Driver footwell damp HELP!

[PugRory]

Footwell is damp on driver side, it leaves your fingers sticky and greasy and smells strange, can't see where it's coming from at all. It's on the rubber mat that's underneath the pedals and it's damp around it. Could well be the drains on the car blocked, I can see a few leaves in there but i'm hoping it's not the heater matrix as the whole dash comes out to change it! 

Any help is much appreciated

[Toms306]

Sticky, greasy and smelly on the drivers side sounds like brake fluid! Have a look up at the pedal area.

[PugRory]

Sticky, greasy and smelly on the drivers side sounds like brake fluid!  Have a look up at the pedal area.

See I thought the same thing, or power steering fluid because it doesn't have a texture like coolant or washer fluid. If it's brake fluid where would it be coming from do you think? also I've not noticed anything different in the brake pedal in feel like pressure etc, feels ok.

[pug306driver]

I was wondering where the estate rear screen wash pipe route is, as it sometimes doesn't work straight away, as if the feed pipe to the rear wash was empty, ? and the cotton car seat cover always seem to be damp ish ? No damp patches on the carpets though?

[Toms306]

Power steering fluid isn't really in that area. If it was brake fluid would be coming from a leaking master cylinder and running down the pedal linkage but I'm pretty sure you'd feel that in the pedal. Try soaking it up on some white kitchen roll to see what colour it is.


Washer pipe runs up the A pillar on the drivers side and along the roof the tailgate.

[PugRory]

Power steering fluid isn't really in that area.  If it was brake fluid would be coming from a leaking master cylinder and running down the pedal linkage but I'm pretty sure you'd feel that in the pedal.  Try soaking it up on some white kitchen roll to see what colour it is.


Washer pipe runs up the A pillar on the drivers side and along the roof the tailgate.

I'll double chekc the brake pedal for fluid, it's not brake fluid or PAS fluid coloured... which makes me think it's the heater matrix again, keeps coming back to my mind and I don't like it haha!

[Toms306]

Lol, it's not unusual on these unfortunately!

Put the heaters of full and see if it gets steamy in there. Usually get an odd burnt rubbery sort of smell as well with matrix.

[PugRory]

Lol, it's not unusual on these unfortunately!

Put the heaters of full and see if it gets steamy in there.  Usually get an odd burnt rubbery sort of smell as well with matrix.

I've actually stopped using the heaters for a few days, dried it up and without using the heaters seeing if it comes back. if it doesn't appear again I can assume its the matrix. if I turn the heaters back on and i get fluid again = Heater matrix.. it always happens when the weather gets cold and horrible, awkward cars!

[Toms306]

Doesn't really work like that, the heater matrix is full of hot water whether you use the heaters or not. All you're doing is moving a flap so air either comes straight in OR gets directed over the matrix first. So not using heaters shouldn't stop a matrix leak...

[pug306driver]

Washer pipe runs up the A pillar on the drivers side and along the roof the tailgate. thanks tom.

heater question, leakage, does the radiator expansion tank coolant level go down and need continual topping up, if so then may be a matrix leak. if not, then liquid coming from somewhere else. determine what the liquid is......does the brake fluid level go down and needs topping up also??

[toseland]

is the carpet simply dirty, and you have a bulkhead drain blocked underneath the wiper motor? mine is full of crap and there is water running down


did this "wet" coincide with the recent bad ran we ahve been having?

[PugRory]

Thanks guys, Drain was blocked with leaves and all sorts. Hopefully that's problem solved, Coolant level stays pretty much the same so I'm happy it's not coolant