Z3 z3water leaking under drivers door [i think]

hi folks am a fairly new z3 owner and have just replaced rubber door seals on drivers side ,found pool of water under carpet on driver side,water still seeping in under door and soaking carpet even after replacing complete rubber seal across from passenger side and rubber seals attached to soft top,it looks like the water is coming into car from small holes at bottom of door seal/from surplus run off,i am baffled could it be a design fault have removed sponge backing on carpet totally soaked just dont know how to stop this rainwater getting in anyone had this problem?any ideas would be really welcome ,really like this z3 its a 98 but body is immaculate red,this leak is drivin me nuts. the side carpet gets very wet so it must be seeping in from that run off inside rubber seal can,t think of another point of entry but i could be possibly missing something,had the seat out when i first got car in september but ,not having garage its a bit tricky this time of year.HELP.

I can't speak from experience on the Z3, but th e46 has a paper-like weather barrier behind the door panel that keeps water out. This barrier is sometimes not replaced or the mastic is not applied properly after working on the window regulator. I would only assume that the Z3 has the same type of weather barrier.

thanks for response,so you think the rain could be seeping thru inside door and then seeping thru dripping inside the car? possibly but does seem to be an awful lot of water,although the electric window on that door has been a bit intermittantly stiff.

No problem. Very possible, also make sure that the drain holes on the bottom edge of the door are not clogged.

Al

thanks al,will check in daylight tomorrow if this bl...y rain ever gives up! thanks again these probs don,t seem so bad when u get some ideas/help!cheers mik

Sounds like it's time to remove the door panel, inspect the weather seal behind it, and lubricate the window tracks. It might also be a good time to replace the cracked rubber around the exterior door handle and you might need to remove and re-paint the mirror bases.

There is a butyl tape seal around the plastic weather seal behind the door panel that often fails. It can easily allow in enough water to flood the car and even short out the seat sensors.

thanks blacklane will deffo look into the door panel and related issues,have just been sat in passenger seat with a torch/flashlight with carpet peeled back can see wet all along bottom rubber door seal maybe it is from inside the door,aagghhhh i,ve just replaced rubber seal cost a bl...y fortune,i dont care as long as i can cure it thanks again.

Some useful info here http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...=z3+water+leak

i now think rain entering elseware done door card added plastic sheet cut to shape and sealed with silicone greased window runners while in there not much sign of water leakin that way! did have issue on previous vehicle run off into rain catcher in bulk head blocked with leaves,difficult to see in on a z when u put bonnet up it kinda blocks view ,gonna poke a bit of wire down tomorrow see if its blocked and backing up to a missing gromet and coming into footwell that way as has happened in my last car,think i,ve sorted issues around door but still gettin rain in footwell any ideas?