Driver-side carpet damp.

[KenC]

I know this has been covered before, but I tried to search and couldn't find anything. The carpet on the driver's side is damp, and it's not from my shoes. Can some one 'help a brotha out?'

[bimmerphile]

First of all, smell it.

Secondly, does it appear at all to be coming from behind the dash (behind the coin tray)?

[rayz]

highly likely coolant from the heater core valve. feel the area where your right calf would be when youre driving. just under the side of the console

[KenC]

OK,
Water isn't coming from behind the dash. Everything but the lowest part of the drivers side carpet is dry (ie the hump that goes over the tranny is bone dry.

[KenC]

highly likely coolant from the heater core valve. feel the area where your right calf would be when youre driving. just under the side of the console

No coolant. It smells like water. And that part of the carpet is dry.

[LowR3V'in]

.... No leaky sunroof?
Maybe your window didn't completely seal when rolled up..

I don't know much about bmw's but look at your windshield seal, I know that my vw had a leaky windshield problem; took me weeks to find out what was happening. :shock:

P.S: My carpet is soaked right now because my window don't close all the way. Maybe you have the same problem. :oops:

[e304lyfe]

maybe your firewall is rusty from where water runs down the vent below the wipers.... :evil: :evil: :evil:

[EtaSport]

my vote for windsheild seal.. I have the same problem when it rains hard. Only i get pools of water on my passenger side because i park my car on that sort of angle. I havent had a problem since our last rainstorm and the snow isnt causing problems so i am waiting until spring to fix it.

[BMW BMXER]

Theres these drains in the Rocker pannels. They often get cloogged and water ends up in the pass compartment. I read it somewere.

[KenC]

maybe your firewall is rusty from where water runs down the vent below the wipers.... :evil: :evil: :evil:

I took the black grille off (the one below the passenger side wiper; where the air is inducted for the heater-blower), and I couldn't see any water in there. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even see where water would even go... there weren't any ducts.

[KenC]

Theres these drains in the coker pannels. They often get cloogged and water ends up in the pass compartment. I read it somewere.

http://www.bmwe30.net/cgi-bin/datacgi/database.cgi?file=articles&report=view&ID=00000&Section=00

[Jonathan M3]

I would check your winshield seal, I had the same problem with my 325 except the passenger side was getting wet. I found a big crack in the windshield seal and sealed it with some silicone. Carpet never got wet again.

[KenC]

I would check your winshield seal, I had the same problem with my 325 except the passenger side was getting wet. I found a big crack in the windshield seal and sealed it with some silicone. Carpet never got wet again.

The big black rubber seal around the windshield?

[e304lyfe]

there is a dime sized hole the water drains through from the vents by the windshield wipers.

it is very hard to see... i needed a flashlight to see it.

my case was an extreme situation. i had tried just about everything anyone had ever suggested to no avail. i eventually stripped my whole interior to track it down. rust was not visble anywhere. but some way, some how, it had eaten away a lil chunk far up close to the dashboard... and my car is not rusty in the least bit.

chances are this is not your problem. but this just goes to show you anything is possible.

i would suggest taking up the carpetting on the side, and have someone drain water in the sunroof, or in the vent below the windshield wipers. hopefully you will see a trickle of water coming from somewhere.

[KenC]

there is a dime sized hole the water drains through from the vents by the windshield wipers.

it is very hard to see... i needed a flashlight to see it.

Those black vents? I took the one on the passenger side off. I didn't see anything that would resemble a duct hole. The one on the driver's side has the wiper through it, so I didn't take it off.