Miata wet carpet
 

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and I am a new owner of a NA miata (94). I recently purchased it and very happy about it as well. However, due to couple heavy rain, I found out some problem with WATER. The top is not leaking since other places are not wet. However, I found that the carpet behind the passenger seat is wet and also the floor (where the ECU is located), just wet carpet but is not happy and worry about it. I check all the drains and they are all clear. I have no idea where the water is coming from. The driver side is completely dry and also the rest of the car. There is moist in the trunk (just moist, not leaking and not puddle of water). So overall is just the passenger side behind and below the seat (not the front kick space). I don't have AC with the miata so is not the AC drain tube problem. Anyone have any ideas about it?

Thanks

Did you check the drains behind the B pillar? Same thing happened to me, it turns out that those drains will with debris and get clogged, sometimes the tube that drains to the ground will come off too. Thats where i would check first.

i checked the tubes behind the seats and cleared them when I first got the car. unless the tube comes off from the hole on the passenger side. but how to check if the tube is disconnected? Since the tube is not touching the ground so I suspect is still connecting to the drain hole behind the B pillar...
Thanks

Post a picture of the back of your engine bay, right behind the firewall.

If you see a piece of screen like this (look in the very top right hand corner):
Attachment 191249

You're missing the plastic cover that goes over the blower motor, and it's possibly coming in from there. There are also holes on either side of that space behind the firewall (cowl? is that what it's called?) Should drain plenty of water, since that's where all the rain water off your windshield goes.

Even if the plastic cover is there, take it off and stick a hose in there, make sure it's draining out both sides.

thanks, I will go home and check that tonite. BTW, just curious if the holes of the firewall is draining water into the car, then the kick space should be wet as well but mine is all dried, just wet behind the passenger seat and very dry in front of the seat. ??

Oh, that's something else then.

If you know that the top doesn't leak can you confirm the rain rail isn't cracked? It's a plastic channel at the bottom of the window fabric that directs water to the drain channels that go through the body to the ground.

Try removing the shelf carpeting and dousing the top at the back and watch for little streams on the package shelf coming from the rail. A poorly installed top can cause this as well.

There are steel plates that give access to the gas tank and trunk on the package shelf under the carpet possibly how you are getting a wet trunk.

Check the drains under the car by the jack up points. They usually end up clogged. I opened mine up when I bought the car and I couldn't believe how much water came out.

I would check there as well as the other spots recommended above.

Read this - http://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/s034_94.html

thanks for all the responses. I checked the top isn't leaking. Also the rainrail shouldn't be because the deck behind the seats are completely dry. but will try to remove the carpet and look into it again. I removed the carpet b4 and the steel plate looks good without any rust.
For the drains that are near the jackpoint are all clear as well. That's why I have trouble to find the source of the water, sigh..!

I dont know if it would allow enough water through that it would soak the carpet, but I remember having water coming in through the doors. There is a small gap in the window seal on top of the door. Its right where the triangle window frame goes into the door. Very small gap, but it was my cause for water getting inside the doors.

There's also a special brush I bought from one of the miata specific vendors years back that works for the drains behind the seatbelt area. I do remember something happening with the tube and I had to crawl under the car to do something to fix it. More than likely thats your problem area. Even if the parcel shelf is dry, the tube being disconnected might very well be the cause.

Good point on the drain tube, also the shelf carpet is plastic backed and won't get wet on the surface easily.

Those steel plates are galvanized and won't rust immediately on contact so don't trust that.

I did my top 4 months ago and the drain system is a fragile, finicky bitch in these cars.

aww....I am going to spend my weekend looking into those problems, thanks guys for getting me some ideas.

Air conditioning drain tube on firewall did the same to mine when it was clogged. Water flows to the rear of the seat and collects there.

FWIW, have you checked your right rear wheel well?

Could it be a rust issue where water kicked up by the wheel could be ending up in the car?
After all, that spot you are mentioning is just the other side of the wheel well.

Just an idea..

Hi guys,
I hope I finally find the problem but want to confirm with you guys. Is it normal that there is a hole (triangular) behind the passenger seat on the carpet shelf, right above the steel plate? I only find that on the passenger side, not the driver side. I am not sure if it is normal of did the previous owner cut that hole out, but I can feel the cold air coming in and that's why my car is always so moist inside.
https://sites.google.com/site/edithc...2012011281.jpg
https://sites.google.com/site/edithc...2012011283.jpg

Holy shit, I was right!

Hey, I think I am wrong, here's a pic from another miata that I found on the web, it has the same triangular hole on the passenger side of the parcel shelf.
https://sites.google.com/site/edithc...lInterior.jpg?

As you can see on the bottom right hand corner of the pic

Holy shit, I was wrong!

now I am back to square one again, sigh~~~

Most of us have more than that little bit cut out for our roll bars, so I don't think thats the issue. Sorry to say.

But I can feel the padding on top that hole is wet (from moist maybe) and can squeeze some water out, from it, I guess the water is from that soaking padding goes down to the back of the car seat. If I am corrected this time, sigh~~~~

Are you sure the top is dry? Could be coming in where the top seals around the back of the parcel shelf. This is a soft top or hard top?

yea...the top is very dry, soft top. I opened up the carpet area and around that hole is very dry, very mild moist around that triangular hole. However, the pad that above the hole is soaked...I think I have to dry that pad up first. Thanks..

All I can say is,

* Sit in the car, with the pass seat pulled all the way to the front, and have someone hose the car from outside, and observe..

*Then, have that same someone spray the bottom of the car from various angles..

You are bound to find something..

i will try that this weekend, thanks ^^

I found it. I saw some water, not a huge leak but usually one to 2 drops from the rainrail. I slip my hand to the rainrail and I can feel cold air. does it mean the rainrail is cracked? cuz I can touch the edge of the inner part of the rainrail. Is that normal or I have to replace it? Is it hard to replace it?

Thanks

pour a cup of water onto the plastic window and see if the water gets between the window and the vinyl. Rain rail isn't terribly difficult to replace if you already know what you're doing. If you can feel cold air back there, I would almost suspect it's something bigger than a cracked rain rail - perhaps a missing rain rail or any of the three steel trim pieces that secure the top + rain rail to the body.

Rain rail is a common piece that will lead to leaking on your top. Like mentioned above it is fairly easy to replace. If there is a crack or cracks in the rain rail you may be able to use a plastic epoxy to fix it.

I found there is a gap between the window and the rear of the top and that causes the leak...i called and all stores recommend to change the entire top instead. sigh

That's unfortunate. Maybe it's time to find a nice used NB top to swap on?

Mine leaks between the rear window fabric and the main top as well. It makes things dank and moldy sometimes. Sigh...

I got $10 on a cracked plastic rain rail. You can get rubber ones off ebay.

There are many DIY websites available online who may guide you in a precise manner and these website may help you in the long run to maintain a good hygiene in the long run. So, I suggest browse for the solution online to get the expert opinion.

lolwut

I have a problem with a lot of water under my passenger seat. We have had several long periods of rain and the problem has worsened. I pulled apart the assemblies today and cleared a lot of crap out of the passenger side tube. I hope that was the cause.

New problem: Anyone know how to get the seatbelt tensioners to release in an 08? I cleared my draintubes and now I need to re-install everything, but I cannot get my tensioners in place as they have retracted.

There are many DIY websites available online who may guide you in a precise manner and these website may help you in the long run to maintain a good hygiene in the long run. So, I suggest browse for the solution online to get the expert opinion.