Water in car

I noticed today, after a load of rain that there is a small area which seems to accumulate water. Its tough to describe, but if you look along the rear parcel shelf of the car, there are two small cubby holes (symetrical one at each end) just behind where the seat belt reels from. If you close your rear window, the little dangly bit of your zip will be sitting about an inch above the area I am trying to describe. It seems to have some carpet partially obscuring it but there is a plastic area there, and it seems to hold water when it rains.

Well if anyone has any idea what I am talking about my question is where might this be coming from? my hood has a couple of small tears, at the base where the hood meets the rain rail, (about 1.5 cm vertical split) I wish I could smear some silicon on them but I cant really get to it. Could this be the source of the water? Last time I noticed this I thought it was because I hadn't zipped my rear window completely shut. But I did this time. (11/99)

These cubby holes are not to keep your gloves in - they're the water collectors for the hood rain rail - ie they are where water which drains off the hood is channelled to by the rain rail which runs round the bottom of the hood (but is normally invisible). They should drain themselves. There's a hole in the bottom of each, connected to a tube which comes out of the bottom of the car. It is common for these tubes to get blocked - then the "cubby holes" overflow and you get water collecting in the sills (because their drain holes are small and easily blocked as well). (Subject of a FAQ) So check that the "cubby hole" drains are clear - carefully stick a long thin wire down them - and check that the sill drain holes (and whilst you're at it) - the door drain holes are all clear. (11/99)

This is where the water from round the roof drains away there should be a small hole (prone to blocking up) this hole has a rubber pipe attached to it on the outside of the car this allows the water to drain away... Take another look and locate this hole using a piece of wire or a small brush clean out the hole and dislodge and dirt.... If this hole/ rubber pipe does become blocked it can flood the car. (11/99)

Thanks to all those who replied, stuck a coat hanger down the dodgy hole behind the seat, and loads of water gushed out of the car....!(11/99)

I was noodling on my guitar at the weekend and broke a string. A tad annoyed at this (having no replacement at the time) it then struck me that the offending string would be perfect for cleaning the hood drain holes on my '5! Went outside and poked the eyelet end of the string up the outlet nozzle and presto: perfect cruft cleaning action! I had thought my holes were clear but still managed to get a really good load of snot out of the tubes and onto my arm. If you know of anyone that plays guitar, ask them to reserve you a broken string, they usually break at one end and remain quite long and useful. Guitar string anatomy is lovely for this job, long flexible and most have a round eyelet wound onto one end which makes the perfect de-crufting device. They're also pretty damn useful for lots of other things. (2/01)

My 5 has decided to start leaking and building condensation inside the car, due to this my seats are pretty wet and there's too much condensation on the front and rear screens to get rid of by putting heaters on, also there was a nice layer of fur building up. (1/00)

Make sure the seals above the door press firmly together when the roof is up, this is a common problem with 5 roofs, I had a major leak from this whilst driving to Oxford Mazda once, virtual river coming in on the passenger (lucky) seat/floor. (1/00)

Almost certain to be the hood drains. If they are blocked, water will build up inside the hood recess and spill into the area behind the seats. Have a look upwards from just in front of the rear wheels and you should see a small plastic tube. Push a bit of flexible wire up this and you should get a flood of mucky water in your face ;~) (1/00)

Yeh- I had wet areas(even in the boot) and it turned out to be the hood drains blocked. If you drop the hood, look in the area of the hood hinge mechanism rear of the door pillars you may well see the water laying in the trough surrounding the drain hole. poke around the trough with a straightened coat hanger and you will find the drain (it's easier than crawling around under the car) (1/00)

I have caught glimpses of mails in the past which refer to hood drainage points other then the only two which I am aware of, behind the seat belts on the inside of the car which exit underneath the sills. Could someone please tell me if there is more then these two I should be checking? (1/00)

The others are at the top outer edge of the windscreen, and drain the fwd seal. They are located in the little rubber ears just above the quarter glass and drain down through the pillar to the front guard.(1/00)

I own a 1990 Eunos Roadster. The damp London climate has caused the inside of the roof to become covered in mould. Unfortunately, I only use the car approx 1 or 2 times a week and do not have the facilities to garage the car. Eventually I would hope to get a hardtop but in the meantime does anyone have any advice for treating/removing the mould and how to prevent it occurring again? (1/00)

This is what I did. It was my own invention and people on the list thought it mightn't be a good idea but my roof has been fine for over a year. Basically I bought Garden Mould remover from my local Homebase and diluted it a lot because it is very nasty stuff. Rubbed it on and hey prestor, no mould ever since.

