Peugeot 206 C 1.6 Engine water leak in passenger side when it rains

[KingTony]

hello everyone

i have problem every time it rains

so i was wondering if anyone can help me, i have removed the carpet it was a hard job, i've got to this insulation and under this is wet, i am assuming leak most be some where under this but i am not able to remove this as dash and every thing else need to come out first, does anyone know what could cause the leak ?

what if i just cut this ?

i do apologize in advanced for my broken English I am a refugee who lives in the beautiful Aus

 

[SLC206]

Hi KingTony,

Is it definitely rain water and not engine coolant?

Do you park under trees - is there lots of leaf matter on or under the scuttle (plastic panel at base of windscreen)?

 

[Armidillo]

You are unlikely to find the leak under the carpet, although what you have done will help it to dry out. It is almost certainly coming from higher up.

That said, have you been driving through deep water? There are drain holes in the floor, and there are supposed to be bungs in them to stop water coming in (can see one or two in your photos). Probably easier to check that all plastic plugs are in place by looking up at the floor from underneath

Assuming you don't find anything obvious underneath, then as Simon says, make sure it is clean water, not radiator coolant (in which case it could be coming from the heater core). I would suggest next step is to remove trim under the dashboard (above front footwell), and note carefully whether there is any sign of moisture. I have had a couple of cases recently of water coming from the scuttle (below windscreen on the outside) and through the cooling fan (which should be below/behind the glove box).

Apart from wetting the carpet, this is not good for the fan!

Cheers

Alec

 

[seasink]

While you are looking at the scuttle (or through the vents in it), look for standing water at either end. There are drains into the wheel arch area there, and they can be blocked with composted leaves and dust. The water may then get into the heater intake.

It's not uncommon with cars that are mostly parked outside.

 

[LukeK_GT]

Yes, as per the others is it coolant or rain water?
I only ask as my sister 206 GTi was doing the same thing and she said it only happened when it rained...
In the end it was actually coming from the heater core connections which leak on the passenger side. When ever it rained, she had the heater on to demist the windscreen.
The lines feeding the heater core have O-Rings which do split over time. There is a post somewhere on here showing this and how to fix it.
If this is the case, lucky for you that this is probably one of the easiest modern day cars to fix it on as there is a ton of room.

 

[KingTony]

Hi KingTony,

Is it definitely rain water and not engine coolant?

Do you park under trees - is there lots of leaf matter on or under the scuttle (plastic panel at base of windscreen)?

thanks for reply

yes it is deferentially not coolant as i had leak from heater Marix and t been fixed also the coolant is red so if it leaks i will understand it

do you mean water would come from here ?

 

[KingTony]

You are unlikely to find the leak under the carpet, although what you have done will help it to dry out. It is almost certainly coming from higher up.

That said, have you been driving through deep water? There are drain holes in the floor, and there are supposed to be bungs in them to stop water coming in (can see one or two in your photos). Probably easier to check that all plastic plugs are in place by looking up at the floor from underneath

Assuming you don't find anything obvious underneath, then as Simon says, make sure it is clean water, not radiator coolant (in which case it could be coming from the heater core). I would suggest next step is to remove trim under the dashboard (above front footwell), and note carefully whether there is any sign of moisture. I have had a couple of cases recently of water coming from the scuttle (below windscreen on the outside) and through the cooling fan (which should be below/behind the glove box).

Apart from wetting the carpet, this is not good for the fan!

Cheers

Alec

thanks for reply Alec

once i was driving under rain then when i got home parked it outside didn't bother to park it inside when come back in the morning i saw lots of water in foot passenger now every time it rains i leave it outside and same thing happen

i am going to apply sound deadner do you think it will help if the water coming from underneath through those plugs ?

i can not remove the trim under dash as dash and lots of other things have to remove first unless i just tear the trim

not sure what you mean behind the glove box is no fan as i had removed the glove box it is just some wire and break light

thanks

Tony

 

[KingTony]

While you are looking at the scuttle (or through the vents in it), look for standing water at either end. There are drains into the wheel arch area there, and they can be blocked with composted leaves and dust. The water may then get into the heater intake.

