Strange Water Leak Under Rear Carpet

[ezobens]

I've searched the archives but haven't found too much regarding my particular issue.

My 1994 Cutlass Supreme (2-door coupe) has a HUGE amount of water on the rear floor after it rains.

I have the rear seat out and the carpet up in order to let the padding dry out but I cannot determine how the water is getting in.

The front floor is bone dry, so that takes away the windshield and the the floor is solid (no rust) so it's not coming from under the car (actually, the car has been parked for several months so I KNOW it's only coming from above).

 

The weird thing is that the trunk/spare well is bone dry and under the back seat is bone dry- the water is getting to the rear floor on both sides directly and it's coming in so that it gets directly under the carpet. The carpet itself is dry on top- The water gets in under it and stays there because of the molded backing of the carpet. I see no water stains or tracks from the back window and the under the back seat is clean so I'm guessing it must be coming in thru the doors or maybe 1/4 windows somehow.

Any thoughts, suggestions advice?

Thanks!

Elm

 

[Q-Ball]

Take it all out and sit in the car and have someone hose your car down till you find where its coming in. That would be the best thing I would think. It sounds like a lot of water so Im assuming through the doors or a seal/weather striping somewhere.

[19Cutlass94]

I was thinking rear quater windows, but that would be very odd that both of them would be leaking... Take off the rear quarter panels, and if it is the rear quarter windows that are leaking, youll see the water stains on the paint went you take it off.

 

But since you said the car has been parked for several months, so that takes care of it coming up from the bottom.

[GutlessSupreme]

I'm very surprised your spare tire well is dry... most rear seat puddles originate in the trunk.

[rockfangd]

shocking mine is bone dry everywheres but i better shut my mouth. lol

[Brian P]

check the weatherstripping at the door frame. My old '90 Cutlass had a leak just as you described it, and turns out at the rear lower "corner" of the drivers door opening, the weatherstrip was loose. I used silicone to glue it down onto the metal lip and it was fine ever since.

[IRONDOG442]

check the plastic in your fender well, i had a buddy of mine have this same problem in his 1996 cutty coupe and it got wet in exactly the same place...

[melsgtp]

Mine leak was in the wheel well.

[SigEpCutlass]

It's probably the bottom weatherstripping on the back glass. My car had the same problem before I owned it, and the dealership resealed it twice under warranty before it was fixed.