New Wet Carpet Gremlin! Check Your Rear Carpet!

[smso966]

So, I noticed I had the wet rear carpet issue. Checked the AC leak tube and found it was fine. I sealed up my rear doors per the service bulletin, but to no avail.

I finally did a check with the hose and found water was coming inside from behind the interior door panel. I removed the door panel and found that there was literally a puddle of water in between the door and that clear plastic sheeting. The black tar had given way and was allowing water to leak inside of my car.

It should be noted that I installed rear speakers about a year ago. I don't know if this was a contributing factor, but I added foam baffles when I sealed everything with silicone. It did not look like the water was coming from that direction, but my speaker terminals were rusty.

I did not take any pics, but removing the rear door panels is pretty easy. GO CHECK NOW

[MongosG8]

Oh shit.. i need to check mine now. I just recently took out my blown rear speaker and do not remember if I put that plastic sheeting back on completely.

I hope that was the cause because it should be an easy fix.

[smso966]

It was an easy fix, I just used clear silicone and sealed all of the small holes shut. I then sealed the plastic sheeting against my door with silicone. As an added bonus, it kinda acted like sound deadener to stop panel vibration.

[dandragonrage]

You shouldn't use that plastic sheeting because it rattles like crazy. You should use some closed cell foam (I use Ensolite from RAAMAudio) and just duct tape it or something like that. I have speaker upgrades but I could rattle it with the stock junk, too. You can attach the top on the outside of the door and the bottom on the inside of the door (by changing the side in the middle) and water wouldn't be able to gather there.

[sanderGR]

I found the water behind the clear plastic sheet when changing speakers. Is it normal to have water there?

[smso966]

Not normal with other cars, but evidently its common with the rear doors on the G8. Sander, I would suggest you check under your rear carpet for moisture. Maybe do a hose test also.

[hayabusa160]

yea when i swapped speakers i notice it was a pool of water behind the plastic it did worry me. so i am going to pull the panels off when i have time and put dynamat over the holes and remove that plastic sheet.

[sanderGR]

I guess my question is: ist it normal that water gets in (i.e. through the window) and just gets out on other cars? Or is there something wrong that water gets inside?

[hayabusa160]

It's normal that's why there drain holes on bottom of the door

[smso966]

It is normal that water gets between the outside sheet metal and the inside sheet metal. It is not normal that enough would get in between the inside sheet metal and the plastic sheeting behind the doorpanel to cause a leak inside.

Upon doing a hose test, the water came through the small holes to the rear of the inside sheetmetal, inside of the plastic sheeting, and puddled on that black tar glue until it gave way allowing water to run down the inside sheet metal (interior side) and drip inside of the cabin under the door panel.