It's not uncommon with cars that are mostly parked outside.

thanks for reply

i wil open then vent wiper and everything else to look at it and also clean it

this leak driving me crazy i have to find it

thank

Tony

 

[KingTony]

Yes, as per the others is it coolant or rain water?
I only ask as my sister 206 GTi was doing the same thing and she said it only happened when it rained...
In the end it was actually coming from the heater core connections which leak on the passenger side. When ever it rained, she had the heater on to demist the windscreen.
The lines feeding the heater core have O-Rings which do split over time. There is a post somewhere on here showing this and how to fix it.
If this is the case, lucky for you that this is probably one of the easiest modern day cars to fix it on as there is a ton of room.

thanks for reply

it is deferentially not coming from heater matrix and also wouldn't be coolant as coolant on my car is red and i dont lose any coolant.

yeah i get what you mean i had that problem and i fixed it, i went to the shop to fix it they gave me quote for 500 if iam not wrong then i fixed it myself and it cost like 10

thanks
Tony

 

[Armidillo]

thanks for reply Alec

once i was driving under rain then when i got home parked it outside didn't bother to park it inside when come back in the morning i saw lots of water in foot passenger now every time it rains i leave it outside and same thing happen

...

not sure what you mean behind the glove box is no fan as i had removed the glove box it is just some wire and break light

thanks

Tony

Can someone explain where the cabin fan is in a 206? Tony, if you can remove the scuttle cover (which probably requires removal of the wipers - you will probably require a small puller for this), then you should be able to see the inlet to the fan - this should help to work out where to find the fan itself.

Cheers

Alec

 

[seasink]

Here's a manual diagram of the scuttle panel. In each corner above the back of the wheel arch there is a drain. Blockage of these is common, and the rain water has to find another way out. You can prise up an insert grille on most cars, but you may have to remove a wiper to prise this up.

 

[schlitzaugen]

Just to positively eliminate another source of leaks, I would take the car through a car wash, see if the leak happens again, then tape the windshield rubber all the way around with duct tape and take it through the car wash again see if the leak is gone. If it is, you found your culprit.

If the leak doesn't happen when you take it through the car wash the first time, the test is not going to help.

If you can find the fan intake you can repeat the test and tape up the intake.

Leaks around windows are very hard to find otherwise, because water comes in and drains who knows where (on the floor) quickly so it leaves no trace at the entry point.

 

[KingTony]

Can someone explain where the cabin fan is in a 206? Tony, if you can remove the scuttle cover (which probably requires removal of the wipers - you will probably require a small puller for this), then you should be able to see the inlet to the fan - this should help to work out where to find the fan itself.

Cheers

Alec

thanks Alec
i will buy a puller and try to open it
will let you know

 

[KingTony]

Here's a manual diagram of the scuttle panel. In each corner above the back of the wheel arch there is a drain. Blockage of these is common, and the rain water has to find another way out. You can prise up an insert grille on most cars, but you may have to remove a wiper to prise this up.
View attachment 121561

thank it helps a lot i will open it and clean all the drains i actually see some leaves in there

tanks Tony

 

[KingTony]

Just to positively eliminate another source of leaks, I would take the car through a car wash, see if the leak happens again, then tape the windshield rubber all the way around with duct tape and take it through the car wash again see if the leak is gone. If it is, you found your culprit.

If the leak doesn't happen when you take it through the car wash the first time, the test is not going to help.

If you can find the fan intake you can repeat the test and tape up the intake.

Leaks around windows are very hard to find otherwise, because water comes in and drains who knows where (on the floor) quickly so it leaves no trace at the entry point.

thanks for reply

i will do that if i couldn't fix the leak by cleaning the drains

thanks
Tony

 

[KingTony]

Can someone explain where the cabin fan is in a 206? Tony, if you can remove the scuttle cover (which probably requires removal of the wipers - you will probably require a small puller for this), then you should be able to see the inlet to the fan - this should help to work out where to find the fan itself.

