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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

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AlpinaJr
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:55 pm

Hi,

I was cleaning my Alpina out last week, only to find a pool of water directly under the passenger side seat. No dampness to the inner sill carpet or the rear carpeted area behind the seat. Just very damp under the full length of the passenger seat.

I've seen a few posts regarding this issue over the last week since the issue was identified. A common answer seems to be the door membrane or drainage holes. But if that was the case then why is the inner sill carpet not wet, instead of it being localised just under the passenger seat?? I do jet wash the car so theirs got to be a leak somewhere where the water is getting in. It seems like the water must be filling up under the car & coming through into the cabin floor underneath the passenger seat. But I doubt that is the case.

Any advice/tips would be much appreciated?
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by Steve67 » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:18 pm

Nervous passenger?

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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by Jembo » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:39 pm

Steve67 wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:18 pm Nervous passenger?
:thumbsup: problem solved...

Would a blocked drain ever spill that way?
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:45 pm

Hahaha very good steve67 :thumbsup:
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:47 pm

This is what I cannot get my head around Jembo, as to why the dampness is just localised under the seat.
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by PerryGunn » Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:12 pm

AlpinaJr wrote: Thu Apr 18, 2019 1:47 pm This is what I cannot get my head around Jembo, as to why the dampness is just localised under the seat.
Unless you have a perforation in the floor pan (unlikely), the chances are that the water isn't coming from under the seat...

The most likely culprit really is the door membrane (very easy to pop off the door card and have a look - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djgcv-VpCW8 ). If there's a slow influx of water from the door it may not make the carpet next to the door noticeably damp as the water can quickly run down the vertical surface at the side of the footwell but behind the carpet, it'll then track towards the low point and pool there.

It takes a fair amount of water to saturate the underlay - convertibles are always at risk of getting caught in the rain so the carpets & underlay don't wick the water easily.

Your other alternative is to remove the seat and pull back the carpets to find the source of the water - wherever it's come from, it's likely to have left a trail... and it'll be a good idea to do this anyway as you'll be able to get everything dried properly before it starts to smell musty

It only takes about 10 mins to get the seat out as it's just a couple of bolts on each slider.
- move the seat fully forwards & backwards and you'll be able to remove the bolts
- once the seat is loose disconnect the battery to avoid any potential for sensor faults
- tip the seat and unplug the wiring harness
- (carefully) lift the seat out

Best of luck - it's nice to see another Alpina owner on the forum, what build number is your car? And, as I'm sure other people will mention, you'll need to post some photos :thumbsup:
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by kis » Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:21 pm

I’ve actually got the same problem with mine (it’s ahem maybe not an alpina). It’s right under the seat where the two sections of carpet overlay. I’m not too sure how it’s getting in either. It’s not my roof drains or softop... it’s had the hardtop on all the time. So I guess it’s the membrane somewhere. Will investigate further. Thank you :thumbsup:
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by wonkydonkey » Wed May 22, 2019 5:04 pm

I'm sure people with blocked roof drains on Roadsters have had water build up so high in the motor well area that it's spilled through into the cabin area. Is there dampness in the carpet behind and above the passenger seat? The motor is located on the passenger side, after all.
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by wonkydonkey » Thu May 23, 2019 10:52 pm

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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Fri May 24, 2019 12:56 pm

Hi chaps, Many thanks for all your replies.

Having removed the passenger seat, it seems the water has been running down vertically from the carpeted area at the back of the passenger seat. Then the water is levelling out under the passenger seat. The footwell in the passenger seat area is dry. It's just wet/damp from the middle section underneath the passenger seat making it's way back to the vertical carpeted area which runs up behind the passenger seat. Saying that the vertical carpet is dry, which is due to the carpet not sitting flush on the metal where the water is running down.

In a nutshell are we looking at a roof drain issue? If so which is the most effective way to sort?

Thanks
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Fri May 24, 2019 1:03 pm

wonkydonkey wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 10:52 pm https://youtu.be/wX0dMy1nD6g
Thanks Wonkydonkey, think you've hit the nail on the head.
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by wonkydonkey » Fri May 24, 2019 1:05 pm

AlpinaJr wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 1:03 pm
wonkydonkey wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 10:52 pm https://youtu.be/wX0dMy1nD6g
Thanks Wonkydonkey, think you've hit the nail on the head.
Long weekend coming up now...time to get in there and unblock your drains I would say :thumbsup: And get the car out in the sun to dry out!
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by AlpinaJr » Fri May 24, 2019 1:07 pm

wonkydonkey wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 1:05 pm
AlpinaJr wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 1:03 pm
wonkydonkey wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 10:52 pm https://youtu.be/wX0dMy1nD6g
Thanks Wonkydonkey, think you've hit the nail on the head.
Long weekend coming up now...time to get in there and unblock your drains I would say :thumbsup: And get the car out in the sun to dry out!
Roof off or possible to unblock without removal?
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Wet floor on Alpina Roadster S

Post by wonkydonkey » Fri May 24, 2019 1:10 pm

AlpinaJr wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 1:07 pm Roof off or possible to unblock without removal?
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