Water Ingress...

T

TeeMac

Member
I bought a 35is a couple of months ago, and I've enjoyed it as much as the winter weather has allowed so far.

I noticed though that the car was apt to fog up, and after a quick scout, found the culprit: An inch of water in the near side storage compartment in the boot.

Problem is I can't figure out the source of the leak - it seems to me to be either the boot lid seal as discussed at length in Maniac's great post here: https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=77478; or perhaps the runoff channel behind the rear light cluster. Either way, the boot's collecting water, and it needs sorted asap.

(Incidentally, the car does have the hitherto mysterious green grommet in the o/s roof hinge, indicating it's had the recall work previously.)

Reading the various threads, there are a few DIY fixes, whether it's the boot lid seal or the rear light channel, generally involving generous use of sealant, but I'm wondering...

...has anyone actually had new seals fitted? If so, what costs are we looking at?

Cheers for any responses.
 
Quick update...

The car is a BMW AUC, so took it along to the local dealer (the selling dealer is 300 miles away).

Was told they'd diagnose the problem, but since seals were excluded from the AUC warranty, the repair would be to my account.

Took a couple of days, but they eventually diagnosed the leak as coming from the rear light cluster seals via the run-off channel at the rear.

After some HQ/Dealer negos, BMW accepted the hit, and a new light cluster was installed FOC. Well done Parks of Hamilton for arguing the case. Apparently £350 of parts and labour.

Driving it home and I've now got a whistling roof at anything over 50mph. :headbang:

I put the roof down, no whistle. I put it up, I've got Percy fechin Edwards for company.

Anyone had similar/got a quick fix?
 
TeeMac said:
Quick update...

The car is a BMW AUC, so took it along to the local dealer (the selling dealer is 300 miles away).

Was told they'd diagnose the problem, but since seals were excluded from the AUC warranty, the repair would be to my account.

Took a couple of days, but they eventually diagnosed the leak as coming from the rear light cluster seals via the run-off channel at the rear.

After some HQ/Dealer negos, BMW accepted the hit, and a new light cluster was installed FOC. Well done Parks of Hamilton for arguing the case. Apparently £350 of parts and labour.

Driving it home and I've now got a whistling roof at anything over 50mph. :headbang:

I put the roof down, no whistle. I put it up, I've got Percy fechin Edwards for company.

Anyone had similar/got a quick fix?
Click to expand...

Try treating the roof seals with gummi pfledge after stopping the roof action half way through doing it’s thing, maybe the mechanics left something laying on one & it’s become distorted, the cold weather doesn’t help.
Rob
 
Green grommet signiyfying a recall? I've just checked my boot and the green thing is the manual fuel flap mechanism!! It has a fuel pump symbol on it.
 
Yes when you take out the right rear tail light you can see a bright green cable goes around to the fuel flap.
 
A quick round up on the further water ingress issues.

As noted previously, I had water gathering in the storage compartment in the boot. The cause was leakage behind the rear light cluster and the cluster was replaced under the AUC warranty.

Having picked the car up from the dealership, I noticed a whistling sound from the roof line when driving over 40mph.

Try as I might though, I couldn't get rid of the whistle.

Things stepped up a level during the following week, when the car started leaking rainwater/snowmelt from what appeared to be the roofline above the windscreen. The weather was relentlessly stormy, and the car was soaking it up. Not happy. The car had also started showing an intermittent alarm for the roof closure. Related, yes?

Thing was, the twin seals at the front of the roof were completely dry, and the roof appeared to be properly closed. How could that be? The water was getting into the car, but it wasn't coming in via the seals at the front of the roof.

A little poking about showed that the windscreen had begun to unbond from the frame at the top, about 12 inches along the centre, the water pooling into the overhead lights and then running across the interior roof moulding. A roll of gaffer tape later and both the leak and the whistling were sorted, albeit temporarily. The roof alarm continued though, and I figured perhaps the water was interfering with some sensor or another at the locking mechanism.

I took the car into the dealership who confirmed that, yes, the windscreen needed replaced, but no, it probably wasn't covered by the AUC warranty. Fair play to Park's again for arguing the case with BMW though, who relented and paid parts and labour as goodwill. Saved me an insurance claim and an excess.

