Water in overhead console, not sunroof drains

[hcz2]

Originally Posted by carlgo

You did the right test. Don't leave the tape on too long! If it still leaks, maybe you have blocked front drains. This is not that rare. I have fixed quite a few cars with this problem. On a level surface, all 4 drains should drain onto the floor, but if the front end is downhill and the front drains are blocked, then it would leak at the front. Usually the careful use of compressed air applied to the drains underneath the vehicle will cure things. I have also used a flexible speedo cable that I had laying around. It seems that things grow in those drains, turn into muck and plug up.

Rarely, the pan that collects the water will itself have a faulty seal, or the hose connection where it meets the pan will come off. Again, those are really rare problems and the least likely.

Here I am talking about vehicles in general. the X may have different issues. I don't think I was ever involved with a leaking X.

Can you tell me where the drains come out? I have a leak from the head cloth on the front right. It runs down the A pillar and puddles on the footwell when the car is parked facing downhill

[hcz2]

Originally Posted by mojamusic

my X5 got soaked on the driver's side floor after heavy rain. it seemed to come from around the hood release. i read many posts about the leak from the sunroof drain in the a-pillar. i took the pillar cover off according to the instructions on this post, found the inner lining wet and a damp outside of the air bag. the drainage hose was squashed shut around where the cover screws into the pillar. how stupid, there is no space for the tube to run around freely. answer, there is a plastic block on the cover around the screw hole, shave/shape it away until there is a channel space for the hose. cut a small slit in one edge of the squashed hose, put a 6mm diameter piece of plastic tube into hose to open it back up (like a heart stent in a blocked artery). make the plastic piece a little longer on each side of the slice, then move it center of the slice. i used a great thing called silicon tape to seal it all back together. its not glued but seals on contact with itself and waterproofs. the reinforced tube is very firmly open now. when you put the cover back on the pillar, make sure the cover isn't squashing or pinching the hose, then fasten the screw.
now i must wait for the next heavy rain to see if the leak is fixed

I'm having the same problem '04 e53 with panoramic roof.

When parked facing down hill the footwell fills up with water coming down the A pillar and out the bonnet (hood) release.

I'll have a go this weekend at taking the A pillar trim off and see what I find

Thanks

[mojamusic]

Sounds Like the same problem I had. Follow this threads instructions to remove the A pillar on the drivers side. Then follow my instructions on how to free the squashed tube. Good luck. My problem was solved completely by this procedure.

[carlgo]

Originally Posted by hcz2

Can you tell me where the drains come out? I have a leak from the head cloth on the front right. It runs down the A pillar and puddles on the footwell when the car is parked facing downhill

It has been so long...if I had to do it today I would have to see where it was dripping out on the clear drains and hope it was the same deal on the other side.

The other post regarding the pinched tube is specific to this car and checking that out seems like the best 1st step. Also, you could pin down the general exit area under the X.

[Ostateman]

My BMW X5 e53 with the panorama roof was leaking into the front passenger side floorboard.

So, after reading some of these posts, I put the cheapest solution to work first before taking it to BMW for a $800 fix (everything is at least $800).

After taking off the "A" cover, I noticed the tube was crimped and out of the housing tube that runs down to the outside drain.

That did the trick.

It took me all of 20 mintues to get it fixed.

Thanks, fellas.