Water leak between front seats. Any thoughts?

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 19, 2017

I have a T5 140 63 plate, and I have a recurring water leak which manifests itself between the two front seats and seems to track from the sink side along the plastic cill which separates carpet from hard floor.
I have had the problem before when I used the Cali for a long trip to the outer Hebrides. Then it rained incessantly and so when SMG suggested it was a blocked window drain I took this at face value.
It has now occurred after two weeks of sunshine in Scotland ( yes almost unheard of) so it cannot be ingress from outside.
I have looked in cupboard under sink and can see no sign of a leak.
Any thoughts, suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks

westfalia · Sep 19, 2017

I had water in the same place, It was coming from when i filled the water
tank with a hosepipe.
There is a small piece of hose between the water tank and the filling hole connected
with 2 jubilee clips. My jubilee clips weren´t tight enough, so water poured in and tracked through
behind the sink unit to the front of the van.
I fixed that but now get occasional water in from the sliding window.
The seal is crap and water seeps through behind all of the trim.

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 19, 2017

Hi westfalia thanks for your response. That could make sense. Can you confirm where the jubilee clips are / how I access them? Thanks for your reply.

westfalia · Sep 19, 2017

Tunworththunderbolt said:
Hi westfalia thanks for your response. That could make sense. Can you confirm where the jubilee clips are / how I access them? Thanks for your reply.

You can see the pipe from where you access the gas bottle, behind the water tank.
And i think you can also access it from the wardrobe area, thats where i replaced my water pump
but i´m not sure which side i got to the clips.

Hotel California · Sep 19, 2017

That leak on the water filler i had on mine 5y ago when brand new .
I posted how i resolved it on the forum back then but that topic must be very old .
I'll try and look it up later for you(in browsing at a France campsite right now)
But i doubt the water would be getting in between the front seats . When the filler tube was leaking on mine it dripped under the Cali rear left hand side .
I should look more at the sink water supply or drain or the waste water drain
Or a leaking sliding window.

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 19, 2017

Thanks hotel California if you do find the post thread would appreciate it as and when convenient. Many thanks

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 19, 2017

westfalia said:
You can see the pipe from where you access the gas bottle, behind the water tank.
And i think you can also access it from the wardrobe area, thats where i replaced my water pump
but i´m not sure which side i got to the clips.

Many thanks!

WelshGas · Sep 19, 2017

Tunworththunderbolt said:
Many thanks!

Have you checked the front roof drains. They run down the front A pillar, but can leak and will drain into the cabin. Check under the front cabin mats. The central carpet between the seats has a thick pad under the carpet covering a wiring loom between the front seats and can be very absorbent.

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 20, 2017

Thanks for the suggestion Welshgas. I am guessing it is not these drains as we have had no rain for two weeks but a flood on the carpet. I will check these as a matter of course from now on though

Taff7996 · Sep 20, 2017

Just a thought,
Been in not so sunny Scotland for the past two weeks
Just started cleaning van post trip, noticed a stain around right hand edge of passenger seat
After much though and investigation, noticed that the pattern of monster mats that I have fitted drain towards the front righthand corner of passengers seat
So when ever my other half got in with wet/dirty shoes it would all build up on monster mat by seat, eventually overflowing

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 28, 2017

Thank you everyone for your replies.
I am now back home and have stripped Daisy Grey down to get at all of the pipework, and I have found the source of the problem.
It looks like Westfalia hit the jackpot in this case. (Thank you).
I removed the back of the wardrobe and the second jubilee clip on the large pipe (connecting the inlet pipe onto the fresh water tank is short and slightly loose.
I surrounded the now dry area in kitchen towel and filled until overflow, and the water gushed out of the pipe.
I have two questions for anyone please?:
1. Does anyone know where I get a new piece of hose from and the exact diameter / spec needed
2. In investigating the leak I found that there is an overflow pipe return to the filler which has a small rubber pipe on it. In my case this is too long and badly kinked. Is this right or should I shorten it. I looks unlikely any water could pass through it at present.
I have attached a picture if anyone is interested which shows the short pipe and wet blue paper and also the kinked overflow

Hotel California · Sep 28, 2017

@Tunworththunderbolt ,
Exact the same issue i had 4y ago from new
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/fresh-watertank-leaking.4663/#post-219796

note : Westfalia has nothing to do with this , the Cali is fully made by VW

Tunworththunderbolt · Sep 28, 2017

hotel california said:
@Tunworththunderbolt ,
Exact the same issue i had 4y ago from new
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/fresh-watertank-leaking.4663/#post-219796

note : Westfalia has nothing to do with this , the Cali is fully made by VW

Thanks for referencing the thread
Re Westfalia, I was referring to the person in this thread that correctly identified the problem

not the maker of the vehicle....

WelshGas · Sep 28, 2017

Tunworththunderbolt said:
Thank you everyone for your replies.
I am now back home and have stripped Daisy Grey down to get at all of the pipework, and I have found the source of the problem.
It looks like Westfalia hit the jackpot in this case. (Thank you).
I removed the back of the wardrobe and the second jubilee clip on the large pipe (connecting the inlet pipe onto the fresh water tank is short and slightly loose.
I surrounded the now dry area in kitchen towel and filled until overflow, and the water gushed out of the pipe.
I have two questions for anyone please?:
1. Does anyone know where I get a new piece of hose from and the exact diameter / spec needed
2. In investigating the leak I found that there is an overflow pipe return to the filler which has a small rubber pipe on it. In my case this is too long and badly kinked. Is this right or should I shorten it. I looks unlikely any water could pass through it at present.
I have attached a picture if anyone is interested which shows the short pipe and wet blue paper and also the kinked overflowView attachment 26205