[woodcrawler]

I am starting this thread because I see more and more Duster owners facing the unusual problem of water seepage inside the passenger compartment. There are a few posts on this issue but they are lost in the ‘traffic’! I thought it is a significantly serious issue that warrants its own thread.

I took delivery of my Duster (85Ps RxL-O) on the 1st November 2012 from the TVS Kochi. It was a rainy day and my car was already in the showroom. I went around the car inspecting for any dents or scratches and found none but I found that the accessories I had asked for were not fitted or provided despite have informed the service/PDI section a full week before. I got into the car and did not find anything amiss except that the paper ‘mat’ they usually put on the floor had a damp corner. I didn’t think much of it and assumed that it would have been some water creeping in while washing before delivery.

It was just after Cyclone Nilam had hit the east coast of India and we were feeling its effect on the west coast. I, therefore, couldn’t leave the doors open to dry out the wet mats for a couple of days. Meanwhile, I went to the upholsterer and got my seats covered and firmed up because I have a bad back. I also got a waterproof rubber matting laid over the, now dry, floor carpets. After that the car has done two trips over 300 kms and a few smaller local trips one of which was to Malampuzha Dam. After that trip I had washed the car personally but since I only shook out the plastic mats I did not notice anything unusual. A week after that trip my driver noticed that the edges of the carpets around the rubber mat was wet. It was then I realized that I had a problem and posted it in Team BHP.

It seemed that others too had similar problems attributed to three problems (recorded in earlier posts under owner reviews) A/C condensation leak, ‘scuttle panel’ drain block or door beading leak.

To most of us the honeymoon with a new car lasts a few months. Mine was over last week, a little under a month after taking delivery. I had been to Trivandrum the previous weekend and the car was lying locked in my porch for 72 hours. I came back late evening on 25th November and opened the door to have a stench wash over me. It was a miracle I did not puke but I opened the doors, switched on the A/C, sprayed a car perfume inside and waited for 10 minutes. The car was drivable. Next morning, when I opened the door the smell was still there. Now, I dread opening the door in the morning. Over the last two days (Sunday & Monday) I dried out the car completely again, then washed it today. I have water inside on all four sides and the carpet is soaking. See the pictures and video.

I’m taking it to the Renault service center in Coimbatore tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll have solution to the problem. I’m making this post so that other Duster owners with similar problems can pool their experiences and help other. I have seen one post by Driven Tweel with a similar problem but not seen any follow up post about whether the problem was solved.

My take is that is has to be the ridiculous single, door beading. The A/C Condensation drip or a scuttle panel leak cannot flow over to the rear because there is a small hump under the front seat.


Any idea fellow Team-BHPians? I’m really frustrated.

The video link follows this line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D_2_uqqFDs

Caption for photos:
1 - Water in the rear passenger area
2 - Mist of water under the transparent plastic mat
3 - )'Press test 1'
4 - 'Press test 2' showing wet finger!
5 & 6 - The hump under the front seat

[vinair]

Definitely not expected in a new car! Did you wade through deep water any time? or was it just the rain water seeping in?

I can completely relate to this as my car too went through a similar situation (more of my stupidity to drive through almost 3 feet of water after a really heavy downpour recently in Bangalore), trust me, it takes a while for the stench to leave the interiors completely!!

[vasanthn21]

I hope the pic along with your team-BHP handle is not your car. If it is, that probably explains how water got in!

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by vinair

Definitely not expected in a new car! Did you wade through deep water any time? or was it just the rain water seeping in?

I can completely relate to this as my car too went through a similar situation (more of my stupidity to drive through almost 3 feet of water after a really heavy downpour recently in Bangalore), trust me, it takes a while for the stench to leave the interiors completely!!

I have driven in water but in a depth just about what the clearance of the vehicle allows and that was three weeks ago. I had dried out the car and washed it yesterday. These pics are yesterday's water collection but I guess the dampness would have been there as the mats have that white residue.
The car has been sent to Coimbatore today. Waiting for my driver to call.

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

I hope the pic along with your team-BHP handle is not your car. If it is, that probably explains how water got in!

It is my car. But I had washed & dried the car immediately after that.

These pic are after yesterday's wash. There is a loose beading on the left rear door (1st & 4th pics). Tried pushing the beading into place but it pops out again (2nd & 3rd pics) but that does not explain how water got in on the right side also.

[tsk1979]

There seems to be some leak in the AC mechanism. AC condensation water should be discharged outside the vehicle.
Do this experiment.
Switch on AC full blast, and park vehicle at one place for 20 minutes.
Then simply move vehicle.

Is there water under the vehicle? If not, that water could be getting released on your carpet. The pipe which takes AC water outside the vehicle could have come loose. That said, the quality of the beading fitting is appalling.

[vasanthn21]

From your pics, it does not look like loose beading is the culprit. If it was, you should have seen some water on the door panel, inner part of windows or probably even the seat edges.

Auto grade two-sided tape might help keep the beading in place (just a wild guess, not an informed suggestion; do not know if it has any drawbacks!)

[mkpiyengar]

Hey woodcrawler,
Few points in addition to what Tanveer suggested, based on my FIAT experience,

1. If the a/c water outlet is loose or not plugged in properly to drain out.

2. Below the wipers/windshield there are perforations for water from windshield to collect and drain. From here if there is leakage then water would enter the cabin. You need to check under dashboard and well as from the bonnet.

3. Check the Drain plug of the car below the carpet, it allows for water draining as well as water entering when driving through deep waters.

Cheers
MKP

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

There seems to be some leak in the AC mechanism. AC condensation water should be discharged outside the vehicle.
That said, the quality of the beading fitting is appalling.

