94 Topaz wet front carpets

by MickyG Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:38 am

Hi Everyone, I’m new to the Forum and Topaz ownership so any advice is very welcome. The front carpets in my 1994 Topaz are wet (driver & passenger sides) and there appears to be water leaking from under the dashboard. Any ideas where to look for the source of the leak(s)? After heavy rain water will also leak from the inner front doors when they are opened. Thanks.

by mikethebike Fri Dec 24, 2021 10:19 am

micky

by IanH Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:28 pm

Poss heater radiator, or hoses feeding it. Check engine coolant level

by Boots Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:02 pm

Hi Mr MG,

Type of vehicle may help.

Blocked drain holes/tubes arround the scuttle, air filter.

Cheers

Boots

by MickyG Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:31 pm

Hi Boots,
It’s a 94 VW T4 Auto-Sleeper Topaz with 71k. Will try the scuttle, where are the drain holes/ tubes so I can check them? Sorry that’s how basic my knowledge is on these at present! Need a Haynes manual!

by IanH Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:56 pm

Turn on ign, select highest speed on heater fan. Where the noise comes from is where the heater is. LHS for example on my Boxer.
Get on knees if poss and find that with a powerful torch. If you sw off the fan you'll hear it slowing and confirm you're looking at the heater.
Apart from the outside air inlet, which, as Boots says may be the leak, all the rest of the heater is in the cab.
A careful look around there may show even just a tiny drip, all that's needed over time to soak everything. Could be one or more of several things on a van of your age (27yrs!), heater radiator core ( it's just a tiny version of the main engine radiator), perished hoses, it's connected by hoses to the engine cooling circuit, where it gets the heat from, hose clips, well known culprits.
This all assume its the heater, of course.
Main job is to check the coolant level, do you have to top it up at all? The coolant is infinitely more important than wet carpets!!

As to the scuttle drains, I've never seen a VW but most are the same. Open the bonnet and find a big plastic duct coming from the louvres below the windscreen, that's where the air gets into the heater.
Get your powerful torch again and examine it internally, there will be a drain tube as rain water gets in there too. On my Boxer, it just drains in the engine bay, but yours could have the drain tube passing through the cab, some VW experts on here will soon sort that out. If it passes through the cab, that will probably be the likely culprit.

by Taurian Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:52 pm

Glad to see you followed my advice and joined the forum MickyG !! You will get plenty of help on this forum. There is a wealth of knowledge here.

by MickyG Fri Dec 24, 2021 8:07 pm

Thanks Everyone for your welcome and advice, it is really appreciated. I’ll try and make a start on the tips from St. Stephen’s/ Boxing Day and if I get a chance will post a few photos too. No shortage of wet days here!
Merry Christmas and many thanks again.

by Maureen57 Sat Dec 25, 2021 10:53 am

I had same problem in my car and found a gap in the rubber around my windscreen. Another possible area to check.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS everyone !!!!

by Hampshire hog Tue Jan 04, 2022 6:08 pm

Slightly of subject we had our Topaz windscreen replaced early last year a few days later during a heavy storm water was pouring all over my legs. Contacted the large national company who supplied and fitted windscreen another fitter arrived within two days ,took one look at our T4 and said this size windscreen is a two man job .returned with extra pair of hands re fitted windscreen,problem solved. We also have a T25 transporter van with water leaking through windscreen many years ago( at least 20 yrs) was advised to lift rubber around windscreen and inject silicon sealant never been a problem since, not sure this would work on a T4 ?
Happy new year everyone

by MickyG Fri Jan 07, 2022 10:32 am

Happy New Year to everyone and many thanks for all your advice and suggestions. After taking on board your tips I have been able to trace the leak to somewhere above the windscreen pillars. I partially removed both plastic pillar covers and the water was slowly dripping down each of them reappearing from the bottom of the dash on driver and passenger sides. The drips from the dash went onto the internal wheel arches and then into the front carpets.
I have dried the carpets by using a portable ceramic heater plugged into the van (on hook up) and as a temporary measure I’m using puppy training pads (Mrs G’s idea) to soak up the drips. Plan now is to really examine in detail the top of the windscreen, when the weather allows, and find the sources of the leaks. Hopefully this shouldn’t be too difficult but there is a fair bit of corrosion along the top edge above the screen where the roof extension starts.
Thanks again for all your help to date and always happy to listen to the experts!

by Guest Fri Jan 07, 2022 11:31 am

Hi, it may be worth having a look on the vwt4 forum. If nothing else it shows some excellent close up photos of the area around the windscreen. It appears to be a weak spot with vw's. Even my T5 collects leaves, mud and rubbish under the plastic scuttle but with ingenuity its a 15 minute job to hoover it out. Sorry its not a link but perhaps you could paste it into google search. Good luck

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by Richsvan Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:53 pm

Get a cartridge of Arbomast auto grade windscreen sealant. It comes in a mastic gun cartridge. Cut the nozzle to get a small end. Push the nozzle under the windscreen seal as deep as you can and run round the screen. You probably won’t be able to get it under the bottom of the screen seal, but as the leak is coming from the top it’s unlikely to matter. It doesn’t set hard so moves like a mastic does and does work. Sorry not a fan of silicone products on car body.

by Richsvan Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:57 pm

Correction “so moves, unlike a mastic”

by MickyG Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:59 am

Thanks Richsvan,
That sounds like a great idea and I’ll try it.
M

by Richsvan Fri Jan 14, 2022 9:58 am

Just get as much in there as you can. It skins but doesn’t set. If any comes out around the seal it’s easy enough to clean up.

94 Topaz wet front carpets

94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets

Re: 94 Topaz wet front carpets