BTW, have you checked that the pipes to drain the roof water behind the seat belts aren't blocked? Mine were and there was a pool of stagnant water, probably what was causing the mould in the first place. (1/00)

I have a Mk1 MX5 and the roof leaks. On the back window the plastic has sort of 'gone loose' at the bottom corner and if there is a lot of rain it runs down the back and in to the grove of the 'loose bit' and leaks in to the back of the car. Other than the obvious, buying a new roof, does anyone know of any fixes?? (1/00)

I don't understand. However you can just replace the back window section if this is the bit that is leaking. Also if it is leaking at the bottom (where the roof meets the car) it may have been put together wrong. I have heard of this causing problems. Also have you checked the drain holes? If water can't get out though these it will find another way out. (1/00)

Please help... I have a problem where the drip cup on the drivers side is overflowing and pouring into the the drivers side footwell... yesterday I was sitting in about 1cm of water... I was tamping... I am about to take it into the dealers today and play holy murders... any ideas... I have only had this problem since the bodyshop removed the hood when replacing a panel on my MK2... (2/00)

I think I know what is wrong with your roof. I think the problem is the door is not fitting properly. I had the overflowing "overflowing drip cup" problem on my mark 1. In my case I caught something in the door when closing it (No not a salesman's fingers, something else) This pushed the door out just enough to let the water in. Quite how this causes the drip cup to overflow is beyond me. I corrected the problem by bending the door back. Since you car is under warranty I would not recommend you try this yourself. (2/00)

My girlfriends uk 91 model started to do this recently depending on how much rain we'd had and I was a bit worried as this was the only place it got wet. The water we were getting on the seat appeared to be coming from inside the joint in the rubber above the window, (the frame is also rusty behind the rubber at this point anyone any advice on that ?) I knew that there were drainage holes around the front somewhere but could not find them. I had however noticed a build up of scummy looking stuff around the front drivers side wheel every time it rained, so decided to investigate. To cut a long storey short I removed the first tree bolts and funny screw thing from the wheel arch liner and fished out ten years of mud and crap from behind it and from the bottom of the inside front wing. Has been fine ever since and believe me since I've done it, it's rained. (9/01)

My 92 V-Spec passenger door sill sloshed noisily as I pulled out of my parking space at church yesterday, and remembering a post I had read a couple of days earlier, I thought to myself - I know how to sort this" I fished out a rogue leaf from the left drain cup and poked a bit of nylon cable down the hole, a loud sloosh later and I figured all was well.

Pah! As if.

I drove about a bit, braking and accelerating hard and my soothing sea shore noise is still there. Both rear drain holes are clear, the front holes also got the nylon mouse treatment, but were clear anyway. Anyone know how to release my stowaway water? (4/00)

There are drain holes in each sill, where the slot in the jack goes. In order to release the water push a straightened paperclip or similar into the hole on the seam. Do both jacking points on both sills. If you do not get rid of the water, your sills fill up until your carpets and soundproofing start to get all soggy, as I found out last year. I find I have to do mine every year in the springtime. Hope this helps. (4/00)

Perfect answer! The hardest bit was finding a paperclip ;) I poked it up the seam at two points on both sides and it steadily released about 2 litres of misty rainwater which has done the trick. Thank you! (4/00)

I also had this recently. It was due to the numpties at the garage not connecting the plastic tubes properly when they replaced the rear wing. The coat hanger down the hole trick appeared to work, but the water was taking a different route. If you've had any work done to the rear end of the car recently, suspect this. I see from a later message that yours was a different problem, but I thought it still worth mentioning. (4/00)

I have a problem with water (occasionally) dripping through the rubber seal above the drivers side window. Is this common? I ve noticed that the drivers side window winds up higher than the passenger side, this maybe the cause.Does anyone know if the window height is adjustable? I'll be grateful for any help or advice. (4/00)

I have had this problem in the past... as it happened it was as a result of the soft top coming off and then being put back on... apparently the door seal neede to be replaced... may be worth asking. (4/00)

The height the window winds to is adjustable with 2 stops. You have to take the door panel off and remove the plastic sheet, fighting the black gunk from hell (you'll know what I mean, best bet is to use a knife to cut through the black gunk rather than pull it apart). if you then look at the top of the door you will be able to see 2 L shape plates bolted on (10mm from memory) these stop the pulleys as the window raises.

Water leaks can be cured by pushing the seals on the roof edge together, they separate over time as the hood is put up and down. Easy 2 second job. (4/00)

Join the club! I have a chamois under my seat so when it rains I can quickly mop the water up before it soaks me and the seat! I have noticed that it only occurs when you are travelling along and the rain is enough that the water runs of the screen and along the side windows. It makes it worse if you put the wipers on! if you find a cure let me know! (4/00)

Beware altering these stops;
1. the front rubber strip in the quarterlight bulges and breaks a little bit at the top
2. Windows start to rattle .. the trick is to set the front one a little low so when up the window twists and is forced into the quarterlight frame .. very effective anti-rattle method. (4/00)

Try smearing the black rubber seals with a thin (very thin) coat of Silicon grease. Don't forget the joint faces half way along. Did our 3 years ago, with a light smearing every year, no leaks. Also after putting the roof up, open & close both doors... it works for me! (4/00)

Whenever there's a bit of heavy rain I get a pool of water collecting in the boot, in the recess where the jack is stored. I looked all over to see where it's getting in but cannot find anything obvious. It's a bit frustrating since I cant simply wait until it rains then watch since I need to open to boot to look and therefore water is bound to get it. Has anyone else had the same problem, anyone know how to cure it. (4/00)

Check the seal around the rear light cluster (4/00)

I had this problem. The solution (to my problem) was simple. There is a hole next to the fuel filler cap. This hold drains rain water though a tube in the boot and out of a hole at the bottom.

