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      11-25-2018, 07:45 PM   #1
zartan2000
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Water in battery compartment

I own a 2006 E83. I have water accumulating under my battery and in the rear left hand side “bucket” below the audio electronics. I disconnected the rear sunroof drain tubes from the roof assembly and poured water into them to see if they worked. Both flow water to the exit drains inside of the bumper without issue. I also ran wire down the drain tubes and up into the roof assembly. Everything seemed clear. I soaked the exterior of the car with the hose and watched for water to leak into the area. The left rear “drain system” made some “glug-glug” sounds during the experiment, but no water appeared. I watched for probably 5 minutes without seeing anything. So I drank more coffee and came back 20 minutes later. Well, I got water in the bucket – just a little bit (maybe ˝ teaspoon). Eventually I figured out that the water was seeping in via the leftmost body plug on the horizontal rear surface that connects with the floor between the bucket and main floor of the battery compartment. I removed the plug and some more water came out of the hole. I now have 1 or 2 teaspoons in the bucket. There is now standing water just below the bottom of the hole with apparently nowhere to go. From the stains behind the other body plugs, it appears that the water has gotten “deep enough” in the past to cross a small metal barrier between the leftmost and rightmost body plugs. How does water get into this location? I’m not even sure my soaking experiment filled up this litter reservoir. The leak, with the plug in place, is super slow and I might have missed seeing it earlier. I guess I could seal the plugs, but I don’t know where the water would then end up. Any ideas?
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      11-25-2018, 07:52 PM   #2
zartan2000
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Forgot to mention that before the experiment, there was about 1 or 2 cups of water in both the battery compartment and the left bucket. I dried this up before troubleshooting.
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      11-27-2018, 10:52 AM   #3
zartan2000
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Picture of trouble spot.

Wire harness has been moved above normal location.
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      11-27-2018, 10:54 AM   #4
zartan2000
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      12-15-2018, 09:01 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zartan2000 View Post
I own a 2006 E83. I have water accumulating under my battery and in the rear left hand side “bucket” below the audio electronics. I disconnected the rear sunroof drain tubes from the roof assembly and poured water into them to see if they worked. Both flow water to the exit drains inside of the bumper without issue. I also ran wire down the drain tubes and up into the roof assembly. Everything seemed clear. I soaked the exterior of the car with the hose and watched for water to leak into the area. The left rear “drain system” made some “glug-glug” sounds during the experiment, but no water appeared. I watched for probably 5 minutes without seeing anything. So I drank more coffee and came back 20 minutes later. Well, I got water in the bucket – just a little bit (maybe ½ teaspoon). Eventually I figured out that the water was seeping in via the leftmost body plug on the horizontal rear surface that connects with the floor between the bucket and main floor of the battery compartment. I removed the plug and some more water came out of the hole. I now have 1 or 2 teaspoons in the bucket. There is now standing water just below the bottom of the hole with apparently nowhere to go. From the stains behind the other body plugs, it appears that the water has gotten “deep enough” in the past to cross a small metal barrier between the leftmost and rightmost body plugs. How does water get into this location? I’m not even sure my soaking experiment filled up this litter reservoir. The leak, with the plug in place, is super slow and I might have missed seeing it earlier. I guess I could seal the plugs, but I don’t know where the water would then end up. Any ideas?
I had the same problem and it ruined the telephonics. I would have three inches of water in the battery compartment after a hard rain... decided to just drill a couple holes in the bottom of the battery compartment to drain the water.

It still gets wet, but at least the water doesn't pool anymore.
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      01-02-2019, 07:13 AM   #6
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I have the same problem with a 2013 X3 with water pooling in the battery compartment and in the left tool compartment. I do not have a sunroof.

The water in the left tool compartment/ bucket appears to be dripping from the cover of the D pillar. I have no idea when the water is coming from in the battery compartment. I have ordered a tailgate rubber seal and hop that cures one of the leaks.

The BMW technical manual suggests checking the wire and grommet from the PDC sensors on the bumper where the cable enters the rear of the battery compartment. It may not be the same on then E83.
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      01-02-2019, 07:57 AM   #7
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You may find some information here on water ingress for the E83 but there is more information under the F25.
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...water-ingress/
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      04-17-2019, 01:20 PM   #8
camo john
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check your sunroof drain hole.
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      11-01-2019, 11:40 PM   #9
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My X3/F25/2013 got a leaking water container I put in cargo space, water are all over the battery compartment area for around 1 inch deep. Is there a drain hole in that area?
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      01-27-2023, 11:33 AM   #10
Subydayo
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Did you ever find the issue? The water in my 2011 F25 28i isn't nearly this bad, but there is some water. Currently frozen...
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      01-30-2023, 10:40 AM   #11
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I spent a bit of time tracking down the water leaks getting into both rear corners of the boot and into the battery tray. It is a right pain removing the floor rails, trim, the polystyrene tray and the electronics to get to it but there is no easy way around it.

The water was coming in around the gromet for what might be a breather/vaccumn pipe, it is about 1 1/2 inch diameter and just below and to the right of the smaller gromets shown in the picture in post #4. If I sprayed water along the top of the bumper behind the wheel this was where it was coming through.

I think the water then gets so full in the well behind the wheel it then slops over into the battery tray.

I tried re-seating the gromet without much luck.

There is a blanking bung in the floor in both rear corners so I just removed these so any water can drain out in future.

Last edited by lambo911; 01-30-2023 at 11:03 AM..
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