Water pouring from inside the hatchback door when opening!?

[ElectricBenSolar]

Just had the MG5 Trophy (Facelift) for around 5 days now, and it's rained a few times over the last 2, when I opened the boot yesterday and again today water started pouring out from within the plastic cover inside the hatchback door... all over and into the inside of the boot. I took the small side cover off and sure enough even more water started to pour out...

This seems totally crazy to me a brand new car can have this issue!?

Has anyone else had this happen to theirs?

Photo attached -

(Note - this is different from when you open the door and surface water runs off the outside of the door and down into the side water drains, this is water actually inside the door)

 

[Alb]

Don't recall that ever being reported.
Could you see any obvious entry point?

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

I see. I suppose that might be a good thing.

I can’t see where it’s getting in, there must be a seal or gasket that’s either missing or not fitted properly. Im worries it’s going to cause issues to the electrical systems.

 

[5teep]

That's a dealer job, there's electronics in there that will not like getting wet.

 

[slmorgan42]

Dealer for sure.
Had my FL since December not seen this.

I did see an article about the washer fluid pipe coming off and water leaking from that. Is it possible it is this?

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

Yes I agree, trouble is I bought it down south, and I live in Scotland, 2 hours from the nearest dealer and they have said they’re busy until June! Ridiculous… at a loss as to what to do.

I’ve done some more research and it may be a possibility of drain plugs not having been removed… is this a thing? Surely not… but if it is, why is so much water coming into the car only to be drained out!? ??‍ surly no water should be coming into the car ?

I will check for drain plugs in the morning.

 

[Les burrows]

There has in the past been reports of a clear sellotape type plug in the bottoms of doors on some cars but never heard of anything with the tail gate but worth a check just in case.
Les

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

Okay, looks like there were two drain holes with plugs in left in the back door, I’m by no means a mechanic so this is all new to me. Also never had a new car before, surely like this shouldn’t happen? Either way, if that’s it sorted, I’m thankful! no long trips to the dealer. But slightly concerned so much water is passing through the inside of the car… Surely that’s not right!? Planned obsolescence… ??

 

[Les burrows]

You’re right it shouldn’t happen if they are plugs they should have been remove at the PDI check your door bottoms also in daylight.
Les

 

[slmorgan42]

Okay, looks like there were two drain holes with plugs in left in the back door, I’m by no means a mechanic so this is all new to me. Also never had a new car before, surely like this shouldn’t happen? Either way, if that’s it sorted, I’m thankful! no long trips to the dealer. But slightly concerned so much water is passing through the inside of the car… Surely that’s not right!? Planned obsolescence… ??

Can you send pics of the plugs and I will compare to my FL as I do not have this issue.

Still sounds odd that much water going through where their is electrics.

 

[5teep]

I suppose a possible cure is to spray expanding foam into the cavity where you think the water is getting in. Might make it difficult down the road if you need to access the brake light or wiper motor etc.

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

Can you send pics of the plugs and I will compare to my FL as I do not have this issue.

Still sounds odd that much water going through where their is electrics.

Sure thing -

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

Also with the tape on the front doors….

I noticed with driving for the first few times the windows steam up extremely easily, is this normal in evs? Seems counter intuitive when you have to keep the AC on which uses more battery.

Wonder now with all the extra holes this will still happen ? ?

 

[Les burrows]

Glad you took a look mine was the same on a couple of doors
Les

 

[Lovemyev]

I am a little confused ( which is not hard to be honest .)
But in the first post, water was seen pouring out of an access panel in the side trim of the tail gate / hatch and then cascading down into the boot as you raised up the hatch, it if I understand your post correctly ?.
Then you discovered the two rubber bungs fitted in one ( or both ) of the rear doors.
Here I am struggling to understand how these two things are connected really ?.
Surly water ? is entering into the tail gate / hatch somewhere and failing to get away correctly via the drain holes.
Therefore the water is trapped inside the bottom edge of the tail gate / hatch when it is closed.
Then when the hatch is raised completely open, the water collected in the bottom, runs backwards and finds its way out of the nearest escape route, which happens to be via the access panel shown in the photo.
The doors are going to take in some water of course and this is why you have drain holes in the bottom of the door frame.
They are unable to be 100% water proof due to there design and have a movable glass window.
There is also a water proof membrane attached to the inside of the door frame, behind the door cards.
This is to prevent moisture attacking the back of the door cards.
You would be surprised to see just how much water passes through the inside of the doors of cars !.
The tail gate / hatch is somewhat different, because the rear windscreen glass is static and bonded to the frame of the tail gate / hatch back.
There is only few opportunities for water to enter the inside of the tail gate TBH.
There will be weather seal around the edge of the boot aperture, that mates with the tail gate when closed etc.
It should not take much time to locate any leak really.
The dealer would likely remove the tail gate trim and sit somebody inside the boot, then jet wash the car.
It should show itself straight away !.

