General Water Leak -Boot

[Herts Hillhopper]

If you remove the rear lights (see this recent thread) the hole The Panda Nut found was where the mastic seal had missed a bit - bottom of the section normally behind the light. In this photo there’s no hole because the seal is complete, but was in the area circled.

 

[bugsymike]

If you remove the rear lights (see this recent thread) the hole The Panda Nut found was where the mastic seal had missed a bit - bottom of the section normally behind the light. In this photo there’s no hole because the seal is complete, but was in the area circled.

View attachment 481618

It's all part of car manufactures planned built in obsolescence, that and making it hard to obtain certain parts.
Of course it may be a "safety feature", if cars fill up with water then less likely to float away in floods caused by global warming, so easier to recover the occupants.

 

[TTR]

Eh ip

Just follow my thread and get it from underneath

It’s easy just start at a short edge feel for clips and push gently in to the boot. You refit from the boot side

Absolutely no need to take bumper of

Seal up aroundventire edge on plastic and bodywork for good measure

Use a high quality sealing ie sikoflex

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

…Absolutely no need to take bumper off

Yup - photo was only to show what you’re aiming for, not suggesting taking the bumper off

 

[crispyy]

Looking at the funny vent with the rubber flaps, I can't help but wonder if a 3D printed part wouldn't help prevent water from splashing inside

Like a part that still allows air flow, but just prevents water from "seeping" inside. I don't know how much clearance there is inside, but maybe like a partial "trough" would fit inside?

I made a rough sketch:

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Looking at the funny vent with the rubber flaps, I can't help but wonder if a 3D printed part wouldn't help prevent water from splashing inside

Like a part that still allows air flow, but just prevents water from "seeping" inside. I don't know how much clearance there is inside, but maybe like a partial "trough" would fit inside?

I made a rough sketch:

View attachment 481643

good idea - but if you have spare wheel, maybe not room for that. The main issue is that the plastic part is not sealed to the metal - it rattles loosely in the hole its fitted into.

This type of vent is common in all modern cars...often fitted to the sides of the car between the rear wheel and the back of the car, and again, covered by the bumper. The short overhang of the Panda (and 500) sees it fitted on the back part of the car instead.

 

[crispyy]

but if you have spare wheel, maybe not room for that

I have no spare, but I have a tire repair kit and a big styrofoam "filler" that it attaches to. It uses up pretty much all the space, like a spare would.

There is however a little gap between the Styrofoam and where I think this vent is located. I stowed my first aid kid and warning triangle there.
I haven't really seen this vent tho, is it behind a trim part? I need to take a look at it later to see how much space I could spare for the trough.

The main issue is that the plastic part is not sealed to the metal - it rattles loosely in the hole its fitted into.

Sounds like something that some silicone caulk would fix.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Sounds like something that some silicone caulk would fix.

Yup -- read the first post in the thread

 

[Foxjob]

@TTR Any luck? I'm having the same issue. Leak entering the spare wheel well. I have a rubber boot floor which is dry on top so the ingress point into the boot itself (not necessarily the car) must be below the floor of the boot.

I have the old carpet normally in under the plastic floor. If I have both in, after rain, the carpet is wet, pooling in the wheel well and the carpet on the left and right that connects to the floor from the wall is wet.

Dried it today, held a hose over the roof for 2 mins at a time before checking, no leak annoyingly.

Tried to remove the plastic cover that sits on top of the half of the boot latch that attaches to the car, has two plastic clips within the boot attaching it which I got out, but I couldn't work out how to remove it (see bit circled in photo). Seems to be attached underneath somehow, did you manage to remove it?

Thinking my issue may be around there too, but really want to see it leaking so I can be sure

Many thanks for the photo, I had the same problem but I was getting lost on the vents I read and there location . I've drilled a small approx. 5 mm in the boot bottom drain plug and heat shield which is below the plug to drain any water in the future. I had about 1" deep of water which was where the drain plug is situated. Panda 1.3 2013 4x4 not long bought, so still finding things out. No other parts of the upper boot was wet so couldn't find the reason where it was coming from but forum members have said seals on the rear cluster lights might be to reason too?

 

[Foxjob]

I have no spare, but I have a tire repair kit and a big styrofoam "filler" that it attaches to. It uses up pretty much all the space, like a spare would.

There is however a little gap between the Styrofoam and where I think this vent is located. I stowed my first aid kid and warning triangle there.
I haven't really seen this vent tho, is it behind a trim part? I need to take a look at it later to see how much space I could spare for the trough.



Sounds like something that some silicone caulk would fix.

Thanks for that fix too, I have the same but I want to replace the repair kit for a space saver.

 

[Jazbee]

I am pretty certain that the vents is the MAIN source of the issue, like some others have found, dry boot floor and rear seats floor, must mean leak is below the hatch level and directly entering spare wheel well.

With all the rain in Jan / Feb we had many deep puddles and flooded roads.....water has been brought up and entered the vents and directly to the well.

I will seal around the vents to start with but don't want to block off air circulation. I like the idea of a 3D printed trough as above, this would allow air flow but also deflect most road water, maybe a bit taller than the vents would ensure that, and add 2 or 3 small holes at the base incase any water gets over the top, good idea though

 

[Jazbee]

PS. I was thinking the 3D Printed Trough (or Baffle) would be better fitted outside / bumper side.

 

[crispyy]

I will seal around the vents to start with but don't want to block off air circulation. I like the idea of a 3D printed trough as above, this would allow air flow but also deflect most road water, maybe a bit taller than the vents would ensure that, and add 2 or 3 small holes at the base incase any water gets over the top, good idea though

My main printer was out of commission for some weeks while I was waiting for a replacement part. Now I got it and hopefully can start printing again.

The challenges now are finding time/motivation to design a part. I have a lot in my 3d printing backlog at the moment as well.
Maybe as I get notifications for this thread I will remember about this.

PS. I was thinking the 3D Printed Trough (or Baffle) would be better fitted outside / bumper side.

I also thought about designing it to fit outside since it would work better for people with a spare tire/LPG tank. I need to understand how the flaps are moving when the fan is on tho, and for that I'd need to remove the bumpers. Another consideration is how much space there is outside as well.
No idea how to remove the rear bumper and I reckon there's no guide in the forum showing it step by step. I assume there is instructions in a post somewhere, maybe the other forum members can link it? (sorry if it has been linked already, I might have missed it)

 

[Jazbee]

My main printer was out of commission for some weeks while I was waiting for a replacement part. Now I got it and hopefully can start printing again.

The challenges now are finding time/motivation to design a part. I have a lot in my 3d printing backlog at the moment as well.
Maybe as I get notifications for this thread I will remember about this.



I also thought about designing it to fit outside since it would work better for people with a spare tire/LPG tank. I need to understand how the flaps are moving when the fan is on tho, and for that I'd need to remove the bumpers. Another consideration is how much space there is outside as well.
No idea how to remove the rear bumper and I reckon there's no guide in the forum showing it step by step. I assume there is instructions in a post somewhere, maybe the other forum members can link it? (sorry if it has been linked already, I might have missed it)

You don't need to remove the bumper to see how the flaps work. If you start the car, put fan on and close doors. Lay down on a pad at the back of car you will see vents with flaps on the outside, sort of above the rear silencer. The flaps are flimsy, I would think it would only need around 30mm standoff to allow the flaps to open enough for air flow.....in fact you won't need flaps really if you have the baffle.
Probably would need to remove bumper for installing one though (there are vids on YouTube on Panda bumper removal for tow bar install etc). Fixing, could be Sikaflex adhesive will be perfect....or combination of a Pop Rivet each side with Sikaflex on mating faces?