Steve`s `85 944

Hi everyone;
I`m a new member, and I`ve only had my Porsche for 2 weeks; I`ve sorted a few problems, but what with living in the u.k.this one is a bit urgent;
does anybody have / had a problem with the rear seats of a 944 getting really wet ?
I think they`re wet through a combination of leaks (via hatch seal around catches etc and sunroof seal )and condensation; the underside of the cushions is really wet..if i dry it out thoroughly with a hairdryer on a dry day,( admittedly a cold one ) with no possibility of water coming anywhere near the car,it is simply a matter of applying heat from the dryer to the external face of the cushion for a few minutes to create dampness under it again.
I have replaced the hatch seal, the "bungs"around the hatch catches (can`t believe porsche designed it like that !) ,and both sunroof seals; i just cannot think of what this could be other than condensation.
should i just dry it out and glue the cushions back, or perhaps try some plastic sheeting between the floor / cushion ?

Paul Flintoft

Not happened to me, but one idea is to check the drain holes for the sunroof. They may be blocked. Appranetly this is a common problem.

If you car is RHD, do you have an additional wet spot in the drivers (right hand) side foot well? I occasionally get one (other Aussies will laugh but it doesn't rain much in Melbourne these days) and can't work out why or where it may be coming from.

paul f.

Yabo

This is more directed to paul, one thing i would always check is to make sure its water. If its in the driver or passenger footwell (not in the back) it coudl possibly be something like a leaky heating or coolign core? not sure how they work in these cars, but in other cars that could be it.
just make sure the stuff is water and not antifreeze

Steve`s `85 944

thanks paul, but the drains are clear;
i don`t get the wet patch in the front, but perhaps this has something to do with the drains.....i don`t know where the ones to the front are routed, but i would assume down through the "A" posts..

Luis de Prat

Your sunroof seal is worn. Time to replace it.

Paul Flintoft

All,

Thanks for the tips. I had thought that it might be a slight heater leak as I have lost just a little coolant occasionally. Any tips on where to look? Pulling the dash to get at the heater core seems fairly full on effort to check out a theory.

Also on sunroof seals. Am replacing mine in the process of removing the (hopefully) last rattle from the sunroof. The local porsche tech put me onto a tip of placing a smear of vaseline (no kidding) on the sunroof to check that the seal was working all round. A gap in one corner was found this way and after some adjustment, I removed some addtional road noise. Sadly, can't advise on leaks, not much rain in summer.

Paul F.

cheetah chrome

i'm betting rear hatch glass separating from the frame...take you car to a car wash (w/ hand held pressure washer). you'll find the source of the leak before the more money buzzer starts ringing.

sdparks

I will not make a joke, I will not make a joke, I will not....

FRANKYDOOM

check the drain holes for the sunroof

Mine leaks in the front, back and inside the door ........... well its a cab and i need money to get a new roof . Glad its full leather interior easy to wipe lol.

944 n/a cab - Reading UK

Peckster

Probably a plugged drain in your battery box. It overflows when it rains, and goes into the car. Pull the battery and check to see if the drain is plugged.

Paul Flintoft

Thanks for this. Is the battery and issue for early or later models, here. The battery appears to be in the left rear boot area on mine. Are there other drain holes for the front?

Paul

jd944

I had the same problem with my 84. It turned out to be a very small rust hole in the battery "box".
The battery had to be removed for it to be visible and I found it by accident when I replaced the battery. I riveted in a patch and coated the entire area with an elastomeric sealant. No more water in the rear footwell. Be sure to check that the drains on both sides of the cowl are clear.

SoCal Driver

Sunroof; seal and drains.

Rear hatch; replace the seal and adjust. Also check to see if the glass has seperated from the frame at the top.

Does the passenger floor get wet too or just the seats?

ryeske944

You might want to double check that the glass hasn't started to pull away from the hatch frame too.

roadrunner

I had a similar problem even after resealing my rear hatch to the frame. My sunroof seals were old and when I would raise the roof panel, the upper panel seal would pull the lower seal off the lip and allow the interior roof liner to pull away from the seal. This caused the lower seal to lose it's sealing action because the thickness of the interior roof liner made it clamp on the opening's lip. The water collecting in the sunroof "gutter" area and would drip, via capillary action from the corners of the lower seal, on the rear seats.