I have serious rain water ingress, which gathers quite a pool in footwell of rear passenger side. I have read the various suggestions and checked front sunroof drain channels, which exit near to front door hinges. Not sure whether there are rear sunroof drains. Have checked scuttle, poured water in and it flows out near to front mud flaps.

I noticed water near to radius area of rear seat, (passenger side not drivers side) Car is constantly damp and windows running with condensation. Took to garage and he put new plastic seal behind door card (N/S rear) He was convinced that was it. This is quite a pond that gathers. I am desperate to find the source. Also spare wheel area wet as well.

Can anyone tell me what "exits" from the rear wheel arches behind the mud flaps (could that be a source?)  

Please help. 

 

there are rear sun roof drains,

 

but also, check the front door for water getting in. both via door seal and under the door card. 

the shape of the floor pan pushes water that gets in the front into the back. 

Remove the rear passenger door panel. Besides it there is a nylon - plastic sheet that covers the interior parts of the door like cables, mechanisms etc.  

 

If that nylon is torn then you will have water ingress.  

 

Other reasons are misaligned door from hinges or torn door elastic seals. 

he said the mechanic already replaced the membrane on the back door, thats why i said check the front

 

Help please. Due to problems with water ingress still affecting passenger side rear footwell (quite a pond) I decided to take off all door cards,  and replace the membranes behind the cards, with some plastic sheeting (from Amazon) as the membranes are no longer available from Skoda parts dept.

I wondered if anyone has an idea of how to secure the membranes, (which may need to be removed later) The only thing I can think of is Blue tack.

 

Also, with all this rain lately, I noticed on the driver's side footwell, just forward of the seat there is a little pool of water about 75mm diameter totally on its own. I imagined this to come from the sunroof, but the covering slider above is dry. Any suggestions please ?

I had a Mk1 octavia that had the same problem.  I couldn’t find the leak.  I eventually removed the passenger seat and removed the sound deadening under carpet and cut it out to dry.   When it was peeled back I looked for ingress when it was raining and parked up but no joy.  I wventually noticed it had built up a pool of water after I had the air con on.   I noticed a tiny drip from around the housing of the air con unit housing where it fits to the bulkhead ( above passengers right foot). It appears that the condensate from the air con drips onto this seal in the engine bay.  If there’s a crack in it, it’ll seep into the footwell.  I siliconed up the seal in the engine bay and that seemed to make the problem better.  I also removed the rubber bung in the passenger floor.  I figured it would drain more water than allow ingress.  That worked for me. 

Mine doesn't have sunroof so can't give you a good advice, but for the membrane for doors, I would use butyl tape.

10 hours ago, STOXFANATIC said:

Help please. Due to problems with water ingress still affecting passenger side rear footwell (quite a pond) I decided to take off all door cards,  and replace the membranes behind the cards, with some plastic sheeting (from Amazon) as the membranes are no longer available from Skoda parts dept.

I wondered if anyone has an idea of how to secure the membranes, (which may need to be removed later) The only thing I can think of is Blue tack.

 

Also, with all this rain lately, I noticed on the driver's side footwell, just forward of the seat there is a little pool of water about 75mm diameter totally on its own. I imagined this to come from the sunroof, but the covering slider above is dry. Any suggestions please ?

I did secured mine membranes with packaging tape. No problems at all.  As for the driver's footwell, check driver's door me,brane as well and of course check the drain gutters that are located under the windscreen and goes down to the rear of the front wheel. Pry the wheel arch cover and check. Finally if door seals and sunroof seals are ok, just check if the door is misaligned and lets the water in (that was my case in passenger's footwell). 

 

There is also a possibility to have water ingress in  front footwell from the a/c if the drain pipe is blocked. Does your water ingress occur after having the a/c turned on?

 

The last and most tricky place to see is the windscreen's sealant. I had a friend with a 2000 VW Polo whose car was turned into pool every time it rained. We cheked everything I described above. Finally he took the car to a bodyshop and they poured water with waterhose while two people were inside the car and checking for water ingress. They found that water was entering behind the pedals. It was a minor silicone gap, less than 1/3 of our small finger nail. 

 

I place my bet on stuffed gutters though. I am really interested on your findings. 

