Wassereinbruch? Sicherheitsgurt nass | Posts 16+

Quote:

Well... I don't know how long this has been going on. You mean, there's no risk that rust could have formed on the belt mechanism?

I don't think it's visible from the outside. However, it's impossible to completely rule out the possibility that it could be seen from the inside. Are the externally verifiable functions still working correctly?
If you want to be 1000% sure, then re-tighten the belt.

Hi,

Quote:

I don't think it's visible from the outside. However, it's impossible to completely rule out the possibility that it could be seen from the inside. Are the externally verifiable functions still working correctly?

The belt is still working perfectly, with no issues whatsoever, and the locking mechanism is also functioning properly. I think the current temperatures were probably high enough inside the car to completely evaporate any remaining moisture, but I still want to take a look. If I find a lot of mold or other signs that it's been a problem for a while, I'll consider replacing the part, especially since the belt is so important. If everything still looks good... then we'll keep it that way.

Best regards,

Jan.

Hello everyone,

Here is the solution:

With some effort (to remove the inner side panel, it was necessary to remove, among other things, the left section of the rear seat back), I removed the trim pieces and examined everything. Everything looked brand new, with no visible watermarks or signs of wear and tear.

Next, I performed a targeted "watering can test" (a small watering can... you don't want to flood the car) on the suspected area. Surprisingly, nothing was visible on the glass itself, but then water started dripping further down. It then became clear that the water was running along the bodywork side of the window seal and then down the B-pillar. From there, it splits: some drops run down the outer wall, past (the wrapped) insulation, all the way to the bottom (and then forward to the sill), while others run further down inside the B-pillar. The B-pillar has a joint that is only welded on the side, allowing water to enter and be absorbed by the seatbelt that runs directly alongside it. The roll was never submerged in water (it was at least 20 cm above the deepest point), but rather it was "moistened from the inside" by water running down the strap. By the way, the seat belt pretensioner in the GP01 is not located in the rocker panel, as it is in the Polo Variant, but vertically in the B-pillar, behind/above the seat belt spool.

The path of the water was clear. It only flows into the sill, not into the footwell (I still checked under the insulation – it was completely dry). Even at the very bottom, on the side of the path leading to the sill, there were no puddles or damp areas – everything was properly sealed and waxed, and it looks brand new.

Since replacing the seal would be extremely complicated and wouldn't achieve much without a proper replacement, I instead applied a car body sealant (which remains elastic) deep into the gap between the window and the frame from the outside, smearing it so that nothing can get through (tested with a watering can). It's certainly not ideal, but it should be sufficient and is almost invisible. It should even survive the opening of the window, but since we haven't used the window for six years, there's no reason to change anything now. Then I quickly checked the other side as well... it looks good overall (see pictures), but in the very corner, it's not quite as good, so there's a little bit of smudging there too.

Then I assembled everything and it was finished.

Thank you all again for your help!

If anyone needs pictures of the interior of the side panel of a 6K GP01, or wants to know how the parts are attached... I can now provide that information.

Best regards,

Jan.

OT: What's interesting to note here is my observation that interior carpets are now increasingly being used, and these carpets have a plastic coating on the underside, which prevents any indication of moisture from being detected underneath.

On the one hand, it is intended to prevent moisture from "seeping" in, such as that brought in during the winter by snow clinging to boots. On the other hand, a water leak and water accumulating under the carpets may only be noticed when it already smells musty or foul. A water leak found in this way is therefore more likely a matter of chance!

We experienced something similar with a Corsa-B belonging to a friend's girlfriend. For years, the car had a musty smell inside, especially after several days or weeks of rain. The smell usually disappeared during the hot summer months. Coincidentally, she decided she wanted to install a subwoofer in the trunk. While running the power and audio cables under the carpet on the passenger side, she lifted the carpet. The stench that came out almost made her vomit. The felt insulation underneath the carpet was eaten away by mold and smelled terribly.

Okay, here's the translation:

"Next step: Complete removal of the interior carpeting, replacement with a used part from a salvage yard, and locating the leak. The source was found to be a cable conduit in the front right wheel well, which likely became leaky due to shrinkage. Rainwater running off the windshield flows directly over this conduit, causing it to leak water into the interior. Apparently, water had been entering unnoticed for several years, and due to prolonged exposure, some overlapping metal panels were corroded and ruptured by rust." Due to these leaks in the underbody, in front of the rear seat, more water entered, but it could also drain away in some areas. Please install a repair patch once.

Conclusion: Any musty odor or signs of dampness should definitely be investigated. This allows you to detect leaks early on and take corrective action before the vehicle is damaged as severely as the Corsa described.

Hi,

Quote:

OT: What's interesting to note here is my observation that interior carpets are now increasingly being used, and these carpets have a plastic coating on the underside, which prevents any indication of moisture from being detected underneath.

I haven't precisely analyzed how the carpets in the Ibiza are coated, but I can imagine they might be similar. However, what's more important is that there are 2 cm thick underlay mats underneath, which extend almost across the entire width. Only on the sides, near the sills, and along the seat rails does one reach the floor of the footwells. I estimate that there might be several liters of water in there before you could even start to see anything.

In cases of water ingress, especially if it's coming in from the side, as in my case, you probably wouldn't even notice it because the connection point is much more likely to be in the sill than inside the car, which would require clearing a 5-8 cm high lip. If the sill is sealed at the bottom and more water were to enter, as in my case, one could probably even take a boat out on the "lake" without really noticing.

It's possible that the incompletely welded joint between the parts of the Ibi was intentionally designed so that water entering through the window must wet the belt, as one can indeed observe.

Best regards,

Jan.

P.S.: These window seals have been a source of annoyance for me since I bought the car, and I've always been concerned about potential leaks... unfortunately, back then, the TDI model wasn't available in the Netherlands without them.

@ Jan6K: So, it seems Seat is just using water there! If the felt insulation has been in water for a long time, it can be assumed that it will eventually start to rot. Even after a long drying period in the sun, we couldn't get rid of the musty smell from the removed Corsa carpet. That's why we decided to replace the carpet with a used part. It was fortunate for us that the carpets are usually never requested as used parts and are considered unsellable by the recyclers. We were able to remove the well-preserved carpet ourselves from a Corsa that was already being dismantled. The recycling company had less work to do with one less piece of trash, and we got a rug for free (!).

However, like most cars, only one side of the Corsa can get wet due to water ingress from the same source. The central tunnel is likely to prevent flooding on the other side.

Therefore, there is nothing left to do but, in the event of a well-founded suspicion, to... B. To expose the door sills, check for condensation on the windows or a musty odor, lift the carpet and look underneath on both sides, or reach inside.