You have noticed that your Citroen C3 Pluriel is taking on water, but it is sometimes difficult to identify the source of the leak.
And this could be annoying as vehicles contain more and more electronic elements, therefore water could damage these devices. In addition, the presence of humidity in your Citroen C3 Pluriel can produce mold in your car which could become harmful to your health and prematurely damage the passenger compartment of your Citroen C3 Pluriel (rust, etc.)
Interesting to know: If you are the victim of bad weather which has submerged your car, then it will be recognized as unfit for repair when the water has reached the level of the seats. Otherwise for other cases, the insurance companies will ask to carry out repairs on your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
Indeed, there are several possibilities for water to enter your automobile. With this article we will first assist you in identify the symptoms of water infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel . Then in a second step we will direct you to the possible causes of water infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel . Finally we will suggest you solutions to repair infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
1-identify the symptoms of water infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel
In order to identify the source of the infiltrations in your Citroen C3 Pluriel, you will first have to examine the symptoms.
1.1-The climatic conditions in which you use your Citroen C3 Pluriel
To begin with, it is important to identify whether the leak occurred as a result of bad weather. Indeed in the case where there was no rain in the days preceding the degradation, then this generally means that it comes from the mechanism of yours Citroen C3 Pluriel. So there will certainly be a component to replace or repair. We will explain to you later what could be the source.
1.2-The smell of liquid infiltrating your Citroen C3 Pluriel
Check the smell of the liquid coming from the leak. In the event that it smells of mold it means it is water. But it can also have an industrial liquid smell like that of windshield washer fluid.
Also check if the fluid is hot this could be a good test to identify if the leak is coming from the radiator.
1.3-the place where your Citroen C3 Pluriel infiltrates
Finally, identify whether the infiltrated liquid is on the driver or passenger side or at the rear of your vehicle. This will allow you to locate the possible causes of the leak in your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
2-the possible causes of the infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel
There are three main types of possible causes related to the intrusion of fluid inside your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
2.1-The drain gutters on your Citroen C3 Pluriel are blocked
As for your roof, if the gutters of your car are blocked then this will prevent the water from draining well in bad weather and thus cause water infiltration.
To find out if your concern comes from there. Check around the windshield, if the windshield bay is full of leaves then this is a good indicator. But also if your concern for water infiltration is at the level of the trunk, see if when you open it the upper part is also full of leaves then this may be the source of your concern.
In this situation, the fluid going into your car should be cold water and may be in different places depending on the clogged gutter.
2.2-a sealing problem on your Citroen C3 Pluriel
You realize that the car is taking in water through the openings: door, window, windshield… In this case, it could come from a problem of tightness.
It is important to note that your Citroen C3 Pluriel contains a large number of seals in order to anticipate infiltration problems.
However, over time, the differences in weather (hot and cold), the rubber of the latter ends up being damaged, it becomes more rigid, cracks and therefore can cause rainwater infiltration inside your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
Then you should observe that the liquid is cold water and is located near the openings. Moreover in this situation you will quickly notice the damaged joints.
2.3-An internal leak on your Citroen C3 Pluriel
The third possibility is a leak in your Citroen C3 Pluriel. This turns out to be more problematic because you most often have to go to a garage to repair the malfunction.
i-The liquid has a particular odor
In this case it could come from a bad connection of the pipes intended for the washer fluid. To make sure the problem is there, run your windshield wipers. In the event that the latter does not deliver a lot of liquid and you observe liquid on your parcel shelf or around the dashboard, then it is possible that the intended hose is incorrectly connected.
ii-The liquid has no smell but it is hot
Then if you observe that the liquid is hot then it generally means that the leak comes from the radiator.
iii-The liquid comes out of the ventilation of my Citroen C3 Pluriel
Finally if you observe fine drops emerging from the vents of your Citroen C3 Pluriel then the concern is caused by a bad evacuation of the condensation of the air conditioning.
You can check the malfunction as soon as you turn on the air conditioning (the drops appear) and turn off the air conditioning (wait a moment and the drops do not reappear) on your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
3-Solutions to repair the infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel
Once you have been able to make a diagnosis why your Citroen C3 Pluriel is taking on water, we will guide you to repair this malfunction.
3.1-How to unclog the gutters of my Citroen C3 Pluriel
To avoid new water infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel, we recommend that you spray with a strong water jet each season (karcher) to remove all deposits. This will allow the water to drain away during future bad weather. So she's not going to sneak into your car. This is important in the late season with the leaves falling and in the spring because of the pollen.
3.2-How to change the door seals on my Citroen C3 Pluriel
In the event that the seals of your Citroen C3 Pluriel turn out to be too worn and cause infiltration in your car, we will present you different solutions.
Depending on the model, the joints can be glued or clipped.
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A first solution could be to glue the damaged portion of the seal with windshield glue.
To do this, clean the surface well before sticking. Put the glue on properly, then close the door of your car for 1 hour so that the glue takes on well. -
Another technique, you can also change the seal yourself. To do this, make sure you have a rubber seal with a good value for money, otherwise it will surely wear out faster and create new infiltrations.
In this situation, to change the door seal, it is generally necessary to unclip the plastic part positioned close to the seat. As soon as it is removed you simply have to unclip the seal. Remove dust from the support then clip the new gasket back on. Remember to join the 2 ends by fitting the longer part into the shorter part. And then put back the plastic support.
Finally, we recommend that you frequently maintain the seals on your Citroen C3 Pluriel. To do so, it is very simple, you just need to apply vegetable glycerin using a brush on all the joints of your Citroen C3 Pluriel. This solution is without risk for you because it is a natural product, but also it will not deteriorate the paint of your car.
3.3-How to repair an internal leak in my Citroen C3 Pluriel
Finally, if the leak comes from an element of your Citroen C3 Pluriel. Whether it is the radiator, air conditioning or other, we recommend that you go to a garage. In fact, to reach the parts to be replaced, handling is difficult without the appropriate tools. In particular because it is regularly necessary to disassemble certain parts. And in addition the mechanic will also be able to see if this has generated other internal faults on your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
Note that the price for an air conditioning renovation in a garage will cost at least 68 euros per hour depending on the problems of your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
Now normally you know identify what is the origin of the water in your Citroen C3 Pluriel and you are able to perform the steps to repair this water infiltration in your Citroen C3 Pluriel.
To be able to read other guides on the Citroen C3 Pluriel, you can consult the other articles on the Citroen C3 Pluriel.
