General Water in boot of Fiat panda 169

[johnsonolly]

Hi,
I was fitting some seat covers the other day when I noticed condensation on my pumping my boot. I went to pick it up and realised that the carpet in the boot was soaked through. When I lifted the carpet up, my spare wheel was swimming in water. I dried it out and checked around for holes but couldn't see any, I had a friend pour water over the rear of the car whilst I sat inside to try to spot any leaks but couldn't see any.

I let it dry out then went for a drive the next time it rained to try to narrow the place of leaking down. I found that the carpet on the drivers side was wet first and checked under it, and saw that some plastic/paper cover over a hole in the shelf panel had soaked through and torn.

I tried taping on top of the paper sticker but the carpet still became damp after a test drive in the rain.

A few questions: is this a known issue? Where does the hole lead to? Will taping over the hole fix the issue or do I need to identify where the hole comes out on the exterior of the car and try to patch it there?

Thanks

 

[Lorna87]

Could it be a blocked seal around the boot?

A tip for drawing out moisture so you don’t get damp in the car from the water is to put a small bowl of salt in your boot. This will help draw out any residue moisture left from the initial water.

 

[koalar]

yes

but there isnt just one answer

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/461837-water-leaking-into-boot.html

if its none of the obvious I would take the trim off and sit in the boot while someone hoses the outside and watch for the entry point.

 

[johnsonolly]

Could it be a blocked seal around the boot?

A tip for drawing out moisture so you don’t get damp in the car from the water is to put a small bowl of salt in your boot. This will help draw out any residue moisture left from the initial water.

Blocked seal around the boot? How do I check for this please?

 

[johnsonolly]

yes

but there isnt just one answer

if its none of the obvious I would take the trim off and sit in the boot while someone hoses the outside and watch for the entry point.

Thanks, had a read through of that thread before posting but my leak seems to be presenting in a different way to the one in that thread. I tried the hosing of the outside whilst sitting in the back but no water came through.

 

[koalar]

Thanks, had a read through of that thread before posting but my leak seems to be presenting in a different way to the one in that thread. I tried the hosing of the outside whilst sitting in the back but no water came through.

did they pour just over the boot


Hose is better. you can spray underneath and wheel arches. Rear light cluster is fairly common


you could eliminate some seals by jamming or tapping some tissue paper around any possible entry point

you can normally see if even one drop has occurred as it normally leaves a trail of little beads.

 

[SPORTPACK50]

did they pour just over the boot


Hose is better. you can spray underneath and wheel arches. Rear light cluster is fairly common


you could eliminate some seals by jamming or tapping some tissue paper around any possible entry point

you can normally see if even one drop has occurred as it normally leaves a trail of little beads.

Talcum powder.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Becky had a problem with water getting into her boot and I wrote about it here: https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/461837-water-leaking-into-boot.html?461837=#post4352274 I'm pleased to say she's still keeping dry as a bone to this day.

 

[johnsonolly]

did they pour just over the boot


Hose is better. you can spray underneath and wheel arches. Rear light cluster is fairly common


you could eliminate some seals by jamming or tapping some tissue paper around any possible entry point

you can normally see if even one drop has occurred as it normally leaves a trail of little beads.

Okay, I'll have to buy my own hose first but then I'll give that a go.

I put some paper towels in the wiring behind the rear right light cluster and it didn't get wet but more water got into the boot. I took out the plastic tabs holding the side fabric in place and put more paper towels down to try to trace where the water is coming from and the paper towards the front of the car, just behind the right rear seat, was damp first. I was thinking maybe I should take the rear seats out so I can get a better look?

 

[DaveMcT]

Take out the carpet and empty the boot and dry up as much water as you can find. That way you might be able to see where the wet is getting in. With stuff in the way there's no chance.

 

[koalar]

Am I right the carpet is wet near the back of the rear seats ?

water from the hatch and rear lights doesn't normally pass the spare wheel well

I think you would have to park or drive on quite a steep hill to get damp here.

sunroof if fitted, rear doors windows, more likely

obviously if the spare wheel well has filled up and you brake sharply then water will reach here

 

[DaveMcT]

Water in the spare wheel well will have come from the rear door.

Check door seals with a torch at night. Fold down the rear seats and get a friend to shine a torch around the seal. Follow along from the other side. Light coming though is a potential leak. Do it from inside and from outside.

 

[johnsonolly]

UPDATE:
I fully emptied the boot, folded down the rear seats then sat inside as my dad sprayed water over the top of the car and up into the drivers side wheel arch. Result: water was coming in past the bolts that hold the back rest in on the drivers side, and through a seam between two sheets of metal on the back of the car (don't have a before photo, it's not covered by silicone)

We took the back rest out, out teflon tape round those bolts, and reinstalled then. We also tried to take the lower seat belt bolt out on the drivers side too, unfortunately that bolt is seized and snapped as we loosened it.
As you can see in the picture above, we put sealant onto the seam to try to stop water getting into the boot, but as you might guess by the cloths, that didn't work.


As you can see, water is still getting through somehow. We took the boot weather seal off and there was no water underneath, we put sealant on the metal seams at the top of the boot frame just to be safe, and still water gets in.

At a bit of a loss what to do next so any ideas will be much appreciated!

 

[26 Kiss]

Have just purchased a 2010 Panda .
First heavy rainfall and water in boot . Stripped out Boot Liner which was dry and fabric that covers rear wheel arch and water appears to to be trickling down from the small window behind rear door .
Have had window resealed and also going to take off roof bar and pump some sealant around bolt hole
Anyone had issues with this filling boot area?

 

[koalar]

Have just purchased a 2010 Panda .
First heavy rainfall and water in boot . Stripped out Boot Liner which was dry and fabric that covers rear wheel arch and water appears to to be trickling down from the small window behind rear door .
Have had window resealed and also going to take off roof bar and pump some sealant around bolt hole
Anyone had issues with this filling boot area?

Yes common for the boot to get wet

There isn't one answer

Tailgate seam
Arial
Light cluster
Rear quarter glass
Tailgate seal
Sunroof
Washer

And possibly more

It's a matter of diagnosing where the waters coming in

Sit in the bbot with all the trim stripped out and sprinkle with a hose PIPE. A dust with talcum powder might help

There's someone else with the same problem last week