Cheers

Alec

hi Alec

i had remove the wipers scuttle and coudnt find any cabin fan i am confuse now

however it was so dirty i also remove the windshield panels and gave the a really good clean with Gerni

do you think the leak would be from somewhere there ?

 

[Armidillo]

Fantastic cleanup job - has to be well worth doing!

Sorry for misleading you - I was going from my knowledge of older and bigger cars - 406, Xantia etc. In them the scuttle is a much bigger thing, which contains wiper motors etc. and often the pollen filter, positioned above the fan intake (the Xantia lets all the junk fall into the fan and has the pollen filter after the fan). I hope someone with some actual knowledge of the 206 will soon chime in with more useful information.

This discussion has however stimulated a few brain cells - I had a Subaru wagon with a similar problem, which turned out to be a missing or broken plug or grommet - anyway, a rubber plug that was supposed to fill a hole in the firewall was missing. Must have been a spot where water overflowed (eg from a blocked up scuttle), landed on this faulty seal/plug, and tricked into the cabin. So well worth checking that all the various sealing plugs, grommets etc. that are supposed to keep water out of the cabin are present and intact. I guess that goes for the underside as well as the engine bay!

 

[LukeK_GT]

Fantastic cleanup job - has to be well worth doing!

Sorry for misleading you - I was going from my knowledge of older and bigger cars - 406, Xantia etc. In them the scuttle is a much bigger thing, which contains wiper motors etc. and often the pollen filter, positioned above the fan intake (the Xantia lets all the junk fall into the fan and has the pollen filter after the fan). I hope someone with some actual knowledge of the 206 will soon chime in with more useful information.

This discussion has however stimulated a few brain cells - I had a Subaru wagon with a similar problem, which turned out to be a missing or broken plug or grommet - anyway, a rubber plug that was supposed to fill a hole in the firewall was missing. Must have been a spot where water overflowed (eg from a blocked up scuttle), landed on this faulty seal/plug, and tricked into the cabin. So well worth checking that all the various sealing plugs, grommets etc. that are supposed to keep water out of the cabin are present and intact. I guess that goes for the underside as well as the engine bay!

206 has inside air intake on RHS where the strut tower is. Air actually feeds into here through the vent on the bonnet. Water won't get in this way as the intake is quite high up. Unless you try crossing a river but you will have several other problems.

 

[LukeK_GT]

hi Alec

i had remove the wipers scuttle and coudnt find any cabin fan i am confuse now

however it was so dirty i also remove the windshield panels and gave the a really good clean with Gerni

do you think the leak would be from somewhere there ?

Well since you pressure blasted it if it was leaking somewhere around the windscreen you would have found it. So I guess it ain't there.

 

[KingTony]

Fantastic cleanup job - has to be well worth doing!

Sorry for misleading you - I was going from my knowledge of older and bigger cars - 406, Xantia etc. In them the scuttle is a much bigger thing, which contains wiper motors etc. and often the pollen filter, positioned above the fan intake (the Xantia lets all the junk fall into the fan and has the pollen filter after the fan). I hope someone with some actual knowledge of the 206 will soon chime in with more useful information.

This discussion has however stimulated a few brain cells - I had a Subaru wagon with a similar problem, which turned out to be a missing or broken plug or grommet - anyway, a rubber plug that was supposed to fill a hole in the firewall was missing. Must have been a spot where water overflowed (eg from a blocked up scuttle), landed on this faulty seal/plug, and tricked into the cabin. So well worth checking that all the various sealing plugs, grommets etc. that are supposed to keep water out of the cabin are present and intact. I guess that goes for the underside as well as the engine bay!

yeah it was good i think it has not been cleaned for the pat 14 years however i still drive and leave it under rain to see if i still have leak, but it seems like i dont have it anymore it is stranger
thanks