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Thread: Wagon rear water intrusion...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport

    Wagon rear water intrusion...

    Yesterday we had some pretty intense storms come through the area and dump a couple inches of rain.
    I also managed to have a flat on the interstate and had to retrieve the spare. To my surprise, there were a couple ounces of water in the spare tire well and figured that it’s probably time to look into this.
    I haven’t been able to identify any wet spots on or around the hatch. The headliner is also dry.
    I have, however, identified that there was water coming in somewhere around the factory audio amplifier’s location. The rear side window seals on both sides look dry.
    Has anyone had a water leak at the rear side windows?
    I saw that the outer seal for the glass (51728190631) #5 in diagram is NLA from BMW. Wonder what we would have to go through to find a suitable replacement.
    OR... if it would just be the lower trim gasket (51368205823) #3?
    This part is still available.
    Are there other areas I should check?

    50FA8C63-982B-4A65-A1E3-6A6515B67123.jpeg

    DA9C0C70-B6CC-4BD6-B487-30526EF353C1.jpg
    I know this is the opposite side, just posting for quick rear side window reference.


    Thanks everyone!!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    9,266
    My Cars
    03 M5/05 RR/06 Cayman S
    I have been having a similar water intrusion situation in my wagon lately and it recently pretty much killed my SLS compressor due to about 1-2" of standing water in the spare tire well that had seeped into the compressor housing and all up into the compressor motor itself. I was able to get the compressor to turn again by smacking it like a starter while bypassing the relay, but it never ran the same. Got a used one out of a X5 with single axle SLS and it works great now. Only thing I can think of that might have caused water intrusion was a wire I ran for my GPS antenna to the roof, but it still went under the hatch seal, so not sure it's that. I've since routed it better, but it hasn't rained much and I've had the car in the garage the last week since I had planned to do an oil change I haven't gotten around to. The only time I found wetness from above the bottom of the spare tire well looked like it came from a seam about halfway up to the hatch opening. There were just a couple drops of water and they might have been there from moisture while everything got steamy due to the standing water, but I also don't have a wet headliner, nor did I notice any water coming in when spraying a torrent of water on the car with a hose sprayer. I guess it could have been there for a long time, before I fixed a wire going outside the hatch letting water into the tail light, but that was several months ago, so doubt it. I hope you figure it out.

    -Paul
    2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers,
    Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread
    2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
    2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport
    Interesting. Thanks man!
    I’m definitely going to report on findings. It’s going to take a few days as I’m out of town till Friday.

    Luckily this his isn’t bad enough at this point to flood the SLS pump. (Knocking on wood)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    380
    My Cars
    '00 540iT
    Check your cell antenna to make sure it seals correctly.

    Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport
    Quote Originally Posted by KRUZNBY View Post
    Check your cell antenna to make sure it seals correctly.
    Great point. I’m on it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    6,981
    My Cars
    2001 525it
    Sunroof drains

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Farmington Hills, MI USA
    Posts
    34
    My Cars
    2001 525iT
    Am very interested in what the group comes up with. Last year my radio died after the car sat in heavy rains for a couple of days. I traced the issue to be water intrusion in the amplifier. The only traces of water or dried water residue in the entire area were inside the amp and at the amp connector. I spent hours looking for the source with no luck. The cost of a new amplifier was a big bite. I make it a practice not to take it out in the rain now but this is hardly a fix to the root cause.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Shoreview MN
    Posts
    977
    My Cars
    Had a 1991 BMW 850
    Mine just did this for the first time on Saturday. Water poured out of the hatch after a heavy rain, I will check my spare tire well tonight.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport
    When I get time this week, I’m going to use the hose to see if I can’t force the issue.
    TurnzSr, my stock amp had water damage as well. I have a feeling we have similar issues.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Canton, Ohio
    Posts
    617
    My Cars
    97 528i
    sorry for the belated reply....
    There was an area near the top of the hatch that was not the antenna, nor where the wires pass through, that was left uncovered by the body shop after they made a repair to the hatch/cargo area that leaked water in my car prior to me buying it. I cannot remember where exactly the spot was but I believe it to be on the interior sheet metal of the roof at the hatch opening on the body itself. It looked perfectly normal to be open, (like any other hole in a body brace...) but the tech found that water was coming in and determined it was missing the plug that normally fits there. I'm really sorry for the weak intel here but check everything the guys posted and maybe check any openings you see under the rear upper interior trims. It ultimately was the reason I wound up with this car....the water leak filled the tire well and wiped out the pump which I disassembled, dried, and cleaned out myself spending money only on the beer I drank while doing it.... I have also knocked out the small body plug on the floor of the spare tire well to keep that bull$#!t from ever occurring again.
    tony
    "two wrongs don't make a right...only three lefts do...."
    '79 Euro 635csi - gone and regretting it...
    '89 gsxr-750 - former traffic knife
    '97 528i sedan - holding on strong...(just sold after 16 years of ownership - sad day)
    '03 Euro 525it - something about a famous dolphin.....

    '06 Mercury Grand Marquis (don't ask....it gets the job done....)
    '84 Specialized Allez - full Campagnolo Super Record
    '99-ish Cannondale CAAD4
    "Stinky" - Kona Stinky Five
    '86 528e
    2008 E70 X5 3.0


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport
    Quick update...

    Torrential downpours... super minimal water intrusion.
    Seems like it happens most when driving.
    I may not solve this immediately, but I WILL solve it and detail my fix here.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Plymouth, MI
    Posts
    16
    My Cars
    '97 Chevy Camaro, '89 Merkur XR4Ti
    Check the rubber grommet that the hatch wiring goes through.
    Mine was all rusted out and had to be patched.
    https://steemit.com/cars/@chronogn/i...-microwave-bmw
    2001 BMW 525iT - Stock Daily Driver and Tow Rig
    2001.5 Audi S4 - Stage 3 Bi Turbo
    My Blog of Cars, Guns, Computers, and other hobbies

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Central NC
    Posts
    13
    My Cars
    '99, '00 540i, '00 540iT
    Rear sunroof drains...

    I have a slopped driveway and when parked nose high water found its way into the rear footwell and spare tire well. I started backing in the drive so the nose of the car was low and the forward sunroof drains handled the water. Not a fix but a solution....

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Acton, IN
    Posts
    59
    My Cars
    330i ZHP, 03 525iT Sport
    Quote Originally Posted by ChronoGN View Post
    Check the rubber grommet that the hatch wiring goes through.
    Mine was all rusted out and had to be patched.
    https://steemit.com/cars/@chronogn/i...-microwave-bmw
    I know I have rust there on both sides. It kills me as there isn’t really anything else of the sort on the car.
    Damn hatch rust.

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