Water in Boot, plastic seal missing

[Andrew Kaccouris]

Hi,

I have a 2001 Z3 Roadster and when the alarm started going off intermittently even when driving (little embarrassing!) I checked the boot alarm sensor compartment in the passenger side corner and noticed it was submerged in water and hence the alarm issue.

I also noticed that the batterry was half submerged too.

On draining out the water all seems good now, but on looking for any gaps, I noticed on the drivers side just behind the door, where the hood meets the body a gap and on checking the other side where ther was no gap, realised that a small plastic cylinder was missing.

Can anyone confirm if this is where the water is comming from and would anyone know where I can get this part.
I've attached 2 photos, one showing the gap and the other showing the plastic cylinder and no gap.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Andy K

 

[Zephyr]

The battery flood is usually a third stop light gasket gone wrong.

 

[AntStark]

Maybe.. also check your aerial grommet (common) and the brake light on the boot. Rear light seals also

 

[Andrew Kaccouris]

Thanks, I'll check the boot brake light gasket, the aerial grommet looked ok when last checked, but no harm in checking again.

 

[AntStark]

You also have the best colour Zed ..but I may be biased

 

[Andrew Kaccouris]

, looks vibrant in the sun.

 

[Oddly Godly]

When my tilt sensor got submerged it was the antenna grommet. It can let a small amount of water in over a long period of time. Any water in the tilt sensor well builds up until the sensor is submerged. The alarm then normally goes of.

 

[Andrew Kaccouris]

Ok, thanks, I'll check the grommet with the karcher and see how it behaves.

 

[Jam03]

Other things to check:
Tail light clusters. They can let water in if not seated correctly.
I discovered that because my car has had the spare wheel carrier removed, there are large holes in the boot floor that would normally be sealed off by the spare wheel carrier and it’s lowering mechanism. These needed to be blocked up, otherwise they let in water near to the battery.
In the left had rear well where the tilt sensor is, I also have a leak that comes though via a tiny pathway where there is a seam in the body next to the tail lights, but hidden behind outer panels. I’ve posted about this somewhere recently.

 

[Andrew Kaccouris]

Other things to check:
Tail light clusters. They can let water in if not seated correctly.
I discovered that because my car has had the spare wheel carrier removed, there are large holes in the boot floor that would normally be sealed off by the spare wheel carrier and it’s lowering mechanism. These needed to be blocked up, otherwise they let in water near to the battery.
In the left had rear well where the tilt sensor is, I also have a leak that comes though via a tiny pathway where there is a seam in the body next to the tail lights, but hidden behind outer panels. I’ve posted about this somewhere recently.

Ok, thanks, lots of usual info. to check on and keep me busy.
Intetesting, the seam next to tail lights is something I've not heard of.
Thanks all again for all the possible causes and will update you, hopefully once diagnosed.

 

[Zephyr]

…thats how most bare-body nut and bolt restorations begin…

 

[Andrew Kaccouris]

If that's the case, I'm in trouble as I barely have time to wash it and check the tyres!