Edited 20 January, 20215 yr by stratosg

On 13/01/2021 at 22:04, mac11irl said:

he said the mechanic already replaced the membrane on the back door, thats why i said check the front

 

 

I missed that spot. You are right. 

Thankyou for your help. I have found one water inlet, which as you suggest is behind the pedals. I have to find out how to remove the lower panel, and see if I can find the hole you suggest through I presume to the bulkhead ? I also have to find the drain pipe from the a/c. I use the a/c regularly in this cold weather, and more so now to demist the screen. All windows are running with water since the leaks. i have poured water into the scuttle near the windscreen wipers, and it does drain out, but maybe I should remove the wheel arch covers to scrape out ?

It is so bad now, both sides of rear footwells, that I think I will have to remove front seats, and cut out carpet, because it will never dry at this rate. All this work, and the rain is relentless here in Wales. No chance of working in a garage. Best wishes.

The air con drain is almost impossible to get to easily from above, it is under a small pre pressed out flap in the heat shielding that covers the bulkhead in the engine bay.

 

If accessed from underneath you can see it reasonably easily near the centre of the car. It is not so much a pipe, but more of a bung that has its end cut to form a flap. if it is blocked, a short length of stiff wire (about 2 inches or so is ok, any longer will get close to the internals of the a/c system in the air box) moved around in the flap opening will clear it.

 

If it has got some water in there, stand to one side, as it comes out at a bit a rate once the flap is free to move - ask me how i know this.

I had a swimming pool I’m mine last year. After all the usual invest, checking drain holes in doors and the scuttle ect and making a water removing attachment for my vacuum cleaner it turned out to be the main electrical loom seal in the bottom of the scuttle above the steering column. Think the wiper assembly had to come out for access. The connection is held in by two nuts in the middle and guess it bowed slightly and the gasket hardened. Removed and cleaned it, seam sealed it and now dry as a bone. Takes forever to dry out though even with a vax type vacuum. 

11 hours ago, STOXFANATIC said:

Thankyou for your help. I have found one water inlet, which as you suggest is behind the pedals. I have to find out how to remove the lower panel, and see if I can find the hole you suggest through I presume to the bulkhead ? I also have to find the drain pipe from the a/c. I use the a/c regularly in this cold weather, and more so now to demist the screen. All windows are running with water since the leaks. i have poured water into the scuttle near the windscreen wipers, and it does drain out, but maybe I should remove the wheel arch covers to scrape out ?

It is so bad now, both sides of rear footwells, that I think I will have to remove front seats, and cut out carpet, because it will never dry at this rate. All this work, and the rain is relentless here in Wales. No chance of working in a garage. Best wishes.

 

At your other post about your issue there is a quite good explanation. 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/489027-water-ingress-in-footwell/?do=findComment&comment=5494943

 

Topics merged as there is no reason to have two.

Thanks to all who offered advice regarding the water ingress on my mk 1. It is bad now on both sides of rear footwells. I will be following up on ideas given.

Does anyone know where the main wiring harness runs front to rear ? The reason i ask is because I am thinking I will have to remove carpet and underfelt in order for it to dry.

Because it must be quite a job to remove, I am considering cutting carefully (say under front seats) and maybe side of footwells. Don't want to cut into harness, if it's around there.

Otherwise, advice please from anyone who has removed carpet, without dismantling half the car. Thanks in advance.

On 21/01/2021 at 07:58, Midgetace said:

I had a swimming pool I’m mine last year. After all the usual invest, checking drain holes in doors and the scuttle ect and making a water removing attachment for my vacuum cleaner it turned out to be the main electrical loom seal in the bottom of the scuttle above the steering column. Think the wiper assembly had to come out for access. The connection is held in by two nuts in the middle and guess it bowed slightly and the gasket hardened. Removed and cleaned it, seam sealed it and now dry as a bone. Takes forever to dry out though even with a vax type vacuum. 

Hi, quick question, I think I have the same issue, can you tell me how the wiring harness unplugs to give full access to clean and seal around the ecu, I don’t want to force it for fear of damaging it, thanks in advance, Conor

Not the ecu , whatever that thing is in the picture, wiring loom ? Thanks