Water getting into car inevitable??
 

Hello everyone. I just became a Boxster owner last Thursday and I've been lurking the forum for over a week trying to learn more about the car as well as any known issues.

The common problem I've seen popping up is water getting in and under the carpets of the car. Is this problem inevitable for all Boxsters? Or it's only happening to a small percentage of Boxsters out there? Is there a particular model year that's more susceptible to this?

I read, and come to realized there are alot of drainage holes for the Boxster. I have never seen a car that necessitate so much drainage and so prone to these drainage getting plugged. There are even owners who said their car never see the rain, but still get the water problem from washing their cars.

I've had an S2000 before and I never heard anyone have problems like this.

Double check and make sure that there isn't water flooding underneath your driver side seat. Your Alarm Computer is under there and is extremely expensive to replace if it's wrecked. Check your drain location,more so the one located behind the driver and passenger seats near the engine cover.

Where in the interior is the carpet getting wet?

Oh I don't have the water problem. At least I hope I don't. I just got the car and haven't driven it in the rain or washed it yet. I was just reading the forum and realized the water problem has been mentioned more times than I like to see and I am just wondering if a "wet" Boxster is inevitable. Or are there owners out there who has had their Boxster for years and never had this problem and never paid attention to all the drain holes?

Well, I think any convertible is going to be more of an issue with regard to water intrusion than a "normal" hard top car, but I agree, the Box does seem to have more issues with this than some other rag tops. I just recently experienced some water issues, which may be related to my custom audio install.

Patrick

I've never had an issue. She's as water-tight as a frog's...

Mine too, go play in rain often and never been an issue :)

In a further attempt to allay your fears: I've never had an issue either - despite driving 50 miles a day in pouring rain for 4 months last year!

In fact, out of all the convertibles I've had now (this is my 6th different one) this is the only car where i have never had a single leak inside - I'm impressed with the design!

I've not had a single water-related issue the entire time I've owned my boxster.... all four weeks of it :).
Jokes aside, thanks for posting the query and for the responses - it helped allay some of my fears, but also made sure that I will go ahead and check the drainholes just in case ;)

ive had problems with mine, water under the drivers seat.
turned out that pretty much all the drains were clogged, and i mean clogged ashell. after cleaning them out, front and back, no more problems.

so just make sure you look at them now that you know about the possible problems. there are 2 drains on both sides of the battery, and 2 are in the back when you put your car in service position.


heres where they are located in the diagrams
http://i5.tinypic.com/6cngk5e.jpg
http://i5.tinypic.com/4yu0d5d.jpg

I don't understand the diagram
 

Thanks for the diagram, but I don't understand it.

In the rear, I know where the two drains are on either side of the top well, but mine are in identical locations on both sides (as depicted for "1"). I don't understand where they say "2" is located. It looks like it's up in the side of the car.

Likewise, in the front, I know where "2" and "4" are located ("4" is conveniently tucked under the steering column and some bracing), but I don't know where "1" and "3" are. Are they under the battery tray and in the left front fender?

And are all of the exits accessible without removing fender liners and the underbody tray?

Does the drain configuration vary by model year?

I've got to get a service manual for a '99.

Bob

With the exception of a six year period I have owned a convertible since 1964. IN all that time I have only has one, an MGB, that leaked and that came in around the drivers door. Not a one of the others has leaked. In fact, when I read the Boxster manual I was wondering why the manual went to such great lengths to say no convertible top was leak proof. I don't know about the Boxster S but if it does leak it will be gone in short order.

Tom

Thank you for all the reponses. I hope I am one of the lucky ones who will never have water intrusion problems.

As for the posted diagrams, I cannot figure out what "A" and "B" are. Is that a depiction of an airhose and a probing device to clean the drains??

How should one clean the drains to make sure the whole route of the tubing is clean?

**edit** What is the "service position"?

thanks for tips!

Can't help you with your other questions, but the service position is an easy one. It is a means of accessing the engine from the top, by lowering the convertible top slightly, pulling off a couple of ball joints on the top fabric, and removing a couple of panels. Very easy to do -- a search should get you to the pics as well as a better/detailed description.

You may want to learn how to do this anyhow, in case you need to go to a smog station where they don't know how to access your engine ;)

You will always hear more people express concern or complain than praise. It seems to be human nature.

Keep the top up, windows closed and the drains clear and it is not a problem.

Rant on: I think what pisses me off about people owning "cars" is that they really want "appliances" and not to be inconvenienced when something isn't perfect. If you want an appliance, get the proverbial Japanese **************** box. If you want a Porsche, expect to be involved in the ownership process. Rant off ;)

I don't know if that is directed at me but I sure as hell expect my car not to leak, be it Porsche or any other car. My grandfather was involved in the ownership process and he stayed wet doing it. I expect a little better here 70 years later.

Tom

I have had my Boxstir for 8 years and never had water inside. I check the drains once in a while and make sure there is no stuff in them. Just pour water in the drains a make sure they are free.

If the drains under the top are clogged water can get inside and under the seat. Under the top is a black foam liner that collects water and directs it to the drains. If the drains are clogged then the that foam liner acts like a swimming pool liner. Water collects and then overflows the liner and water gets into the cockpit, and then it can get under the seats and fry the control unit under the driver's seat.

If the drains next to the battery are clogged water can get inside the cockpit and inside the brake booster.

It is easy to check the drains, so this sould be part of the maintenance for the car.

Back to the diagram
 

Thanks for the insight, racer d.

Because you seem to have knowledge and wisdom to share, maybe for those of us involved in the ownership process required by the Boxster's interesting stormwater management system, you can explain the diagram. Are there four drain lines in the front, or two? If there are four, where are "1" and "3," and how are they accessed? In the rear, where is "2" as depicted?

Thanks again.

kdub, as to "A" and "B," I'm pretty sure "A" is a compressed air hose, and "B" is a vacuum.

Bob

Bueller?
 

Bueller? Anyone?

The 2 front drains are next to the battery tray, one on either side of the tray. They are hard to see if you do not know where to look. Ask a local owner to show you.

The 2 rear drains are under the top. You need to put the top in the service position, and they are easy to see.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the response, but it doesn't address my question.

I know where the two drains are on either side of the battery in the front, but it appears that the diagram shows four drains in the front -- a drain ("1") in front of or beneath the battery, and a drain ("3") in the driver-side front fender.

I also know where the two drains are on either side of the top well in the back, but it appears that the diagram shows a drain ("2") on the driver's side in a location high on a side panel behind the door.

I have vacuumed and flushed the four drains I have found, two front and two back, but I want to be sure I do not leave other drains unattended.

Perhaps there are no other drains, and I am either reading the diagram wrong or the diagram is incorrect.

Is there anybody here who can explain the apparent differences between what the diagram shows and what I see in my car? Are there more than four drains? (In your response, please do not tell me about the drains in the doors, I know about those, too. I just want to address the diagram.) Do the drains vary by year? My car is a '99.

Thanks.