I have a leak ....

[Cymro1986]

Originally Posted by T4PAT

This is my 7th & 8th V40 I have owned, two of them leaked, a 2001 1.8 and the 2001 102 bhp Diesel, (blocked your ears) back then, I couldn't be arsed ,so I just drilled a hole in the tyre well! lol.
Touch wood, the rest have been fine! So they are prone to leaks.....

That was the method I used to drain the wheel well


Seems to be coming in the right side near the sub/rear light as that's the carpet that gets wet first but the light area seems dry, so might need to remove all the carpet to investigate further.

[bobthecabbage]

Mine has water in the spare wheel well.

Would certainly like to know where it is coming in!

[kieran40]

Bustersdad I bet youre poor v40 got wet tonight it was like a monsoon here tonight floods everywhere , if it carries on we will get what happend last year, the new sea defences at dawlish has a crack in it already lol, they are going to have to re route that rail line because I think the winters are going to stay wet and mild inbetween showers tonight I'm walking around in a t shirt it's so mild and warm it's the middle of November crazy lmao

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by busters dad

Is it a known problem for the V4o's to leak at some point during their life??
I have a small trickle that as far as I can see, enters on the right rear. Without removing all the side carpets in the boot, I haven't a clue where but it flows under the lower light cluster and into the tyre well. I also have a damp r/h side of the boot mainly in front of the speaker grill.

No, BUT nearly all cars that are not kept in a garage seem to develop some type of minor rain ingress issue once they reach about 20 odd years. Rain leaks are also a surprisingly common problem with new cars, although that tends to be just a badly fitted seal, or an out of alignment issue.

Odds on, one of the seals around a part like the aerial, rear door, washer jet , or even side door (My P1 door seal was damaged) is kaput, OR a drain hole is blocked. If the underbody is a bit rusty then it might even be a road spray issue.

Clean the car and check all the usual suspects (Assuming it's not coolant), if that does not locate the fault, try leaving a garden hose running on various areas just after a dry period after lining the boot or foot well with newspaper.
In a few bad truck cases, I've used Veggie dye in a bucket of water to help mark the sinner.

If you don't want to replace the seal, then black Silkoflex works well for repairing split or damaged seals or external gaskets. Not sure if you can get a small tube in the UK (It's a marine sealant), as a big tube is expensive.
Wear gloves, as it's a PITA to get off bare hands (There is no effective solvent), although not as bad as Superglue.

PS: Don't forget rain leaks travel, so the entry point might be some distance from the damp spot.

[busters dad]

Originally Posted by kieran40

Bustersdad I bet youre poor v40 got wet tonight it was like a monsoon here tonight floods everywhere , if it carries on we will get what happend last year, the new sea defences at dawlish has a crack in it already lol, they are going to have to re route that rail line because I think the winters are going to stay wet and mild inbetween showers tonight I'm walking around in a t shirt it's so mild and warm it's the middle of November crazy lmao

Ha Ha!! Maybe I should get Network Rail on the case :-D. It's certainly been crap up here in Launceston too. Doesn't help that we live on top of a hill high enough to see Princetown mast on Dartmoor to the left and Caradon Mast on Bodmin Moor to the right. On the odd sunny day we can even see Exmoor. The rain up here is horizontal and travels a great rate of knots.

Thanks all for your input. Process of elimination really. I shall start with re-sealing the light clusters .... Another odd thing is that the speaker grill to the l/h side of the boot well has evidence of water in the mesh. After spending 5 minutes with the missus squirting the rear end with the hose pipe while I fumbled about in the boot ... nothing. Diddly squat. The fluid collecting in the well is clear, if it is coolant then where would it be coming from at the rear end? No signs that the fluid is low although it's looking rather brown.

[Darlo 1]

Originally Posted by pierremcalpine

maybe a dumb question but is it definitely water (i.e. it's definitely not coolant)?

If its coolant its doing well to get into the spare wheel well.

[v40alex]

Originally Posted by busters dad

Another odd thing is that the speaker grill to the l/h side of the boot well has evidence of water in the mesh.

There's a couple of rubber gaitors inside the top of the boot lid that carry the cables for the lights, etc. Check those are properly seated.

It's quite easy to remove the D-pillar trim - pop the speaker grill off and you'll see screws, undo those and then pull - be careful as the metal tab fastener at the top of the trim is a bit sticky and can snap the plastic locator. Mine did but it was easy to fix with Araldite.

P.S. It definitely won't be coolant, I think they probably meant washer fluid, unlikely on the left as the feed is on the right.

[Darlo 1]

Also if you have replaced either of the rear struts it can leak in there if you are driving in the rain, tis where it is getting in on mine.

[BL08]

Talcum powder makes a good 'tell tale' to trace a leak - it smells nice as well.

Our V40 was collecting water in the wheel well and I ended up sealing everything (including under the roof rails) with some non-setting silicone gel/lubricant (plumbers' merchant). I think it was leaking around one of the two gaiters that carry the cables and washer pipe from the car body to the tailgate. There was water in beneath the headlining at the rear of the car but it wasn't from the aerial and the trace showed it emerging down the left hand side 'D Pillar'. It cured the leak and of course the car doesn't mist up like it was.

I went to check it was still all dry last weekend (several months since the repair) and got covered in bl**dy talcum powder!

[ma70]

Originally Posted by kieran40

..... the new sea defences at dawlish has a crack in it already lol, they are going to have to re route that rail line .....

Not the old "atmospheric" railway line? stayed in a house down there years ago with the folks when I was a kid, always remember playing skittles in the atmospheric railway inn happy days.