Help! Water inside the van!

[lennsuey]

We have a wet carpet in the main part of the van, and just discovered this morning that there is also water getting into the compartment underneath the rear seat

Does anyone know what this could be, or has had a similar problem?

Thanks!

[itchyfeet]

is there a factory fitted cabin heater under the rear seat? if so these are connected to the cooling system and can leak when old.

[AdrianC]

is there a factory fitted cabin heater under the rear seat? if so these are connected to the cooling system and can leak when old.

Depends on if it's just water, or if it's coolant. I'm _presuming_ here that you've got something more than plain tap water in your cooling system, Lennsuey? If not, you're gonna have bigger problems!

Assuming it's water ingress, then look for signs of where it's coming from. Window corners, tailgate, roof edges/windows/skylights. You're seeing it in the low points. If it's getting into the box under the back seat, it's probably running for'ard from either the rear body side windows or the tailgate.

[lennsuey]

I've just taken out all three bits of foam that make up the rear seat/bed, and discovered they are all wet on one side

I have a very nasty feeling that it is something to do with when we had a rear 3point belt fitted in the back on the passenger side. The company that did it, which were recommended, didn't do a great job in our opinion. The belt is fitted somewhere inside the bit where the rear vent is, and the belt is often wet when you pull it out, when it's been raining.

I'm getting it checked in a couple of weeks time, hopefully they can work out what it is. If I find it's connected to the belt fitting, I wonder what my chances are of compensation from the fitter!!

[clift_d]

We also had a new 3 point belt installed in the rear that had an anchor point fitted from outside through the rear offside vent, but I can't see how that would leak much water unless the louvred vent cover was missing and the fitter had made a massively oversized hole.

I would start by checking any skylights/ rack fittings on the roof at the back of the van and the seals around your rear door, for example where your ladder is attached - it's amazing how far any water coming in through these things can track before re-emerging. We had a leak from the front top skylight on our Westy that was working its way through the hi-top and finally dripping out at the top of the nearside and offside A-pillars.

Good luck with it.

[rob1927]

Have a look at your windows outside, check for bubbling or flaking paint close to the seals the corners usually go, also my van was letting water in through the seals between the glass and the rubber, wait till its tipping it down with rain and have a close look inside. Maybe put some kind of powder talc or something along the edge of your windows inside and look for any wet bits or disturbances after a down pour.

Maybe that helps, my tailgate window was leaking and the water from that leak was travelling almost to the front of the van i could follow its path as the inside is gutted out at the moment. My rear heater also leaked, is was goosed anyway so i disconnected it.