This seems a little strange, when I open the rear passenger door after it has rained, water will pour out from the door jamb threshold area. It collects on the inside of the gasket and then pours out when I open the door. Looks like it gets pretty full of water if given the chance. Before I start doing garden hose experiments, does anyone have any experience with this problem? I have never seen anything quite like it.

Thanks,

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I think those tubular seals have holes in them for drainage, do they not? Stating the obvious, but have you checked for dryness/cracks? I suppose you could have a leak that gets in at top and runs out the holes at bottom when they aren't sealed up by the door being closed.

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

There are rubber one way valves to drain water on the bottom of the door that are clogging. You have 2 choices, you can jam something up there like a pen, stick, etc to unjam the clog or you can do what I did when I got tired of the problem. That was just to grab the rubber valves with needle nose pliers and just yank them out and throw them in the trash. They get clogged with all sorts of dirt, leaves, etc that's in the rainwater and never really stay unclogged. Funny/peculiar sound when you're opening and closing the door and can hear water sloshing around though, huh?

By the way, there are a few of these all over the undercarriage of the car. Just get rid of them all.

Hi Mike ,---- My wife's 98 C230 does the same thing after a heavy rain or car wash.Take a look at the 2 drain holes, the are half-moon shaped & are only positioned at the very front & rear of sheet metal roll over lip. No drain hole in the center, plus both holes are approx 1/8 " above the bottom. If the car is sitting on level ground it builds up, when you open the doors, it disturbs the level & the water comes gushing out. About twice a year blow the drain holes with compressed air , driving up & down hills will keep the water drained . I think they are functioning as designed.------- Ray

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. However, I should have been more clear. The water is not collecting inside the door itself, but inside the car behind the seal. For example, if you were sitting in the back seat with the doors closed and you poured a cup of water down by the door, it would just slosh around there until you open the door when it would all pour out at once. That is what is happening. The only clue I ever saw is once it looked like a little trail of water drops was coming down from the door latch strike in the jamb. Looks like I will be doing some hose experiments.

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I have done more observation and I have found 2 things:

1) The water comes out at the bottom of the door behind the trim panel (at the point where the trim panel touches the door. Again, this is inside the cabin, in "front" of the rubber seal. So the water collects in the footwell.

2) It only happens when I park in a particular parking space where the car is leaning slightly toward the driver side.

I have not tried parking backwards in the space to see if the problem would move to the driver side rear door.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I had that happen to me in an old VW Golf years ago. The problem with the water collecting down on the floor is that it got very stagnant in the summer months, and oh yeah, when it was real hot, my car steamed up from the inside like a sauna. I'd have to start it and wait 10 minutes with the front and rear defrost on full blast while the condensation cleared. My car smelled like a locker room full of dirty gym socks after a short time of having standing water on the carpet. I searched and searched for how the water was getting in but never could find it.

My solution was very easy, effective and crude. I got under the car with a drill with a small bit and put 2 small holes in the footwell (not the carpet) to drain the water. Problem solved...