Water ingress at speed?

[Phideaux]

After the fires, then came the floods, before COVID-19 -
We took our 2011 TD4 FL2 for a 'drive in the country' - to see things growing back. It was a day of 'floods' - in quite a few places (Captains Flat Road) water covered the road completely.
Then some fool in a high-lift, 36" rims Toyota had to have the crown of the two-lane road and forced us into a giant puddle on the left - a little alarming, puddle was deeper than expected, nearly lost control at (initially) 100kph - but didn't; good one, "Bruce" (our FL2 is called "Bruce").

But a few days later, noticed a mouldy smell. It took a couple of days after that to find - the deep well underneath the front seats was very wet. Note: - not (!!) the door sills - first place I checked.
We first assumed that the grommets underneath had 'blown their seals' with the combination of say 15cm depth and 100kph - but those able to look under the car say no such problem. "The Canberra LR Dealer" now saying it was the door seal, driver's side. That door-seal is worn at shoulder-high but not noticeably at foot level.
I'm guessing that the air-con intake - which is sensibly 'high up and protected' - got some water due to the combination of depth and speed of splash. This would have put water into those footwells. And also puts me in conflict with the diagnosis by 'the specialist supplier'. (Note - in 9 years I've never let that dealer touch my car).

Has anyone else ever had this experience? High-speed splash of water in extreme wet/unexpected conditions, highway speeds, causing water to be delivered to 'under the seats'?

[FisherX]

I agree with your diagnosis. There are vents under the seats which would be the lowest point of the system, so if you were to get water spray into the air con intake that's were it would show up.

[Phideaux]

I agree with your diagnosis. There are vents under the seats which would be the lowest point of the system, so if you were to get water spray into the air con intake that's were it would show up.

The point with this (very financial!) is if it's door-seals (which I suspect it isn't) it's not insured, whereas if it's 'accidental' (no way I'd knowingly drive through water that deep at that speed, other driver involved) it is claimable.

So if I can find someone who has direct experience of this - would be perfect.

Phideaux.

[Phideaux]

Apparently everyone who's ever parked a Discovery 1,2,3 or 4 or Freelander2 under a tree knows this - but I didn't - and apparently, neither did 'the Canberra-south Land Rover dealer'.
Under the bonnet, near the windscreen, each side, there's 'scuppers' for want of a better term - one-way rainwater 'valves' with a little rubber flap. Black-on-black - I never noticed they were there. My recent 'water in deepest part of footwells' experience - this may have been a contributing factor.
For years, I've been 'accidentally' cleaning them when I washed the motor down at Car-Lovers. But I hadn't been doing that for a while.
When the car was returned from 'the Canberra-south Land Rover dealer' after a fumbled 'diagnosis' of water ingress, it was beautifully clean. I mean it. Except for that scupper/valve - which was pretty much clogged with leaves & mulch.

But I'd also asked them to replace the RH door seal - I knew it was due. The erosion on that seal was at waist-high, not bottom of door.
So - they replaced the seal. $360, $5 off. Very charming counter officers.
The seal is just a long piece of complex rubber/internal spring-grip, exactly the right length. Well - except for a 2-3mm gap.

Guess where they put the gap? You guessed it - right at the lowest point, the one most likely to allow water in when new and incur foot-damage over time.

This is the first time they've had my car - I purchased it in Perth, and the price differential paid for the (enjoyable) trip! 9 years...
I'm now persuaded to pay the extra 10% on my insurance that NRMA insists upon if you want to 'choose your own repairer'.

(There's more - about how they had the car for a week to dry the carpet - and didn't; front carpets were dry-ish; rear carpet - wet to the touch after 2 months of intentional passive-drying in the carport, and their contribution. With a mate and a small blower-heater and a few props to raise the carpet, mission accomplished. I won't bore you further. Just ... avoid this dealer.)

I will be assuming the 50cm wading depth is a thing of the past from now on - not that there's much call in our drought-ridden continent.

That said - 9 years on - I still absolutely love my FL2. It's been almost trouble-free, only been stuck 3 times (all belly-flops), almost no troubles at all, pulls 2 tonne trailer easily, purrs at 110kph, fast and comfy on gravel... Great car, shame about the dealership!