That is what the SA at Coimbatore Renault service center said an hour ago. They have dismantled the dashboard to confirm. I can't figure out how that water flows into the rear passenger compartment considering that there are many bumps and humps between the front and rear sections.

Besides I had dried out a little dampness over a period of 48 hours in the hot sun with doors open. After just washing the car with a garden hose the inside was full of water (as seen in the photos).

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by mkpiyengar

Hey woodcrawler,
Few points in addition to what Tanveer suggested, based on my FIAT experience,

1. If the a/c water outlet is loose or not plugged in properly to drain out.

2. Below the wipers/windshield there are perforations for water from windshield to collect and drain. From here if there is leakage then water would enter the cabin. You need to check under dashboard and well as from the bonnet.

3. Check the Drain plug of the car below the carpet, it allows for water draining as well as water entering when driving through deep waters.

Cheers
MKP

Thank you sir,
I've seen that post. I started this post because there are no follow up reports on this issue.

As I was typing this, the SA from Renault Coimbatore called up and insist that the water is from a leaking A/C condensation. Despite telling him that the vehicle was idle and getting dried over 48 hours and the water level increased after washing and the vehicle wasn't started for 48 hours, leave alone run with A/C he still fails to see reason.

Anyway I've booked myself for a first service next week and am going to leave the vehicle with them for 4 days. Let me see if this issue will be sorted out.

P.S: My driver just called. They have not raised a job card for this 'check up'!!

[mkpiyengar]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

As I was typing this, the SA from Renault Coimbatore called up and insist that the water is from a leaking A/C condensation. Despite telling him that the vehicle was idle and getting dried over 48 hours and the water level increased after washing and the vehicle wasn't started for 48 hours, leave alone run with A/C he still fails to see reason.

Then I strongly feel it is point 2 from my post.
In my Siena also during rains and if you wash with hose pipe then there was
water getting collected in the footwell.
Initially i suspected the beedings, but then they we packed with no moisture in them hence ruled out.
Next, suspect was this where the wiper rods are located water gets collected there and supposed to drain down but some how was entering the cabin.
I'm told there is a drain outlet there and somehow that passes from behind the dashboard. If this leaks then the driver and passenger footwell is wet. Whole dash board is required to be removed to resolve / identify the issue.
I'm yet to resolve my issue as the whole activity is cumbersome. In my case seems rats have done the damage. For now have told the watch man to just clean with wet cloth and no shower

Cheers
MKP

[RevvMusic]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

Thank you sir,
I've seen that post. I started this post because there are no follow up reports on this issue.

As I was typing this, the SA from Renault Coimbatore called up and insist that the water is from a leaking A/C condensation. Despite telling him that the vehicle was idle and getting dried over 48 hours and the water level increased after washing and the vehicle wasn't started for 48 hours, leave alone run with A/C he still fails to see reason.

Your SA might be correct, as in most vehicles, the AC Condensation discharge pipe and the rainwater outlet pipe are interconnected, i.e., they move out from the same opening beneath the vehicle. Particles that come in with rain water jam this outlet many times, so cleaning it would most likely solve your problem

Was your car driven/parked in rain for an extended period recently?

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by RevvMusic

Your SA might be correct, as in most vehicles, the AC Condensation discharge pipe and the rainwater outlet pipe are interconnected, i.e., they move out from the same opening beneath the vehicle. Particles that come in with rain water jam this outlet many times, so cleaning it would most likely solve your problem

Was your car driven/parked in rain for an extended period recently?

No Sir. As a matter of fact the only time it was driven in the rain was on November 1st; the day I got from the showroom. It hasn't seen any rain after that. I did try a test run in the local reservoir but that was a week after I tool delivery. Since then the car has been dried out in the sun with doors open. This latest 'flood' of water is after a wash with a garden hose on a nearly 95% dry car.

[RevvMusic]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

No Sir. As a matter of fact the only time it was driven in the rain was on November 1st; the day I got from the showroom. It hasn't seen any rain after that. I did try a test run in the local reservoir but that was a week after I tool delivery. Since then the car has been dried out in the sun with doors open. This latest 'flood' of water is after a wash with a garden hose on a nearly 95% dry car.

Still suspecting that the main outlet (AC + Rainwater) beneath has got jammed somehow, or the rubber seal around it might have moved out slightly from its desired position maybe because of the co-passenger's foot hitting it. As a result, the water in the pipe is overflowing and finding it's way all over under the floor carpet, even to the rear.
Request your SA to remove the outlet seal/plug, clean it with compressed air, and put the seal and the pipe back.

P.S : I too had faced exactly the same issue a year back

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by mkpiyengar

Then I strongly feel it is point 2 from my post.
In my Siena also during rains and if you wash with hose pipe then there was
water getting collected in the footwell.

Next, suspect was this where the wiper rods are located water gets collected there and supposed to drain down but some how was entering the cabin.
For now have told the watch man to just clean with wet cloth and no shower

Cheers
MKP

That was referred as the 'scuttle panel' in an earlier post. I told this SA to specifically check that part as there was a huge amount of water not draining from the left side while the water on the right side was draining, but slowly. He still insists that it is an A/C condensation leak

I've mailed Renault with my photographs but I guess it will be too much to expect any reaction from them.

Rajesh

Originally Posted by RevvMusic

Request your SA to remove the outlet seal/plug, clean it with compressed air, and put the seal and the pipe back.

P.S : I too had faced exactly the same issue a year back

I shall ask him to do that. I've booked myself for service on 18th. He said he needs 4 days to completely dismantle the dashboard and carpets.

Thank you for your input.

Rajesh

[nair]

I had a similar issue in my old Ikon but did not have the stench. It was due to leak from AC discharge pipe.