[lkevinl]

OK...

I had a ding that required the front driver's side door of my 335i sedan to be painted, so work has been done on that door.

Since then, we've had (we're having) rain here in So. Cal. I've noticed that after the car is parked in the rain, the door step with the BMW logo is wet on the drivers side, but not on the passenger side, like maybe there is a leak. I kept on seeing this every time we'd get a little rain and it started bugging me. Tonight, I even checked the fuzzy trim around the door opening inside the car near the bottom and it was indeed soaking wet!!! I've checked the rubber trim and can't see where any leaks could be coming from. I suspect that water might be leaking in through where the bottom of the drivers window meets the silver door trim letting water into the door and then through the bottom of the door onto the door step.

I've attached pics of where I see the water. Anyone else have the same issue or is the related to my body work?!?!?

The first is the driver's side and the second is the passenger's side.

[StanfordF15]

Lots of rain here in the Bay Area too. (I had to park in about three inches of water last night.) I noticed water in the same places as shown in your pictures. My car has never had body work. I'd guess it is normal, as long as it does not get past the door seals.

[McLuVan]

yeah...and tonight is supposed to be the storms grand finale
its 12 o' clock right now and the rain is relentless
i just hope u didnt park ur car outside

ne way...looks like the water didnt pass the door seal like the guy above me said...
so it shouldnt be a problem
but u should let ur dealer check it out if u have the time if its really bothering u

[lkevinl]

Originally Posted by Stanford335

Lots of rain here in the Bay Area too. (I had to park in about three inches of water last night.) I noticed water in the same places as shown in your pictures. My car has never had body work. I'd guess it is normal, as long as it does not get past the door seals.

You have a sedan... did you notice a difference between the driver's side step and the passenger's side, was the passenger side dry? I ran my hand along the bottom part of the door that is over these steps when the door is closed and the driver's side was wet, passengers side not. It's odd because the bottom door light is right there too. There are also two rubber stoppers, one on each side of the light but I can't tell is the water is leaking from those or not. The silver door trim at the base of the window looks to be fit properly.

It's still raining. I'm thinking I may have to wait for a dry day and then spray or pour water over the door in different areas to find find out where this is coming from.

[lkevinl]

Originally Posted by Valley_Boy

but u should let ur dealer check it out if u have the time if its really bothering u

Well, the dealer didn't do the body work. They don't know about the body work but they might be able to tell... it's good work but a good eye or a good tech will know I suspect. Then I bet they'll just blame the body shop.

The car is parked on a level driveway in front of my house. I'm going to wipe off the step and underside of both doors to dry them off and check in the morning to see what happens. It's supposed to come down hard tonight and tomorrow.

[lkevinl]

Originally Posted by lkevinl

I'm going to wipe off the step and underside of both doors to dry them off and check in the morning to see what happens. It's supposed to come down hard tonight and tomorrow.

Ugh... don't think that worked out too well. It's coming down hard NOW... I may have gotten more water in while wiping! Too dark to tell... we'll see tomorrow...

[Tommy420]

Maybe there's rain on the driver side but not the passenger side because everytime you open your door to get out of your car, it gets wet. Try opening the passenger side door in the rain for about 10 seconds and see if that area gets wet. I doubt you have a leak.

[lkevinl]

Originally Posted by Tommy420

Maybe there's rain on the driver side but not the passenger side because everytime you open your door to get out of your car, it gets wet. Try opening the passenger side door in the rain for about 10 seconds and see if that area gets wet. I doubt you have a leak.

Well, very good point. My office has covered parking though and I think I noticed the difference once after a drive home in the rain, so it's hard to tell.

The way I park, the sun rise is on the passenger side of the car. After a rainy night and a sunny morning, maybe the passenger side evaporates.

The only way to know may be to wait for a sunny day and squirt the car down with the hose the same way on both sides and see what happens.
We'll see how my wipe down looks tomorrow morning too.

It's kind of ridiculous but it's bugging me... If the body shop screwed something up, I don't want to wait months after the work is complete to inform them of a problem.

[335Gone4Good]

Originally Posted by lkevinl

Well, very good point. My office has covered parking though and I think I noticed the difference once after a drive home in the rain, so it's hard to tell.

The way I park, the sun rise is on the passenger side of the car. After a rainy night and a sunny morning, maybe the passenger side evaporates.

The only way to know may be to wait for a sunny day and squirt the car down with the hose the same way on both sides and see what happens.
We'll see how my wipe down looks tomorrow morning too.

It's kind of ridiculous but it's bugging me... If the body shop screwed something up, I don't want to wait months after the work is complete to inform them of a problem.

Have the body shop check the door to make sur it is alighned right. I'm assuming they took the door off to repair and paint it properly. Cars nowadays a built so exacting that something that is a little off can cause an effect.

[HyperM3]

I have this on my sedan as well but on the passenger side. I know exactly what it is though.

The rubber seal that goes around your door was installed incorrectly. Around the rubber seal is little holes about 24 inches apart. They are drainage holes. Unfortunately, whoever put my seal on my door put it on so that the drainage holes are on the sides of the door, not the botttom(as I found on my drivers side).

So, when it rains, the actual weather seal fills up with water and then overflows out of the drainage holes on the outside of the seal. Thus ending up on your fuzzy door sill. Ive noticed this every time I wash my car. The minute I close my door after opening it, its like a gush of water out of the seals.

I tried drilling a couple small holes at the bottom of the seal to help drain but I dont think I did a good job. Gonna have to go back in for another operation.

[glock17]

MIne does it too. I thought it was normal.

[faustola]

Hi there, this is my first time posting, great forum, just hopping never to use it too much to solve problems.

Anyway, just recently detected that same problem in the drivers side door. The water does not gets inside the car but stays in the door sills.

In may opinion it is not normal. I will soon chek hyper m3 opinion about rubber seal placemente

Thank you

[hipnotic]

i think this is normal. my car does the same after i wash it.

[faustola]

Originally Posted by josh06lau

i think this is normal. my car does the same after i wash it.

Well, if it where normal it would happend in all the doos, not just the drivers side (in my case)

[fdriller9]

Mine always get wet....no accidents. If you think about where the seal on the bottom of the door is, it's above that strip. So you're going to see moisture and dirt in there after a rain/wash.

[faustola]

Originally Posted by HyperM3

I have this on my sedan as well but on the passenger side. I know exactly what it is though.

The rubber seal that goes around your door was installed incorrectly. Around the rubber seal is little holes about 24 inches apart. They are drainage holes. Unfortunately, whoever put my seal on my door put it on so that the drainage holes are on the sides of the door, not the botttom(as I found on my drivers side).

So, when it rains, the actual weather seal fills up with water and then overflows out of the drainage holes on the outside of the seal. Thus ending up on your fuzzy door sill. Ive noticed this every time I wash my car. The minute I close my door after opening it, its like a gush of water out of the seals.

I tried drilling a couple small holes at the bottom of the seal to help drain but I dont think I did a good job. Gonna have to go back in for another operation.

Well, take a look to my drainage holes. The pics are from the drivers side.

Checked all doors and the holes face up in all of them, not outside not down.

If the water enters the ruber how is it suposed to get out ?

Do the holes in your rubers face up too ??

[faustola]

Anyway, could this be related with the more usual problem with the vapor barriers on the door seals. Could we see the water appearing from a different place in that case ?

Anyone knows ?