 

[Tweed98]

Also with the tape on the front doors….

I noticed with driving for the first few times the windows steam up extremely easily, is this normal in evs? Seems counter intuitive when you have to keep the AC on which uses more battery.

Wonder now with all the extra holes this will still happen ? ?

My pre-face lift steams up when the temperature drops below 10°c, unless I have the AC set to windscreen. Plus side is once clear I can turn the fan down to 3 to stop the car from overheating.

 

[Les burrows]

I am a little confused ( which is not hard to be honest .)
But in the first post, water was seen pouring out of an access panel in the side trim of the tail gate / hatch and then cascading down into the boot as you raised up the hatch, it if I understand your post correctly ?.
Then you discovered the two rubber bungs fitted in one ( or both ) of the rear doors.
Here I am struggling to understand how these two things are connected really ?.
Surly water ? is entering into the tail gate / hatch somewhere and failing to get away correctly via the drain holes.
Therefore the water is trapped inside the bottom edge of the tail gate / hatch when it is closed.
Then when the hatch is raised completely open, the water collected in the bottom, runs backwards and finds its way out of the nearest escape route, which happens to be via the access panel shown in the photo.
The doors are going to take in some water of course and this is why you have drain holes in the bottom of the door frame.
They are unable to be 100% water proof due to there design and have a movable glass window.
There is also a water proof membrane attached to the inside of the door frame, behind the door cards.
This is to prevent moisture attacking the back of the door cards.
You would be surprised to see just how much water passes through the inside of the doors of cars !.
The tail gate / hatch is somewhat different, because the rear windscreen glass is static and bonded to the frame of the tail gate / hatch back.
There is only few opportunities for water to enter the inside of the tail gate TBH.
There will be weather seal around the edge of the boot aperture, that mates with the tail gate when closed etc.
It should not take much time to locate any leak really.
The dealer would likely remove the tail gate trim and sit somebody inside the boot, then jet wash the car.
It should show itself straight away !.

Hi Jeff no the rubber bungs have come out of the bottom of the tailgate not the doors with regards to the doors many owners have found one or more holes in the bottom of them had waterproof tape stuck over the holes mine was the same on the MK1 5 I had and also on the facelift model I have now no idea why its there so ripped it off and it was me that advised electricbensolar to check his doors water in the tailgate is new to me might be getting in via one of the lights or the rear wiper spindle.
Les

 

[Lovemyev]

Cheers for clarifying that Les !.
The confusion was brought about due to the terminology used I think.
By referring to the tail gate / hatch as the “Back Door” in the post.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Kithmo]

My guess would be one of the seals around the lamp clusters.

 

[ElectricBenSolar]

I am a little confused ( which is not hard to be honest .)
But in the first post, water was seen pouring out of an access panel in the side trim of the tail gate / hatch and then cascading down into the boot as you raised up the hatch, it if I understand your post correctly ?.
Then you discovered the two rubber bungs fitted in one ( or both ) of the rear doors.
Here I am struggling to understand how these two things are connected really ?.
Surly water ? is entering into the tail gate / hatch somewhere and failing to get away correctly via the drain holes.
Therefore the water is trapped inside the bottom edge of the tail gate / hatch when it is closed.
Then when the hatch is raised completely open, the water collected in the bottom, runs backwards and finds its way out of the nearest escape route, which happens to be via the access panel shown in the photo.
The doors are going to take in some water of course and this is why you have drain holes in the bottom of the door frame.
They are unable to be 100% water proof due to there design and have a movable glass window.
There is also a water proof membrane attached to the inside of the door frame, behind the door cards.
This is to prevent moisture attacking the back of the door cards.
You would be surprised to see just how much water passes through the inside of the doors of cars !.
The tail gate / hatch is somewhat different, because the rear windscreen glass is static and bonded to the frame of the tail gate / hatch back.
There is only few opportunities for water to enter the inside of the tail gate TBH.
There will be weather seal around the edge of the boot aperture, that mates with the tail gate when closed etc.
It should not take much time to locate any leak really.
The dealer would likely remove the tail gate trim and sit somebody inside the boot, then jet wash the car.
It should show itself straight away !.

Hi thanks for your reply, sorry for any confusion.
The drain plugs / bungs were from the rear hatch back door,
(the tape over the drain hole photos were from the front doors - no issue with water for the front doors, yet.)

In terms of dealer checking, the nearest MG dealer Arnold Clark has said they don't have any appointments until June, which seems ridiculous to me... so not really an option unfortunately.

So far, having removed the drain holes has sorted the immediate problem of water sloshing about inside the hatch door, however... it still doesn't answer the question of where it's coming from or why it should be in there in the first place... Hopefully MG will help, I'm slightly disappointed at the total lack of responsibility MG has so far taken on this. (from the dealer I bought it from and from the the local dealers).