I noticed this on my car back when I first got it.

I looked under the carpet and found the under carpet padding quite saturated with water. This started me on your typical e23 leak finding adventure.

I had to do the following:

1. cleared out the plugged sunroof drains.
2. replaced the trunk gasket (water was running into the trunk and then under the rear seat into the footwells).
3. replaced the tail light gaskets (water into trunk was finding its way into footwells).
4. cleaned out cowl drains.
5. replaced heater core to firewall gasket (water was running from cowl area into front seat footwells and then into rear footwells).
6. sealed rubber gaskets around wire harnesses passing through firewall.
7. checked windshield and rear window gaskets for leaks.

After that, no more drips, no more saturated padding; stays bone dry in a monsoon.

I had to take all the padding and carpet out and let it dry in the sun a couple days before it got really dry.

• Footwell Drain? (pic) - bvachon 2008-11-28 17:09:50 (170 views)
  • probably a bit more complicated than that... - cambridge 2008-11-28 18:01:33 (123 views)
    • Re: probably a bit more complicated than that... - bvachon 2008-12-04 18:40:25 (44 views)
    • Cambridge, what a fantastic post. I'm battling a damp E23 interior or two - phathome 2008-11-29 02:26:29 (74 views)
      • I guess with a 20+ yr car I need to expect a little tidying up work... - cambridge 2008-11-29 18:59:11 (62 views)
        • Currently battling damp under seat padding in rear seat - phathome 2008-12-08 07:17:10 (44 views)
          • Hey Phillip... If its small enough and located just right... (pic) - wabiker 2008-12-08 08:27:45 (61 views)
            • Thats a great idea, will try it. Thanks for posting :-) (nt) - phathome 2008-12-08 08:58:06 (30 views)