Water leak into rear seat area

[30yrMbr]

While replacing my fuel pump on my 96 Ti with slick top, I discovered that the area under the rear seat was damp, and the sound insulation mat under the seat was moldy. Apparently the leak has been happening for some time, but being in So Cal, there is seldom much rain, so this is a new to me problem. I have searched all over the ti.org and the web as well to no avail. I am guessing that the problem might be the drain hose from the gas tank filler area that is letting in the water, but haven't pulled the covers off the interior of that space yet. If the hose is not come loose or has not deteriorated to the point it is leaking, then perhaps it is the rear vent windows that are the culprits, a more likely scenario. I don't have a sunroof, so those drains can't be the problem.

Anybody else run into this problem and if so, what was the culprit and most importantly, the solution.

Any help anyone can provide is warmly appreciated. It is expected to have light rain here for the next three days. I have ordered a replacement insulation mat, but that won't go in until it is dry in there, not going to get the new one messed up already.

Thanks in advance
Roger

[familytruckster]

Actually, I just noticed the corner of my back seat was wet near the seatbelt anchor.

Haven't bothered to figure it out though. I thought it might be the sunroof drain, or the rubber covers on the hatch wiring that have gone bad... Could also be the rear windows...

[1996 328ti]

Anything else on this?
I'm seeing water dripping down in the same place.

[30yrMbr]

It seems to come in from the back windows, from under the seal around those windows. I found some water dripping down the rear seat bolster and it only happens on my first Ti, the swapped one is dry.

???????

[1996 328ti]

Then I don't think I have the same problem then.
I'm spraying the top of the hatch and sunroof.
Doesn't look like the side window is getting very wet.
The drip is above the side windows.

[J_E]

The best way to find a water leak:

Remove all interior panels.
Spray inside body around possible sources with a POWDER foot spray.
Spray outside of car with garden hose.

It should then be easy to track the source back through the tracks left in the powdered spray.

[1996 328ti]

I had the interior panels and pulled down the headliner a bit.
I thought maybe it was leaking from the entrance to the sunroof drain.
Doesn't appear so.

I sprayed water along the hatch edge. No leak.
I sprayed water above the hatch. No leak.
Sprayed water along the rubber roof rail away. No leak.
Sprayed the sunroof. Leak.
Went back to just the rubber rail. Leak.

The sunroof is very hard to open and close and there is debris in there.

I'm wondering what is below the rubber roof rail.
I'm still thinking there is a seal between the outer and inner skins.

It's a back breaking job to figure it out.
I'm going to look again next weekend.

[diegokiill]

I`m with the same problem.
Today hava a lor of rain here, I see that the rear seat is a little wet when I pull it up there was a lot of water under it.

Where`s the sunroof drains?

Actually my rear seat is the garage drying.

[1996 328ti]

The drains run from the rear of the sunroof frame, down the C pillar and exit behind the wheel.

I don't know how you can clean the drains without taking everything apart.

I removed the 2 pushbutton rivets l/r of the rear light of the headliner
Remove the Oh Shyt handles.
Pulled down the headliner and was able to see the hose.

Do me a favor.
Is there water in the right storage tray in the hatch?
Besides the entry of the leak that I can't find, water beads up and drips into the storage container. There is a rectangular opening in the carpet above the storage compartment.

[diegokiill]

In mine there's a little pool under the rear seat.
I search for more water inside the car and don't find, there's water only under the rear seat.
I think that the water come from the rear windows, but I took of the pannels and spray the car, don't see water coming in, it just appear.
When i'm driving the car still dry, there's water leak just when it's stopped.
Can I change the seals or its better weld the rear windows and have a little van? hahahaahhaha

[Lil'BMDubs]

For those of you still dealing with leaking corners I may have some help for you. I removed my headliner yesterday and found that the drains coming off the sunroof (I have a california top) LOOK like they're secured, but also have evidence of rust on the frame around them. I am going to do testing in the coming week or two to figure out if and why they are leaking at come up with a solution to stop it.

For the record, it's not that hard to remove a headliner, at least not with a california top. It's a few bolts and tugging on some trim panels. I can walk you through it if you're interested.

[diegokiill]

Yesterday I look for the drains and they're the cause of the leak inside the car.

Tapatalking

[mharvey73]

Not to re-open a semi-dead post, but just where the heck are the hoses supposed to run to take water out of the car? I have found my two rear hoses just dumping into the trunk area, this just can't be right.
The front hoses seem to be running into the pillar, but I can find no holes anywhere for any hose to be draining from the top to the ground without collecting somewheres in the cabin. Surely BMW did better than this.
A pic would go a long way to show me. I have done pretty well getting my top tuned up. Just need to repair two sliders and I will be ready to put it back in. Disassembly was a nightmare because one side of it was stuck and the other side was functioning. Turns out, one of the sliders screws had fallen out and gotten into the track and jammed it up on one side. If one side gets stuck nothing will open but just so far. That means you have to break out the back end and and keep working it until you get enough room to see the issue. The roof tracks great now. I just don't want to put the thing back in until she drains well!!!.

[1996 328ti]

If you remove the headliner from the rear you will see the hoses connected to a tray below the sunroof assembly. Then they gone done the along the side and drain out.

I was getting water in the right plastic storage compartment.
I used silicon to seal body seams and that may have fixed it.
There is still some water between the outer and inner skin.
I'm thinking that's normal. But nothing is coming into the hatch.

[mharvey73]

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

If you remove the headliner from the rear you will see the hoses connected to a tray below the sunroof assembly. Then they gone done the along the side and drain out.

That is the issue. I do have the headliner out and the hoses are exposed, however the hoses just dump out into the front and rear cavities of the car? That just can't be, I mean why would BMW or any manufacturer do that?

I can see the end to the rear hoses and they just dump into the space behid the rear interior qtr. panel covers. The front just seem to dump straight into the bottom of the A pillar I see no hole or other fittings for draining from the body in either location.