of producing the special edition fabia's they would have sorted out any issues that had arised...

Anywho, I took a head stagger and started to lift the carpet @ the drivers footwell and I guess Im about 5 paces behind you guys in terms of figuring things out but the water if definitely coming from behind that panel that covers the bonnet lift handle. The handle will be coming off this weekend and hopefully that panel.

Do you guys have a photo of behind that panel or what it looks like behind it? The water is somehow running down the bunch of wires that are cable-tied together and also like DRJ has noted, the black wrapping around the wires is saturated.

I have also noted that my windscreen has been replaced by the previous owner, I had thought maybe the seal was incorrectly fitted around it and possibly water could be getting in beneath the scuttle panel, just a thought...

I couldn't get force the relevant panel off.

Hi folks,

Yeah you would think by the stage of producing the special edition fabia's they would have sorted out any issues that had arised...

Anywho, I took a head stagger and started to lift the carpet @ the drivers footwell and I guess Im about 5 paces behind you guys in terms of figuring things out but the water if definitely coming from behind that panel that covers the bonnet lift handle. The handle will be coming off this weekend and hopefully that panel.

Do you guys have a photo of behind that panel or what it looks like behind it? The water is somehow running down the bunch of wires that are cable-tied together and also like DRJ has noted, the black wrapping around the wires is saturated.

I have also noted that my windscreen has been replaced by the previous owner, I had thought maybe the seal was incorrectly fitted around it and possibly water could be getting in beneath the scuttle panel, just a thought...

As for the panel with the bonnet catch, there are 2 spring clips at the bottom and 2 towards the top, they are a b**** to get off but they do ( will take photo's if ya like) and like you, mine had a screen replacement when only 6 months old, but the guy who fitted it (tracked) was the guy who only fitted porch, austin martin's etc, so I dont think for one minute it's the screen ( it did cross my mind tho) beside, when you do eventually get that panel off, feel the insu from the bottom and run your fingers up, it will probably be the same as mine, the further up you feel, the dryer, so that put my thoughts to bed about fitter.....

I got a few hrs spare in morning so will take pics for ya... fick as i am, how do you download a photo onto here??? :(

I couldn't get force the relevant panel off.

Buddy, how do you get a photo onto a thread, ie want to take photo's like you took, then download to a thread for people to see, but how???? my daughter would cringe if she knew that I didn't know, so please help me out!!

Unless you're a Freedom member - which neither you nor I is/am - you need to upload to somewhere else and link in. I use Photobucket.

Unless you're a Freedom member - which neither you nor I is/am - you need to upload to somewhere else and link in. I use Photobucket.

Unless you're a Freedom member - which neither you nor I is/am - you need to upload to somewhere else and link in. I use Photobucket.

Unless you're a Freedom member - which neither you nor I is/am - you need to upload to somewhere else and link in. I use Photobucket.

AT LAST, hope it's of some help to you & others, if you at the back of panel, you can JUST make out where i wedged the long screwdriver in and got the head of S/D onto roughly that criss cross bit of the panel then levered off.

Thanks - I might try again to see if the leak's totally cured. But now I've done the rear nearside door the interior's not misting up at all in this cold weather...

Thanks - I might try again to see if the leak's totally cured. But now I've done the rear nearside door the interior's not misting up at all in this cold weather...

hope I get the same luck, but this weather is not the best time to get the hose out an drench all bits of the car, and besides, even after 5 days now, the underlay stuff still isn't dry, had it in conserv with the full blast of the sun, yet still slightly wet in places

OH by the way, thanks again for the upload info.

Well folks, got the bonnet leaver off and removed (forced) the panel surround behind the bonnet leaver off aswell.

On this panel there are those 4 metal clips that you push to secure the panel to the car - you can see them on the photo above. Well there was water that had collected in one of the plastic areas behind where the metal clips are positioned, so that let me know water has been definitely coming in somewhere behind the bonnet leaver!!

I had a good look around that area but could not see any areas that stood out where water could be coming in. I decided to wash he car, did this and whenever I had finished I opened that drivers door and there was 2 lines of water beading on the carpet directly beside the bonnet leaver area!

So this is where I'm at, the drivers foot-well has water ingress coming from somewhere behind the bonnet leaver area, I have everything removed from that area but yet I still cant see exactly where that water is getting in.

Would this be a stupid idea - cover the area behind the bonnet leaver (as its still all removed and exposed) with say white talcum powder and wash the car as usual and when finished open the drivers door and see if I can follow the line of water???

This is doing my head in folks.... enjoy everything about the car but this puts a real dampner on it :(

Any help is more than welcome

Are you absolutely sure the door seal is pressed fully home all around the door - since I firmed located it above the hinge area I've had no further problems.

I take it you mean the rubber seal that goes around the perimeter of the drivers door? If so, yeah ive pressed it tight the whole way around.

I had a good look around this evening so see if I cud see anything but no clear signs of where exactly its getting in. It was raining today and the area had water droplets : (

Here are a few photos I took this evening:

I took a head stagger and pealed this soaking wet insulation stuff off (pic below)!! Will put it back in once leak has been found but any suggestions as to how it is getting wet....

Fortunately mine seems totally dry these days - and I'm pretty sure mine was the seal as it bends to go up diagonally - so you're on your own here...

Can you see any more if you take the fuse panel off - can't remember...

Thanks David, that seal you talk about, if its not pressed home firmly what is there behind it that will allow water to get in?

I want to take the scuttle panel off and have a look see but Im a novice when it comes to stuff like that. Im aware this involves removal of the wipers etc. I can see underneath the black scuttle panel and it looks clear of any debris/leaves. Am I right in saying this area is visible without removal of that scuttle panel under the front wipers?

My train of thought now is that the seal @ the base of the front window has not been properly sealed and water may be getting in this way and running behind the pedals into the front footwell?? Could this happen? The window has been replaced by the previous owner. Failing all this Im tempted to leave it down to my local skoda dealer and see what they come up with. (I haven't tried them yet as Im a sucker for trying to work things out myself lol) plus this website has saved me a few trips