The roof fault alarm was also investigated. Turns out, plausible as my idea seemed, the problem was entirely unrelated, instead being a faulty microswitch in the mechanism in the boot, replaced under the AUC.

So there you go. If your E89 starts immitating a maniacal minah bird, check the windscreen bond. Off out now for a spin in the snow.
 
Noticed this today and have researched all the various topics on the forum,

The buyers guide says, 'BMW sealant degrades badly at around 5 yrs or so and requires all the rear sealant strip around the boot to be removed, cleaned, gutter sealant added and refitted.' (https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=91935&p=1352918&hilit=BOOT+WATER+INGRESS#p1352918) is there a specific guide on what exactly to replace? Should I remove the rear lights first

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=77302&p=1140057#p1140057 This topic refers to a particular area but you cant see the photos posted it refers to anymore

The damage to my boot is as shown and I am really worried. I usually don't mind putting the roof down after rain or washing it, but won't do this anymore to see if this helps as well.

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flybobbie said:
Been said a dozen times, lay some kitchen tissue around the boot and check where it gets damp.
Click to expand...

Thanks flybobbie, I have looked at this thread https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=77478&start=15 and I have the same failing sealant which is shown in the thread. Will try the fix suggested using new sealant, if that doesnt work, using your video, I will remove the lights and seal around them
 
I have undertaken the seal replacement as per this video but water is still getting in https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=77478 I have put tissues in and they are wet at the front of the boot (i.e. next to the rear of the car) and the left hand side (looking into the boot). My next thing is to remove the rear lights and check them. When I remove them, do I simply put some sealant around the perimeter of the light and then put them back in place or do I need to buy replacement lights, would obviously rather avoid doing that?
 
Some pics of the rear, note all the rubber bungs.
Also make sure the seals around the bulb holder part of tail lights are seated correctly.
 

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flybobbie said:
Some pics of the rear, note all the rubber bungs.
Also make sure the seals around the bulb holder part of tail lights are seated correctly.
Click to expand...

So basically sealant around all the holes as well as the perimeter of the light itself should do the job
 
flybobbie said:
If the seals are fitted correctly, they don't (shouldn't) leak.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Sometimes wateringress in tail lights or headlights can be due to the car having had previous bodywork before, and seals not installed correctly thereafter.

Check the rear to see if you can see any signs of repair work :thumbsup:
 
R60BBA said:
flybobbie said:
If the seals are fitted correctly, they don't (shouldn't) leak.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Sometimes wateringress in tail lights or headlights can be due to the car having had previous bodywork before, and seals not installed correctly thereafter.

Check the rear to see if you can see any signs of repair work :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

No signs of repair work, weather permitting I plan to strip the lights off this weekend and just want to be sure when I put them back in I am putting sealant back in the right place, I didnt plan on replacing the seals but using sealant as an additional barrier as the water is getting in somewhere. Sounds like new sealant around the light perimeter and then double checking the seals are installed correctly should be my approach.
 
flybobbie said:
If the seals are fitted correctly, they don't (shouldn't) leak.
Click to expand...

Spent 2 hours this morning removing my left rear light, unfortunately at 2.02 on the video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHJa6z6e-a0 in my 2012 Z4 its designed differently and doesn't slid out, so an adjustable spanner and some swearing was required to get the screw off the light to get it out. Now that its out, there was a lot of dirt and crude around the seals as shown.

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I have now cleaned all the dirt and crude away and stopped for lunch. My issue is do I just put it back cleaned up, the seals themselves look fine, has all the dirt and crude stopped the seals working correctly and sending the water elsewhere, into the boot rather than draining away as it should? Or do I put sealant around the perimeter.

Having removed the lights I noticed this, I assume these are two drainage holes and is where the water is meant to drain out, the plastic isn't solid in place I am tempted to put sealant below the plastic to keep it in place, I wonder if the plastic actually covers the holes meaning it doesn't drain as it should.
Pyliynv.jpg

Double checking the tissues I had in the boot, the water seems to be mainly coming straight in from the back, I have removed all the clips but I cant get this bit off. 7pWUjKV.jpg

It seems to be held on by these screws but despite trying to get them off they won't budge, is it a special type of part to get that off?
mBQBLhL.jpg
 
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