w124 estate - wet drivers seatbelt???

[mattc]

Title says it all really. the seat belt is wet (it rained heavily yesterday for most of the day). I have had the B pillar trim off but can see no evidence of water ingress downwards - car has sunroof so the obvious suspect was above. all the old dust and hair that catches in these nocks was dry and no telltale water trails from above.

the carpet around the back of the drivers seat is slightly damp but this dampness does not extend upwards to the bottom of the b pillar plastics. So this has me wondering whether there is any opening under the exterior panel trimming that may have become blocked up with something that is allowing the water to come upwards by capillary? I am at a bit of a loss as to where the water could be coming in but having pulled the seat belt all the way out and touched the spindle of the spool it winds onto it is damp all the way to the bottom of the belt.

Any thoughts folks?

matt

p.s. on the + side it seems to have cleaned the belt quiet well as the old grime has transfered itself to Natalies white blouse

 

[Grahamcol]

Are you certain the belt was wet rather than just damp? I'm fanatical about water leaks into the car - can't stand them and often in cold, wet weather, carpets (including seat belts etc.) can feel a bit dampish which tends to go away when the weather dries / gets warmer. Failing that, have you checked any drainage holes for the sills ?

 

[SilverSaloon]

i had water coming into the rear footwell and sploshing around across under the seat into the drivers footwell.

turned out to be the side rear window rubbers and/or aerial mount. wack some black sealant under the rubber around that area - check for water around where the first aid kit or spare wheel is kept

the water seemed to trickle along the vaccum pipes leading to the rear of the car in mine.

i was never 100% convinced this was my problem but the car never got wet again after my fix. i took the carpets out and cleaned them at the same time.

there is a post on here somewhere about it all.

 

[mattc]

Belt is definitely WET not damp.

Water does enter the rear windows but drains into the spare wheel well and the water bottle areas respectively.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Belt is definitely WET not damp.

Water does enter the rear windows but drains into the spare wheel well and the water bottle areas respectively.

so did mine - but some how managed to get into the front of the car - the pipes were wet on mine when i removed the carpets.

put some sealant in there, dry the carpets out and see if it helps

 

[Ade B]

Possible longshot

Is it getting in from the front via the heater duct which runs under the seat from the front transmission tunnel (well it does on the CE) and then capilliary(ing) up the seat belt...

Ade

 

[grober]

I would suspect the door seal or the sunroof drainage tubes.

 

[mattc]

I would suspect the door seal or the sunroof drainage tubes.

the tubes were my first guess....but I can find no evidence of leaking high up in the car.

Does anyone have a diagram of where the tubes are in the estate sunroof please? It wont hurt me to check them properly I guess

matt

 

[grober]

Looks like the drains run thro the A and C pillars from this diagram so bang goes the B pillar theory---I think. http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.433&CT=F&cat=15U&SID=78&SGR=105&SGN=04

 

[andy_k]

I can't see any reason why the seatbelt should or even could get wet unless the window was left open or some liquid has been spilled onto the belt.

Before it got wet from water inside the car, it would need to be about 4" deep and for that volume of water to be carried by capillary action would need weeks not overnight.

 

[mattc]

I can't see any reason why the seatbelt should or even could get wet unless the window was left open or some liquid has been spilled onto the belt.

Before it got wet from water inside the car, it would need to be about 4" deep and for that volume of water to be carried by capillary action would need weeks not overnight.

I agree Andy - this is what is foxing me - the inertia reel is above the level of the car floor by a few inches. Its very puzzling but I think it must be coming from below as the window was closed and the seals are good on both doors. I will see whether the problem persists but I might get the seats out as the weather is nice.

 

[andy_k]

is it possible that she left the seatbelt trapped in the door and not fully wound back onto the reel?

That's the only way I can think of that a belt could get wet

 

[grober]

is it possible that she left the seatbelt trapped in the door and not fully wound back onto the reel?

That's the only way I can think of that a belt could get wet

By jove Holmes I'm think you've got it. VERY plausible explanation.

 

[bolide]

I've seen lots of W124s with wet belts. The reel lives at the foot of the B pillar so there's water getting in there somehow

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[andy_k]

I've seen lots of W124s with wet belts. The reel lives at the foot of the B pillar so there's water getting in there somehow

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

not usually something that happens overnight though

I'm assuming the car has been left out in the rain (fairly recently) before and the belts haven't been wet.

 

[mattc]

Yes; car has been left out before and this was not a problem. I think its unlikely she left the belt out either as the dampest bit was the bit wound on to the centre of the inertia reel which could not possible get caught outside the car.

Nick, you say you have seen plenty of wet belts - did you ever ascertain WHERE the water was coming from?

matt

 

[SilverSaloon]

Yes; car has been left out before and this was not a problem. I think its unlikely she left the belt out either as the dampest bit was the bit wound on to the centre of the inertia reel which could not possible get caught outside the car.

Nick, you say you have seen plenty of wet belts - did you ever ascertain WHERE the water was coming from?

matt

no idea if its going to help your problem, but i would definatly stop any water coming in through the rear side screens. just because it appears to drain out of the lower rubber holed grommets doesnt mean its wise to leave it. apart from the water itself; the water will run down the bodywork inside causing rust and if it hits any pipes/wires on its way along it will travel along these aswell. i would definatly stop that whether it fixes the seatbelt issue or not. there was adequate water (i'm talking puddle here!) in my rear footwell to be able to slosh around by the lower b pillar. hence the reason i decided to remove the carpet fully to dry out. the sponges under the carpet hold a lot of water.

is it possible that the rear window has been left slightly open (or even door) at some point by mistake and not noticed?

 

[andy_k]

the sponges under the carpet hold a lot of water

but the seat belt reels are above the carpet.

Matt, try putting a few sheets of newspaper underneath the seat belt reel and leave it overnight to see if it gets wet.

If it does get wet, you should be able to work out in which direction the water is travelling ie if the bottom of the paper is wet it's coming upwards.

If it stays dry, then give the doors a blast with a pressure washer and check again

If it's still dry then I suspect the leaving a loop of seat belt hanging out of the car is likely - that would also be the part which got wound back onto the spool thus wetting the whole belt

 

[bolide]

I've never worked out how it happens. Once water gets into a W124 it works its way around the car and the most unexpected things turn up wet!

When the weather turns cold you get condensation on the ignition barrel - the whole car is dry but the keyhole is covered in water droplets

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[SilverSaloon]

I've never worked out how it happens. Once water gets into a W124 it works its way around the car and the most unexpected things turn up wet!

When the weather turns cold you get condensation on the ignition barrel - the whole car is dry but the keyhole is covered in water droplets

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

thats why i suggested sorting the rear screens anyway