Mazda MX5 2008 | Water Leak Found (part 3)
There are no surprises here, the door membranes are leaking. On a few cars the inner door membranes are moulded plastic panels, but on the vast majority of cars they are just a sheet of clear plastic held in place with a bead of heavy-duty sealant.
The windows have a rubber strip to keep out the majority of the water, but there is no way to waterproof these, so the door is designed to let any water that comes in around the window to drain out through the bottoms of the doors. The plastic membrane is supposed to keep all this water on the inside part of the door until it can drain out.
However, after about 7-10 years, the plastic sheet begins to dry out and shrink with age. As it shrinks, it wrinkles up and pulls away from the sealant and no longer does its job. These plastic sheets are cheap and primitive, but for the most part they do their job and cars have been made this way for decades. But plastic will perish over time, and how long they last really depends on what they have been exposed to in terms of temperature and humidity.
It's a fairly easy fix. We make our own door membranes out of a foam sheet, which is a little more durable.
We have been repairing leaks and drying cars for over 30 years
Up to a third of the cost of your car was computers, processors and sensors. Delicate electrical systems hidden under your carpets, which might now be sitting in water.
Related Videos
Here are some more of our latest #Mazda water leak found videos
Mazda MX5 2008 | Water Leak Detection
This Mazda is showing the exact, same problem as on the last video with an MX5, which is that water leaks through the screws which attach the scuttle plate to the bodywork.
Watch VideoMazda MX5 2008 | Water Leak Found (part 4)
James shows the leaks from the scuttle area. There are two bolts which have a rubber washer which should seal them waterproof.
Watch VideoMazda MX5 2008 | Water Leak Found (part 2)
We suspected the rear light was leaking, this is possible if the rubber seal around it has perished.
Watch VideoMazda MX5 2008 | Water Leak Found (part 1)
In this video, James is going to show the drainage system for the hard-top convertible version of the MX5.
Watch VideoMazda MX5 2007 | Water Leak Found | (Part 2)
There are a couple of additional leaks we have found on this Mazda, both from around the windscreen.
Watch Video
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If you would like to have your car water leak investigated by the professionals, you can find out more on our car water leaks page.
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