W203 water sloshing sound

[Tomkinsm]

Hi,

Heard a sloshing sound somewhere from front of car (sounds like behind the dash?) when pulling away/stopping. We've had so much rain, plus I washed the car the other day so it may be water ingress? Can anyone point me in the direction of drain points which might be blocked?

Alternatively, could it be A/C condenser drain? If so, again, can anyone help with locating and clearing it?

Many thanks!

 

[television]

More than likely in the sills, there should be some drain plugs. It could be the heater box but I do not think that you would hear that.

 

[Tomkinsm]

Thanks Malcolm,

I'll check the sils and have another good listen, although I'm fairly sure the noise sounded higher up. With regards to the heater box, would this be normal (if you could hear it)?

Anyone else had similar? My old Skoda Fabia used to hold water somewhere between the bulkhead and the glove box, until I got rid of a little rubber flap valve which used to get clogged.

 

[aycee]

Have a look at the pollen filter & housing, I believe that's behind the glovebox (it is on my SLK!)

 

[Tomkinsm]

Thanks for the info. I checked and cleared the drains on the front scuttle at the base of the windscreen. This weekend I'll check the pollen filter housing, sils and if possible the heater box drain. Can anyone give any tips how to locate that? I've found an exploded view that Malcolm posted some time ago, but I can't see its relative position in the car and there doesn't seem anyway to get into it from the engine bay?

Car is spotless, no signs of damp or leaks into cabin whatsoever, heater etc runs perfectly with no signs of misting.

 

[television]

430 either comes out over the the gearbox bell housing, or behind the nearside front wheel liner rear section.

If you find it please post back with the location.

 

[Tomkinsm]

Thanks Malcolm, I'll try to find out where it exits. Do you know if I can access the point at which it connects to the heater box (435), i.e is this in the engine bay or behind the dash? I think on some cars you can get into the heater box and check the drain from inside-out, I can't see how I'd get into the heater box on the W203.

 

[Tomkinsm]

Think I found the problem. In the left hand corner of the engine bay (as view from infront of the car), nearest the screen, there is a plastic cover covering the brake fluid reservoir. This cover is letting water into a void under the brake fluid reservoir, just to the right of the suspension turret.

There was about a litre of water in there, which I removed with a turkey baster!
Fortunately the water in this void and isn't doing any harm, but it's not good to have a pool of water in the metal work, so it needs sorting out.

The plastic cover (which is also broken and needs replacing) has a spout which looks like it's designed for a drain pipe - but there isn't one there. I can't see where the pipe would drain to either.

 

[television]

Here we are,,, not all of the down pipes are fitted

 

[Tomkinsm]

Thanks Malcolm,

I need a new cover (100), and looks like it's pipe 200 which goes into it.

 

[Jdokal]

Is part 200 designed to connect to part 170 and not 100?

 

[television]

Is part 200 designed to connect to part 170 and not 100?

I believe it connect s 100 as you can just see where the spout fixes to it in 100

 

[Jdokal]

I believe it connect s 100 as you can just see where the spout fixes to it in 100

Well, mine is missing also then.

Another trip down to Mercs

 

[television]

Well, mine is missing also then.

Another trip down to Mercs

Let me look up what is actually fitted, I will post back

 

[television]

190,200,210 and 220 are fitted, 215 is not.

 

[Tomkinsm]

Well, mine is missing also then.

Another trip down to Mercs

Jdokal - if yours is missing too then you are probably collecting rain water in the same place as me - not a serious problem as it's isolated from cabin, but could lead to corrosion long term. I guess you can go and buy item 200, but you'll probably find that whilst the top end will fit to part 100, you won't actually be able to fit the bottom bit anywhere. It looks like there is a dual grommet at the bottom of the cavity (on my car a coolant pipe goes through the top part of the grommet - the bottom is blank) - until I get item 200 I won't know whether I can make it fit or not. Looks like a design or build fault to me.

A simpler solution might be to drill a small hole in the metal work and just let the rain water drain out of the engine bay.

 

[television]

One danger on the 203 up to some time in 2003 is that there are or were some missing welds around the bulk head under there that could let water into the car cabin.

 

[Tomkinsm]

Mines a 53, and so far (touch wood) no leaks into cabin. The welds in the area I'm collecting water are very good - definately leak tight!

I'll post back when I've got a fix.

 

[Charlie79]

Hi,

Heard a sloshing sound somewhere from front of car (sounds like behind the dash?) when pulling away/stopping. We've had so much rain, plus I washed the car the other day so it may be water ingress? Can anyone point me in the direction of drain points which might be blocked?

Alternatively, could it be A/C condenser drain? If so, again, can anyone help with locating and clearing it?

Many thanks!

This is driving me nuts. I had to top up coolant twice in 2 days. Any solutions? Thanks

 

[Tomkinsm]

ok, so now the noise is back. We've had a fair bit of dry weather, so I'm ruling out rain ingress. The area in the engine bay I reported earlier is dry and is clearly not the fault. Heating and aircon works fine. Drains in the engine bay are clear.


No visible sign of water whatsoever, just a very strange sloshing and trickling noise from what appears to be somewhere in the dash, behind instrument cluster (?), when pulling away sharply, or on very steep incline eg car park ramp. Is this normal? I don't like the sound of it. Anyone else had similar?

My next step is probably to take it to a specialist to check it out and find the A/C drain - unless anyone has any new suggestions or can recommend easily how to access any other drains. I currently have limited access/time to do anything myself.