1995 interior water leak.

[srspicer]

Hello All,

My first post here.

I am a member hear on behalf of my father. He is not an internet/forum type of person. Me, I am a member of a forum for every car I own to facilitate DIY repairs, etc. Here's the deal;

My father is the original owner of his 95 Le Sabre. The car has developed a chronic water leak. His mechanic has had it for several weeks now, trying to find the problem. It only leaks in the rain. He drove it through a car wash, no leaks, sprayed it with a hose, no leaks. In the rain, leaks! He is in the process of replacing the door seals and had some success. The mechanic said if he can't find the leak he would recommend the car be junked. I told my father there is now way we are junking that car, it runs and rides great!

Any other ideas as to the possible sources would be much appreciated!!
Thanks in advance for any help .

Regards,

Scott

 

[imidazol97]

It would make a big difference _where_ it is leaking or showing up.

Sunroof on the car?

Door panels -- rubber seals are a seldom problem. But the interior watershield plastic comes unglued from the metal panel and doesn't direct the water back to the outside of the door to go to the drip holes at the bottom. Instead it comes in from behind the interior decorative panels.

Trunk? Wheel wells can have rusted through and allow water to splash into the trunk from spinning tires.

 

[02CustominFL]

Try spraying under the car. As stated above, not sure where you're seeing the water, but driving in the rain will force water up from the road, something you won't duplicate in a car wash or by spraying the top of the car.

 

[spinne1]

If it pools under the driver's side floor, check the area above the carpet above the brake pedal and see if it is coming from the firewall area. You could tell if it is by pushing on the foam area above the carpet and see if water is released. If it is this (and mine does the same) then it is either the valley where the wipers are or the windshield itself leaking and then dripping down to the firewall and then down.

You really need to find where it is coming from. A good way to do that is to remove the interior (seats, panels, carpet) and sit inside with a flashlight during a bad rain and watch where it is flowing from and to.

 

[leftoverture]

As noted, it would help if you said the approximate area it is leaking. Your particular model year sometimes rusts behind the trim along the upper windshield area.

 

[Cadillac_AL]

Is the trunk getting wet too? My trunk used to get filled like a swimming pool until it ran into the cabin.

 

[18Stars]

I have a 2004 LeSabre and I had a little trouble with water coming in at the bottom of the doors and leaking accross the threshold into the footwell. It may be from the door panels or the seal but I finally figured out that if I park the car as level as possible it doesn't happen. If I park with one side or the other on an angle the low side seems to get the water. Anyhow, good luck with your problem.

 

[leftoverture]

Is the trunk getting wet too? My trunk used to get filled like a swimming pool until it ran into the cabin.

Yes, that generation had a terrible problem with the wheel well rusting out on the rear passenger side. Just get your head in there and look above the rear passenger side tire. You'll probably find there isn't much left up there.

 

[grantlarmstrong]

Sure wished I new what the final result was on this leak problem.