stujay54

I have had similar issues with my windows - I went through all the wiring and checked each door switch - as they sit right where water can get into them if you open the door when raining/forget to fully close the window etc I felt it would be worth while. Turned out all the switches were corroded to some degree and all had failed. Now to get some more new switches!

Scuttle drains are clear and water drains ok. When it drains, it runs down behind the liner between it and the rear of the wheel arch. As it runs down, it was seeping into this seam. It was obvious that there was a gap inbetween the panels which are, of course spot welded. As is standard body assembly practice, these deficiencies are sealed with a silicone body caulk. It is this caulking that was not sufficiently applied and therefore allowing a small leak by capillary action. Over time, the floor fills up and then we have water sloshing around everywhere. I'm away from home at the moment but will report back and photograph the offending location (now sealed) so that the area can be identified for the aid of others on here who may be, or have been, like me tearing their hair out!

As a new owner of a 2002 2.3 Ghia manual with what seems the perennial wet carpet syndrome I trawled the various threads on this (and other) forums. First find? rear washer pipe connector dislocated. Great, I thought, sound deadening underfelt cut out and put to dry whilst I successfully sorted the connector and monitored the situation. Didn't need to wait long, with the current weather - still water ingress! :-( Scuttle drains checked, wiper assembly stripped out, scuttles fully cleaned of 12 years of crap and pollen filter changed. Time to monitor again... STILL getting a wet floor but at least the carpet is already up! OK, search behind the glovebox revealed... nothing, dry as the preverbal bone. So, a watering can of water down the windscreen and over the scuttle area and another hard look and... Lo and behold, weeping from behind some of the panel sealant at the welded seam between the wheel arch and the heel board. I cleaned off the old sealant and it became apparent that the problem had probably been present since the body was assembled! All cleaned up, dried up and new silicone sealer injected into the seam and now we wait...