Final Leak RH footwell - Really need some help

[Coxy]

Okay, so was ready to get the carpet in today, checked the car this morn after heavy rain and can see pool of water on RH drivers footwell! Omg.

Seems to be coming from up behind above the pedals but cannot see where. 

Attached a pic. 

Blue is where water is tracking down and pooling.

Red is traces of water you can see.

Any ideas??

I've poured water all over the shop and cannot seem to replicate it, it's worth noting I have just replaced the Roof rack seals (after seeing the water this morning) a couple were leaking, could that have caused it? Seems a long way off for water to track.

 

 

[chesterman]

I certainly would not dismiss the roof rack mount points, leaks are notoriously difficult to trace.   Given the location I would also have a good look at the front scuttle drains which must be directly above the visible ingress.   A blockage or damaged pipe here may be the culprit.   Just a thought.

[Coxy]

50 minutes ago, chesterman said:

I certainly would not dismiss the roof rack mount points, leaks are notoriously difficult to trace.   Given the location I would also have a good look at the front scuttle drains which must be directly above the visible ingress.   A blockage or damaged pipe here may be the culprit.   Just a thought.

Hi Chesterman

Thanks, do you know if the scuttle has specific drain tubes? I can't seem to locate any, it just seems to empty itself out around arches/body in a mildly controlled fashion.

Further, after extensive experimenting today I am more inclined to believe it was the rack seals. I pulled a bit of the headliner and it was wet right under the front rack seal area. Thing is the car is parked in an incline so the drivers side was sitting lower than the passenger side if that makes sense.

I feel the water may have tracked from the front rack seal down the A-pillar, down side of the dash and dripped where pictured above. Since doing the seals I have had the garden hose on every extremity possible, paying major attention to the windscreen seal areas, front scuttle (filled it up so much it was like a swimming pool) front door seals, front wing, sunroof, newly done rack seals etc etc and not a drop inside now. Really hoping it was the seals - as whole lotta work getting this car  & carpet spick and span that I don't wanna put the carpet back in with a known leak and be back to square one again!

[GrahamG]

Certainly there have been reported problems when the roof rack has been removed and the bolt holes have not been sealed correctly.

The only difference was ingress of water at the back.

Can well understand you must seal this car up properly before fitting those new carpets. To test if your roof rack sealing has solved the problem, rather than a hand held hose, how about one of those lawn sprinkler units and leave it 'raining' on the whole car for a good few hours.

Good luck. 

 

[Coxy]

Thanks Graham.

What I also note is these "seals" for the roof rack are very thin, when I think seal and with all my exposure of various cars and motorcycles I normally see some good quality rubber gasket.

Regrettebly what I've seen on the Lexus are literally paper thin seals for the roof rack bolts, and foam seals for the rear tail light gaskets. It's just compromises I've not seen on other vehicles. Perhaps it was engineering choice to save overall weight or cost?

My 1995 (read: over 20 years old) Mitsubishi Pajero has not shed a leak from the day I've had her (5 years) and as far as I know is on all original seals. Even the sun roof one and it's twice the size of the lexus sun roof!

[GrahamG]

Worth investigating which cartridge type sealants are used by reputable body repair shops. Sorry I can't remember the German sealant I bought for critical applications like yours but builders silicone for instance is not good enough.

Apologies for stating what may be the obvious.

[chesterman]

Unfortunately I cannot find any exploded view of the scuttle area and cannot therefore confirm drain tubes.   (Oh where is Mr Haynes when you need him!)   It may well be that they simply dump within the front end as you suspect.   Certainly you appear to have tested them in a thorough way and can now dismiss them as a cause.   My original comment was generated by the location and knowing how thoroughly blocked they can become.   Hope you have now sorted it.

[GrahamG]

Hope I am not confusing different models here but as you are being so thorough worth checking the cabin air filter is not wet.

Yes I know it is on the passenger side but if there is a blockage in the scuttle drainage then the filter might be soaked.

Access by releasing stays which hold the glove box lid.

[Coxy]

Front footwell leak is back - still at a loss on this one.

[GrahamG]

Sorry to hear you are still in the wars. Everyone on this site must have had their fingers crossed for you.

Have you searched the USA owners site? They have such an enormous number of these cars over there that problems are more frequent.

[Coxy]

Yep done that, not come up with any luck yet on other possible sources beyond the initial leads.

Took it to a windscreen shop yesterday who were very honest and helpfully reluctant to change the windscreen as they said whilst it is a aftermarket one it is well seated and not often the cause of the leaks.

Last night I took the roof rails back off and siliconed the holes right up just in case - still leaked from the rain last night.

 

[GrahamG]

I know it is not the most likely culprit but if you temporarily taped/sealed the sun roof you could eliminate that source.

[GrahamG]

If your local Lexus main agent would give you the name of the best body repair shop they use a visit to them might be worthwhile. They might know better than anyone where the vulnerable areas are.

[Coxy]

7 minutes ago, GrahamG said:

I know it is not the most likely culprit but if you temporarily taped/sealed the sun roof you could eliminate that source.

Not a bad idea. 

Might give that a go Graham

[Coxy]

Finally believe I've cracked this.

Noticed it coming in to the passenger side too when sat in car at lunch during heavy rain today.

Long story short it was coming down from behind the dash. 

Stuck some folded paper towels into the internal crease between where the windscreen meets the dashboard. Came came out with a wet edge on the paper towel. Tried it again and again, same, pulled the LH B pillar trim off, carefully examined the internal bond between screen and pillar, used paper towel method again here, came back wet edged.

Finally found a small leak in the seal between windscreen and bpillar, the bond was leaking.

It was trackign down to the front windscreen edge and tracking down to the footwells from there, dependend on where i parked (work = flat, home = RH decline) dictated which footwell the water tracked to.

Getting new screen put in on Monday. I'm 99% sure this is the cause of this mysterious leak. 

What;s made it unbelievable difficult to trace is there's a lipped plastic trim peice that sits under and surrounding the glove compartment, due to it being lipped (imagine a tea tray) it's had to fill up slightly from the leak before it overspills into the footwell. hence when I hose tested it I could see no obvious signs there and then. OMG huh.

[sorcerer]

Well H, I sincerely hope this is the end of your problems; you've certainly worked hard to beat it. Thanks for all the photos and the detailed write up - even though I hope I never have to refer back to it!! 

[Farqui]

Gawd, what a job. You've been a trooper following it thru this far. Fingers crossed that it's all sorted next week.

[Coxy]

Had windscreen replaced today at national windscreens, they showed me the old one and confirmed definitely the source of the leak, LH and LH bottom corner had not attached itself at all with the bonding material.

I was pretty confident it was this but always good to have your thoughts confirmed once and for all.

Also said the previous fitter didn't install the rain sensor stuff properly and asked if I had problems with auto wipers not working as they should - of which I had, so they sorted tghat too - Top service. 

Now just one rear tail light gasket remaining that I'm awaiting part for and she's all done!

[Farqui]

At last, so good to hear that the screen was an issue. A bonus that they fixed your rain sensing wipers too.