[afrirado]

Hi everyone,

I experienced a weird situation of water in battery compartment in my 14 X3.

Here is what happened, initially I noticed water because liftgate stopped working and there was about half inch of water in the battery compartment and the liftgate control module was damaged by water. But I don't see water mark on both sides of the battery compartment.

So I close everything and use garden hose to spray water to the car from top to bottom, no water entered. Then after two days of rain, no water enter as well. Finally I decided to drive in the rain (13 miles) to see what happen and water enter the battery compartment but both sides were dry.

Does anyone experience this before or does anyone know where the entrance may be?

Thanks and be safe.

[Sandy5454]

Could it be due to water from the sunroof drains?
I know there is a history of these drains letting water into the car. Lots of info on YouTube how to check the drains and fix them.
good luck

[afrirado]

Originally Posted by Sandy5454

Could it be due to water from the sunroof drains?
I know there is a history of these drains letting water into the car. Lots of info on YouTube how to check the drains and fix them.
good luck

Thank you Sandy5454, I know what you are talking. But usually these drains clog will let water into the side, not in the middle directly. I will check it out for sure.

[afrirado]

I inset trimmer line and almost 6 feet in and didn't see the line come out, where the drain end?

[Black Prinz]

With my wife's X3, water was seeping in from the 3rd brake light (CHMSL - center high mount stop light)

[afrirado]

Originally Posted by Black Prinz

With my wife's X3, water was seeping in from the 3rd brake light (CHMSL - center high mount stop light)

In your case, where the water will accumulate considering the light is pretty high, still in battery compartment? Today after a big thunderstorm, still no water sign in the battery compartment, in my case, I have to drive in the rain for water to get in which is so weird

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by afrirado

In your case, where the water will accumulate considering the light is pretty high, still in battery compartment? Today after a big thunderstorm, still no water sign in the battery compartment, in my case, I have to drive in the rain for water to get in which is so weird

Finding water ingress is always a challenging task. If you believe one of the triggers is driving in the rain, you might want to get the help of a friend, spouse, etc. Get into a dark place, maybe your garage at night with lights off, etc, pull up the cargo floor to gain good access to the battery compartment. One of you lay under the rear of the car while the other one shines a flashlight into the battery compartment. Shine it everywhere in there because you don't know the spot where the water gets in. Ask the other people to give a yell if they see your flashlight from under the car. If you have a long tube light, like a fluorescent light or LED strip, that would work better than a flashlight because it would flood the battery compartment with light and make it easier to see from underneath. Alternatively, you could put the light under the car and then look into the battery compartment to try and see it. Anyway, just an idea.

[afrirado]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

Finding water ingress is always a challenging task. If you believe one of the triggers is driving in the rain, you might want to get the help of a friend, spouse, etc. Get into a dark place, maybe your garage at night with lights off, etc, pull up the cargo floor to gain good access to the battery compartment. One of you lay under the rear of the car while the other one shines a flashlight into the battery compartment. Shine it everywhere in there because you don't know the spot where the water gets in. Ask the other people to give a yell if they see your flashlight from under the car. If you have a long tube light, like a fluorescent light or LED strip, that would work better than a flashlight because it would flood the battery compartment with light and make it easier to see from underneath. Alternatively, you could put the light under the car and then look into the battery compartment to try and see it. Anyway, just an idea.

Thank you, that is a great idea. will try it.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by afrirado

Thank you, that is a great idea. will try it.

You're welcome. Another but less desirable idea would be to have someone under the car with a water hose set to a somewhat forceful spray pattern thereby imitating a drive in the rain while you are in the battery compartment looking to see where its coming in from. Maybe you can ask one of the neighbors you don't especially like to lay under the car with the hose

[Black Prinz]

Originally Posted by afrirado

In your case, where the water will accumulate considering the light is pretty high, still in battery compartment? Today after a big thunderstorm, still no water sign in the battery compartment, in my case, I have to drive in the rain for water to get in which is so weird

With enough rain that's where it ended up; small pool on the cargo cover & cargo mat was normally dry.

Shop found the leak and sealed with silicone & no water issues since.

[najnad]

I had a similar issue...water on cargo cover and some below, but never got bad enough/I caught it in time before it got down to the battery (I think). I had been rear ended and repaired, so I took it back to the shop thinking they messed something up (long story, bad auto body shop, was like pulling teeth to get things done right)...they said it was the 3rd brake light and replaced it. I also adjusted the bump stops down a bit. Since both of those, no water in the back.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by najnad

I had a similar issue...water on cargo cover and some below, but never got bad enough/I caught it in time before it got down to the battery (I think). I had been rear ended and repaired, so I took it back to the shop thinking they messed something up (long story, bad auto body shop, was like pulling teeth to get things done right)...they said it was the 3rd brake light and replaced it. I also adjusted the bump stops down a bit. Since both of those, no water in the back.

You're the second one who is saying the water got in via the third brake light. So I can imagine that water gets in, ends up on the cargo cover which is drawn all the way back and then when you take off in the car, the water shifts and ends up in the battery compartment. Sound logical?

afrirado , you getting all this? Possibly the test to do is make sure your cargo cover is fully extended and locked into position, place a dry towel over it and then spray water up at the third brake light for a few minutes and then see if your towel is wet. Not sure how long it might take before the water makes its way through and onto your towel but its a pretty easy thing to do and if this is in fact the entry point, you would be able to follow the water trail back up to see where its coming from. Could be the light sense is cracked or the gasket is dried up.

.

[afrirado]

I did try to spray water with garden hose from top to bottom and even from under the car, but no water get into battery compartment. In recent days, there is thunderstorm everyday and I did not see water get in, the cargo mat or cover are always dry. it's heavy rain now and will check first thing tomorrow morning.

[pungo]

For difficult water leaks, I've heard of shops using some type of fog/smoke machine in the vehicle and see where it comes out. Know someone in a band

[afrirado]

Just checked, no water trunk mat or cover or battery compartment. I will try use light or smoke method