Was hoovering out my car today and when doing my pre hoover check (run hand over carpet to make sure it's dry) discovered that the n/s/r foot well had been converted to a foot bath (ok, slight exaggeration).

I checked the door card trim and it was dry, plus, there was no tell tale water mark on it either. So, this left me a little puzzled as to where the water is coming from.

It wasn't till I had looked through all the search results on interior water leaks that I started thinking a little outside the box.

There was water in the car, not ice, despite a week of sub zero temperatures, it is only in the n/s/r foot well, when I was mopping it up I noticed that the chamois was foaming up and the clincher, there was no damp smell at all just a fresh lemony one, Eureka, screen wash!

Has anyone else ever experienced screen wash leaking inside the car?

I did try a search but either missed it or was too specific with my search parameters (now I come to think of it, the most likely option).

Any help and / or info would be appreciated, the rear washer still works by the way, that's why I am more than a little non- plussed as to where it's coming from and why it smells like screen wash.

Thanks all.

until I read the last sentence I was about to suggest that maybe the hose had popped off the rear washer jet, but even then, it would only leak into the boot as has happened to mine previously. TBH, CoffinDodger, I'm at a loss! The chamois hadn't got traces of lemon scent from anywhere else had it? Is there anyway for water to ingress from where the handbrake adjuster is?

i have the same problem mate, its damp in there after alot of rain, my door seal in leaking i think tho.

You need to pull off the trim at the side of the seat back. There is a screen wash pipe waiting for you to clip back together.

Make sure to use suitable screen wash additives at correct concentration to prevent freezing, and the pipe popping off.

The tell tale sign of water leaking in through the door itself is water resting on the seal when you open the door after rain.

Edited 2 December, 201213 yr by anewman

There's a (rear screenwash) pipe joint somewhere in that area isn't there? I didn't find it on our car when I looked, but I didn't look that hard. What I'm thinking is that the screenwash piping is strapped in with the wiring loom isn't it?

Maybe the connection has popped open, but the way the pipes are being held to the wiring loom either side of the connection, it hasn't popped right apart, just enough to leak every time you wash the rear screen; but some water still gets through to the rear jet.

There's a (rear screenwash) pipe joint somewhere in that area isn't there? I didn't find it on our car when I looked, but I didn't look that hard. What I'm thinking is that the screenwash piping is strapped in with the wiring loom isn't it?

Maybe the connection has popped open, but the way the pipes are being held to the wiring loom either side of the connection, it hasn't popped right apart, just enough to leak every time you wash the rear screen; but some water still gets through to the rear jet.

After some more brain storming I think you may have the answer, the thing that makes me think this, is that, there is a small delay before the water exits the washer jet. That I think, would explain how and why I am still getting water through and also how the floor is getting wet too. It also explains how I got through 6 litres of screen wash in a week.

Sadly, it's dark now and I don't have a garage so, it'll be a week of NO rear screen wash use and then sort it out next Saturday after work.

Thanks for all your input, hopefully a repair will be reasonably straight forward, now I know what I'm looking for, cheers all.

Edited 2 December, 201213 yr by Coffin Dodger

i have the same problem mate, its damp in there after alot of rain, my door seal in leaking i think tho.

I take it you mean the seal on the window regulator carrier?

Grr666 has a novel solution to this.

It works as a test, to check if the seal is shot, redirects the water outside the car and helps the carpet dry.

He calls it his curtains and claims an extra 10 BHP as a result, (no doubt due to the lack of weight all that water adds).

All you do is steal a couple of Swmbo's clothes pegs and a bin bag or other suitable non porous material, (an old shower curtain for example), peg it to the door pocket and tuck the excess material out under the door, cut to length to suit obviously. Then wait to see what happens, great idea, eh! Pat on the back Grr666.

Edited 2 December, 201213 yr by Coffin Dodger