w124 wagon third row seat water leak

[87tdwagen]

Hello all,

After some driving in intense rain I have found that the third row seat footwell area was quite damp, I show no signs of leakage around my tailgate or rear windows. I checked inside the two side panels and all was dry in there.

Any ideas how this water is entering the footwell from below? I cannot find any obvious signs of entry.

Thanks,

[lkchris]

How about the rubber plug just in front of spare tire.

[Gilly]

LK, the spare is on the side, not under the passengers feet. That said, pretty weird, I would crawl around under the back to try to spot something. Another tactic would be to sit in the back and have someone hose the car down to try to find something from above, maybe the weatherstrip between the roof and tailgate right up above the rear window? Stumper.
Oh, there is an opening between the floor (footwell) area and I believe both sides, so it could be flowing from the right or left side into the footwell area back there, which would bring to mind things like the stationary (1/4 panel) window seal on one side, or the antenna mast seal, or possibly the sunroof drain? Not sure if that drain hose runs to the rear of the car or just behind the rear door (in front of the rear tire on one side or the other. Water leaks suck on TE's.
Gilly
EDIT: Also the rear washer solvent tank could be causing it, if the seal where the pump enters the tank is bad, or if yo use the rear washer, you could also have a bad washer hose squirting fluid into the rear area instead of the rear window, keep that in mind too. (rear washer working OK, and also is it low on fluid even if you don't use it much).

[Ron in SC]

which would bring to mind things like the stationary (1/4 panel) window seal on one side

Does water collect around the point where the top of the rear shocks are attached inside the wagon? The water is very likely leaking form the rear cargo area windows.

[psfred]

Check the door latch on the body -- if full of water, either the door gasket or the rear window seal is leaking. It will fill up the latch and then flow into the seatwell.

Peter

[A. Rosich]

Argh! Water leaks on S124s are a NIGHTMARE!!!!

My best bet would be you rear cargo door rubber seal, it is one of the first offenders in terms or rear water leakage and if it hasn't been change, it is time do to so.

About no signs of leakage, be sure this problem will not be obvious.

If the door seal is not the culprit, then I am sure is either one of the rear side windows rubber seals or the antenna base.

More complex leaks involve the sunroof drains, but that should not affect the third row footwell.

[87tdwagen]

I'll keep checking for signs of entry, washed it down with a hose around the rear 1/4 windows, rear hatch glass, hatch and antenna no signs of leaks.
When this first occured I had the floor flat and a cargo mat covering the whol floor area. After the trip neither the cargo floor nor covering mat were damp at all or any area around the tailgate, just the third row foot well, checked the side compartments and they were dry.

I'll pull the carpet from the footwell to seal if there is a drain or missing seal that would have allowed the water in to just this area. Has anyone done this before? There are some blck plastic fasteners that I assume should be pulled straight up and out, is this correct?

TIA

[Bob Weir]

Longshot ... Floor panel that covers the accumulators? This floor panel has a lip under the backrest of the 3rd seat. If loose, water could splash up and seap into 3rd seat footwell.

Bob
PS Hijack thread. I replaced self leveling fluid & filter and inde did accumulators. Rear end now stays up, controller won't change height. Any "Longshot ideas before I replace the controller?

[Ron in SC]

Another possible leak source.

The shocks for the taligate have rubber bellows which are to fit snugly into the body. Maybe one of those is leaking. I would think if it was leaking from there it would not be to hard to detect.

[Gilly]

I wouldn't pull any carpet out to look for a missing floor pan plug, just look under the car!
Gilly

[Lostyankee]

This may sound off the wall but: when I was tracking down a roof leak in an impossible Rube Goldberg roof, an old fart told me to lightly spray water on areas of concern and dust with flour. Any water running across the flour will leave a 'trail'. I have done this with double sided tape on cars with a lot less mess.
Good luck and please post results.

[Bob Weir]

I can just see Ron going down the road and "a good ol boy" SC Highway patrolman pulling him over. Ron, you better have a lotta "powdered" doughnuts in there and convince Smokey you're a baker. LOL

[Bob Weir]

YIKES!!! I just realized the screen name of the flower man.

Ron, Lost Yankee might be setting you up.

Gotta better idea. Ron, I swap wagons with you. I'll send yours to my son in Arizona and you can have mine. It doesn't leak, but it does have a few other "issues."

Bob

[stevenatale]

If it helps any check the rear side windows (above spare tire). I pulled back the window seal from inside the car (124 wagon)
and found some rust. It was obviously leaking for quite awhile.
Steve N.

[el presidente]

I just discovered this on mine last night (no leaks when I bought the car 18 months ago). We've had very heavy rain in the last week.

Arrgh...