In my case the tube had not been connected at the top. So the rain just collected in the boot. This thoughtful modification was done by the twits who repaired the car last year. Another possible cause of the problem is the seem between the wing and the boot floor. (Can you guess how I found this out?)

If you can't see a problem then the only other way to find it this is to remove everything from the boot (jack, spare wheel and ALL the carpet). Then dry the boot out (with kitchen paper towels or similar). Then wash the car, and be a bit keen with the hose pipe. i.e. plenty of water all over the boot/lights/wheel arches. Don't use a pressure washer though, or it will leak for sure.

Finally either wait for the boot to dry or chammy it dry. Then open the boot and see where the leak is. (4/00)

I had this problem only last week. Managed to catch it in time! Little pool of water. Remove both of the rear lights on the car and get some bathroom sealant. Remove the back seal off the light and put sealant on both sides and replace the lamp. More than likely as the seal has got old it has shrunk. I found that the rear light screws were not done up very tight. Make sure you tighten these up and you should have no more water leaks! Touch wood so far no water! (5/00)

For some reason I seem to be getting loads of water condensing inside the boot of my car. Is this a common winter problem in 5s?? So much water is gathering on the boot it's making the carpet very damp and even causing condensation inside the Multichanger causing skipping.

The boot for the rest of the year has been faultless, even in the biggest downpours so I don't think it's leaking...

Any comments or suggestions as how to remove such an amount of water welcome, I don't want the carpet to rot. I leave the car outside so unfortunately can't leave the boot open to let it dry out. (12/00)

Seal the gap at the top of the light clusters with clear silicon rubber. Solved mine. (12/00)

Humidity in the boot is caused either by a leak (often at the tail light seals) or, more common, by clogged top drain tubes. (12/00)

Mine had this problem but you'll find that the nuts that hold the rear light in have over time loosened as the seals have aged. Get some bathroom sealant from B&Q and seal it all up and tighten the nuts. Mine hasn't leaked since. (12/00)

My 91 mx5 has a t-piece of rubber (about washer hose size) just behind the battery which plugs into the boot floor, ie possible exit for water but into no where else. It appears that most of the water comes in around the battery area, unfortunatley I didnt catch this problem soon enough and a bit of rust is showing the offending area. Any idea if that is a surplus hose, if not where does it plug in, 2 places ?? (1/01)

The battery drain tubes .. should plug into either side of the battery and vent gases to the outside world .. very unlikely to cause a leak. (1/01)

Somewhere by where you jack up the car fore and aft, I believe there are 8 holes (two front and back) to let water out. I put my car on a hoist and both the mechanic and I couldn't find the darn things. I was looking for a hole about the size of a nail. My cat has been sprayed with some sealant underneath, perhaps covered over. Please can someone explain exactly where they are i.e one handwidth behind jack indentation, three inches in, etc.? (6/01)

See if this helps http://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/s034_94.html Apparently the holes are *very* small. Apart from the diagram, there are links to actual photos. (6/01)

There are also the rubber tubes which drain water from the hood - they are big enough to poke your finger in. The sill drain holes are in the seam which runs the length of the sills - near the jacking point you should see a slight bulge in the seam and be able to poke a paperclip or small screwdriver in. (6/01)

Last night during horrendous wind and rain, our Mk 2 decided to leak profusely from the window seals it the top of the windows. It seems parking it on a sloped drive makes matters worse, so I put it on the road which limited the ingress The questions are.... a. Is this normal behaviour for a Mk 2 ?? b. If not, has this happened to anyone else ?? How was it rectified ?? c. The car is still under warranty, shall I hassle them about this ?? (7/01)

a. Is this normal behaviour for a Mk 2 ??

Yes and no: it happens, but it can be cured.

b. If not, has this happened to anyone else ?? How was it rectified ??

In my case the roof clamps needed to be tightened. Other possibilities: adjust the side window or replace window seals if they are worn (not likely unless you have a very old mk2). You do lower your windows before closing the top, do you?

c. The car is still under warranty, shall I hassle them about this ??

No hassling required. A decent dealer should be able to fix this in a couple of minutes. (7/01)

My MKII has been in the most torrential downpours you could possible image (In France in summer). I have never had so much as a drop of water in it. When I clean the car, I always make sure that the hood fits well when up. Maybe it's an adjustment thing? (7/01)

The roof seems tight enough, I've checked it. It appears that the seals around the window are slightly pushed in to the spape of the window is this normal ?? The window has little or no play so I presume the runners are good ?? I'll take it to Mazda !! (7/01)

I find that keeping all the rubber bits clean, and giving them the occassional wipe over with a water repellant protector such as Armorall helps a lot. I got one or two drops through last night - first time in ages, because I haven't cleaned it since spring! (7/01)

Most people I know, me included, had this prob because the latches needed to be tightened. This is something you could do yourself. If the problem has to do with the side sills, then take it to a dealer. I know of two cars that had defective seals and had them changed under warranty. (7/01)